Cooking Basics

Turkey Basics

How big of a turkey? Estimate 1 1/2 pounds per person
How long to cook the turkey? 15 to 20 minutes per pound
What temperature to cook the turkey? 325* F for a steady and slow roast
What temperature should the turkey be when done? 165* F in the thickest part of the thigh
How long should the turkey rest? About 30 minutes

COOKING YOUR TURKEY

Here is a good place to start from Spruce Eats on the basics of cooking a holiday turkey: www.thespruceeats.com/cooking-turkey-for-beginners

There are several cooking options and a lot depends on your creativity when it comes to roasting your turkey. After patting the skin dry, you may choose to coat the bird (over and under the skin) with an herb butter rub or it down with olive or canola coil. Place the bird in a roasting pan with an inch or two of liquid broth beneath the bird, filling in with more herbs and aromatics. You can cover the breast with oiled parchment paper or aluminum foil to prevent the breast from browning too quickly (remove for the last 45-60 minutes so the skin will beautifully brown and crisp). Some methods recommending starting the bird at a high temperature (475-500*) for the first 30 minutes and then turning the temperature down to 350* for the remaining time. Other methods recommend keeping the temp up at 425 or more the whole time or down at 325. Whatever the specific method, remember not to go by a timer, but rather by a meat thermometer! Baste periodically as you are checking the temperature.

Roasting Times at 325*

10-13 lb. – 1 ½ to 2 ¼ hr.
14-23 lb. – 2 to 3 hr.
24-27 lb. – 3 to 3 ¾ hr.
28-30 lb. – 3 ½ to 4 ½ hr.

Figure about 12-15 minutes per pound and then monitor until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees. Oven temperatures and individual birds vary so it is important to rely on internal temperature rather than cooking time.

PASTURE RAISED BIRDS COOK FASTER THAN CONVENTIONAL TURKEYS, SO MONITOR CLOSELY WITH A MEAT THERMOMETER!

COOKING A GOOSE

A customer shared this Goose Recipe with us that he found in a 1994 Cook’s Illustrated article. It was developed by Chef Stephen Schmidt and goes in depth discussing the ins and outs of cooking a whole goose. He verified that the recipe was delicious and was even superior to prime rib. That’s pretty high praise! It’s hard to go wrong with advice from Cook’s Illustrated… so even though this recipe has a lot of steps, it’s nearly a sure bet it will turn out beautifully!

Photo Credit: Tyler Burns

TURKEY BREAST ROAST

We offer Boneless Turkey Breast in a variety of ways. Some with skin and some without and often we put it in netting for a nice presentation. All of these version can be prepared similarly.

Brine – (optional) We love to brine the roast overnight ahead of time in salt water in the fridge. The ratio is 1/3 to 1/2 cup of salt in about 1 gallon of water, give or take.

Prep – Rinse the roast to remove some of the salt. Place it in an oven roasting pan or the crockpot and add back about a 1/2 cup fresh water to the bottom of the pan. (Quite a bit of liquid will come off the roast when it cooks.) We then pour a seasoned butter rub on the top.

Seasoned Butter Rub – For the top of the roast, melt 4-8 tablespoons of butter and add in 6-10 cloves of fresh minced garlic along with some minced fresh Rosemary and Sage (dried is fine if you don’t have fresh). Pour this mixture right over the top of the roast so it sits on the top as it cooks. Leave the netting on during cooking if the breast is netted.

Oven Roast – Roast the breast in the oven at 350° for 1.5 – 2.5 hours (depending on size) checking temperature after the first hour. A 6 lb. roast usually reaches 175° in about two hours so estimate less time for a smaller roast. If using a crockpot, cook on the High setting for 3 – 4 hours also checking temperature often.

Gravy – After the roast is done, we pour off the liquid into a bowl, running it through a strainer to catch the garlic and herb chunks. We use this flavorful liquid to make a light gravy which is perfect over mashed potatoes!

GROUND TURKEY MEATBALLS

You can cook this delicious mixture as a loaf, burgers or meatballs.

Saute together and set aside:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 clove minced garlic

Mix together:

1 pound ground turkey
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. milk
2 Tbsp. dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Sauteed onion and garlic mixture

Thoroughly combine the mixture and then shape as desired. For Meatballs: form into 1-inch balls and roll in cornmeal. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in heavy skillet. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes or until they reach 175°. For Meatloaf: shape into loaf pan and bake at 350° for about 35 minutes when the center feels firm.

Recipe from the ‘All New Joy of Cooking’.

References:

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