Cooking a whole turkey presents its conundrums: There’s the space the bird takes up in your refrigerator and oven, as well as the length of time it takes to cook through. Then there’s the dilemma of too-dry, tasteless white meat—mostly because it cooks more quickly than darker meat. Finally, if you’re serving a small group, you end up with more leftovers than you can handle. Read on for ways to offset these concerns, along with general tips, no matter the cooking method.
Choose the pan: If you cook turkey and other roasts frequently, invest in a sturdy stainless steel pan that will last a lifetime.
Skip nonstick pans, which will not allow foods and meat juices to brown and caramelize. Most pans come with racks; if not, buy one.
Defrost: Thaw turkey in the refrigerator, where it’s too cold for harmful bacteria to grow.
Place the turkey, breast side up, in its original wrapper, on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any drips). Allow a full day for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey being thawed.
Prep: Remove neck and packet of giblets (heart, liver, gizzard) from cavity. (You can use them in the stuffing, or add all of them, except for the liver, to gravy or stock.)
Before cooking, let turkey come to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours (depending on size). Kitchen hygiene is especially important when handling raw poultry.
Truss: Place turkey on rack in the roasting pan and tie the legs together with kitchen twine; finish with a bow that will be easy to undo later.
If stuffing the bird, do this before trussing, and secure the neck flap by pulling down the skin and fastening it with skewers or trussing needles (see page 345 for more stuffing tips).
Tuck wing tips under the body. Rub the bird inside and out with oil or butter, and season as desired.
Baste: Begin basting with pan juices (or melted butter) after the first hour of cooking; then baste every 30 minutes or so, up to the end.
Don’t be tempted to skip this step, as it will contribute much moisture to the meat and also promote browning of the surface.
Finish: The bird is ready when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone) reads 165°F (do not rely on pop-up thermometers).
Once out of the oven, tent turkey loosely with foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving to allow the bird to keep cooking and the juices to be redistributed.
Martha Must
Though more expensive, heritage birds have incredible flavor, and the skin gets wonderfully crisp. By choosing a heritage bird, you are also helping to protect the cultural legacy of the old breeds and to keep genetic diversity for the future. You can find them at certain farms and specialty purveyors, or ask your local butcher.