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Carving Your Turkey with Dear Dad

Selecting the Turkey:

Roasting turkeys are usually a Tom and weight between 16-28 lbs. A good weight is about 22 lbs. This size turkey will yield about 9-10 lbs of serving meat not counting the wings and legs. On average a turkey of this size will yield 25-30 serving 4-5 ounces. But, it’s Thanksgiving, it’s your family and you want leftovers, I suggest a 22 lb turkey serves between 14-18 people.    

Equipment Needed:

·         Food prep gloves

·         Roasting pan with rack, and cover if possible (18 in long x 14 in wide)

·         Cutting board

·         A sharp pointed knife about 7-8 inches long

·         A carving knife at least 12 inches long

·         Knife sharpener

·         Serving folk

·         Small serving spoon

Preparation Time:

A 22 lb turkey will take 2-3 days to defrost in your refrigerator. You run cold water over the turkey as well. I don’t suggest deforesting in the open air like a counter top this promotes bacteria.

·         30 min Dressing the turkey (remove the bag of gibbets, clean turkey)

·         10 min Stuffing the turkey (prepare 2 hours ahead)

·         10 min Season (salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder)

·         15 min Mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery)

Cooking Time:

·         7-9 hours         For a stuffed 22 lb turkey, 1 hour less unstuffed. (20-25 min per lb)

Cooking Instructions:

·         Preheat the oven at 350 degrees

·         Stuff turkey with cold or cool cooked stuffing, close opening shut

·         If you are not stuffing the turkey season the inside lightly with salt and pepper

·         Tie the two ends of the drum sticks together, and tuck the ends of the wings under

·         To get a golden color rub the turkey with cooking oil (canola) or butter

·         Sprinkle dry spices

·         Turn the oven down to 325 degrees

·         Place turkey on the roasting rack, first lying on its side, and roast for 1 hour, and then the opposite side for 1hour.

·         Turn turkey breast side up and add meripoix and 16 ounces of chicken broth. At this point you can cover the turkey with loose fitting tin foil or the roasting pan cover for a few hours but allow it to cook uncovered for at least the last hour of cooking.

·         Periodically baste the turkey with the liquid drippings and chicken broth in the pan. (every ½ hour)

·         The turkey is done when the pop-up pops or the internal temperature is above 170 degrees or when you can easily separate the drumstick from thigh and the meat flakes away.