Turkey Tips

Taken from "The Thanksgiving Book" --

Turkeys are as American as apple pie. No other country makes such a fuss about its native bird. Explorers to America praised the turkey, Indians feared it, and Benjamin Franklin, the turkey's greatest champion, immortalized it as a "bird of courage" and a "true, original native of America who would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guard who should presume to invade the farmyard with a red coat on."

But while everyone agrees that the turkey is the perfect food for Thanksgiving, no one seems to be able to agree on the way to cook it. There are the basters, the non-basters, the wrap-it-in-aluminum-foilers, and the oiled-paper-baggers. Some swear by paprika, others abhor it. Others love Aunty Em's favorite recipe, and still others, tuned to the latest culinary arts, think nothing of cooking the family bird, complete with wild rice and green grapes, in a microwave.

Some turkey tips:

When purchasing a turkey, allow 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per person. Allow 3/4 pound of stuffing per person.

Thaw the turkey in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the frig. Do not thaw at room temperature.

Do not stuff the bird before you are ready to roast it. Refrigerating a stuffed, raw bird is unadvisable; the stuffing is prime breeding ground for bacteria.

After roasting, let the bird rest at least 15 minutes before carving. If you guests are late, do not panic; a cooked bird will stay quite warm for up to one hour if covered with aluminum foil.

After serving the turkey, treat it right. Remove any remaining stuffing and refrigerate in a covered bowl or wrap it securely and freeze it. Use refrigerated stuffing within three days, frozen stuffing within one month. Refrigerated meat will remain fresh for three days, frozen meat for two months.

For packing lunches, turkey sandwiches freeze well. They will thaw by noon and will be ready for eating; at the same time, they will help keep other foods cool.

Have a very happy and thankful Thanksgiving!