I ordered my turkey for Thanksgiving and this year we are getting a fresh, local, organic, free-range turkey that I will pick up on Monday before Thanksgiving. We use to always get our turkey from "the turkey farm", as we called it. When we moved here in 1998, I saw an ad for fresh Thanksgiving turkeys from a place called Oreda Ranch. So I called them and they said they just need to know what pound turkey we wanted and they would set one aside. The first time we drove out there I couldn't believe there was any civilization out that far.
They were very friendly people and I was envious of their variety of chickens and rather large chicken coop. We felt lucky to get on their mailing list and for the next 10 years, that's where we got our Thanksgiving turkey. We looked forward to driving out there the Saturday before Thanksgiving to pick up our turkey and our dogs also got a thrill out of it because we would let them out of the car and let them run ahead as we drove along. It was great exercise for them, as we were always struggling to get them enough exercise since they are sled dogs and always wanted to be running.
But a few years ago, we got the call that the owners would be retiring and it was their last year of selling Thanksgiving turkeys. So sad! But since our kids no longer live here and we only have one dog now who is too old to run like that, I guess it's O.K to move on from that tradition.
So, this year I ordered a fresh, organic, free-range turkey from my local organic food Brown Box delivery service Brown Box Organics who get the turkeys from a local farm. Now that the local food movement is so popular, there are closer places than the Oreda Ranch, fortunately for us. There will be seven of us for Thanksgiving this year so that gives me an excuse to get a big turkey!! (I'd get a big turkey anyway!) I love cooking all the food for Thanksgiving and having lots of leftovers.
My son has requested that I cook all the traditional American foods because he is leaving for Japan the Monday after Thanksgiving and will be eating Japanese food for the next 6 months. He loves Japanese food so that is not a problem but when I mentioned to him I found a recipe for Wasabi Bloody Marys (which I thought sounded pretty good!) he made it clear he wanted only the tried and true traditional home-cooked food and beverages! He goes to Japan each year for work and this time will be an especially long assignment of 6 months. His wife is Japanese so its a good time for them to visit her family. I always look for "special" recipes to accompany the usual traditional ones since the traditional ones get a little boring to me. Most of the stuff I make for Thanksgiving, I don't even need a recipe! Since I'm doing this blog, I will pay extra attention to what I'm doing so I can write it down…
So, if you want to get a fresh, organic, free-range turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner, check around in your local area because they are available with the popularity of the local food movement. They are a bit more expensive, expect to pay at least $3.00 per pound, although I did see that Costco has organic turkeys at our local Costco for $2.69 per pound. The USDA definition of "organic" means that the turkey will have had to eat only organic feed, were spared antibiotics and growth hormones, and were grown free-range. Turkeys that are allowed to roam and graze have more natural flavor and you can have a peace of mind that they lived they way fowl were meant to live a natural life. I refuse to support those who practice animal cruelty which is the majority of how our food is raised in this country.
Fresh Turkey
If the organic is just a little too pricey for you, I would suggest a fresh turkey which costs $1.00 per pound and up. You'll pay a bit more for the freshness and convenience of no thawing out like a frozen turkey. (No need to deal with the four-day defrosting in the refrigerator or cleaning out the refrigerator to make fridge space for it!) Pick it up at the store in the a.m. (yes, most stores are open Thanksgiving morning), season and put right in the oven! If you want to get exactly what you want, you can order it from the butcher and get your exact size and super fresh! Give the supermarket butcher at least two weeks' notice so that's about like right now!
Frozen Turkey
This is the most common and cheapest option in the supermarket, less than $1.00 per pound. You will need to plan ahead to thaw it out because it takes three to four days to defrost in the fridge which is the safest way to thaw before cooking. Plan for one day to thaw for every 5 pounds of meat. If the label says "basted", that means the turkey has been prebrined (treated with a salty solution to keep the meat moist) so not much labor involved for a tasty Thanksgiving turkey.
Preparing to Cook Your Turkey
If your turkey is frozen, there are three ways to defrost it; in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Use the chart below to thaw your turkey in the refrigerator.
| In the Refrigerator (40 °F or below) Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds | |
|---|---|
| 4 to 12 pounds | 1 to 3 days |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 3 to 4 days |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 4 to 5 days |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 5 to 6 days |
Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.
| In Cold Water Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound | |
|---|---|
| 4 to 12 pounds | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 10 to 12 hours |
Wrap your turkey securely, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping. Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze.
In the Microwave Oven:
Remove all outside wrapping.
Place on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak.
Cook your turkey immediately. Do not refreeze or refrigerate your turkey after thawing in the microwave oven.
REMINDER: Remove the giblets from the turkey cavities after thawing. Cook separately.
Roasting Your Turkey
(325 °F oven temperature)
Use the timetables below to determine how long to cook your turkey. These times are approximate. Always use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your turkey and stuffing to an internal temperature of 165 degree F.
| Unstuffed | |
|---|---|
| 4 to 8 pounds (breast) | 1½ to 3¼ hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 hours |
| Stuffed | |
|---|---|
| 4 to 6 pounds (breast) | Not usually applicable |
| 6 to 8 pounds (breast) | 2½ to 3½ hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 3 to 3½ hours |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 4 to 4¼ hours |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4¾ hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4¾ to 5¼ hours |
It is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state. The cooking time will take at least 50 percent longer than recommended for a fully thawed turkey. Remember to remove the giblet packages during the cooking time.
Optional Cooking Hints
Tuck wing tips under the shoulders of the bird for more even cooking.
Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the pan.
If your roasting pan does not have a lid, you may place a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the turkey for the first 1 to 1 ½ hours. This allows for maximum heat circulation, keeps the turkey moist, and reduces oven splatter. To prevent overbrowning, foil may also be placed over the turkey after it reaches the desired color.
If using an oven-proof food thermometer, place it in the turkey at the start of the cooking cycle. It will allow you to check the internal temperature of the turkey while it is cooking.
Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh. Once the thigh has reached 165 °F, check the wing and the thickest part of the breast to ensure the turkey has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
If using an oven cooking bag, follow the manufacturer's guidelines on the package.
Comments
Post a Comment