Chef Christopher Koetke, one of our expert food columnists, has advice
on cooking a grand turkey dinner.
What makes a normally calm home chef completely
lose it?
Holiday Entertaining.
Frankly, it's a feat of culinary dexterity to have every part of
a large meal, like those served on Thanksgiving or Christmas, arrive at table
in unison and piping hot. It's perhaps even more demanding to serve such
a meal while donning one of those "it was no effort at all" smiles. Who's
kidding who?
How many times have you seen talented cooks cloister themselves
(and a few unlucky souls) in the kitchen so as not be distracted by friends
indulging in the general merriment of the holiday. And there they cook, seriously
of course, without a smile. (Maybe they seek solitude so that no one will
hear them cursing just like the professional chefs do.)
Let's face it, food is such a big part of holidays. So the pressure's
on! Amidst the frayed nerves comes the turkey--that perfectly browned,
crisp-skinned, tender, moist bird that is proudly displayed tableside for
all to see. It is the moment of culinary glory, validating everything you
want people to think about you as a cook. It is the crowning achievement,
the focal point of the whole meal...NOT.
Rather, as anyone who has gone head to head with this bird knows,
it is an S.O.B. of a bird that is fickle to say the least. More often than
not, it is dry--mercifully sacrificed in the name of food safety, overcooked
so you "won't get worms!". Then there is the skin, which is so often insipidly
flabby--more like a poached turkey than a roasted one. It's an enigma. Somehow,
some colonial Martha Stewart with a bent for sadistic practical jokes, thought
it fashionable to make the turkey, of all things, the center of the traditional
Thanksgiving meal. But alas, turkey it is unless you choose to serve something
like goose or venison, both of which, incidentally, are historically
accurate.
Turkey recipes abound. There are hotlines, instructions and warnings
on turkey shrink-wrap, and web sites all devoted to producing the perfect
bird. Let me then add my own suggestions to the heap of ideas already out
there. Ultimately, cooking a turkey is not, I repeat, is not that
difficult. I realize that coming from a chef these words seem shallow, but
it really is true! Just keep the following points in mind:
Stuffing. There are 2 schools of thought here--to stuff the
bird or not. Those who stuff the bird claim that the bird flavors the dressing
at it cooks. True, but at what cost? To cook the stuffing to the required
internal temperature of 165 at the center of the bird, the exterior (meaning
the meat of the turkey) is hopelessly overdone. Is it worth sacrificing the
meat for the stuffing? I don't think so. I recommend cooking a richly flavored
and moist stuffing in a separate, covered pan. To add additional meat flavor,
make the stuffing with strong stock (or even reduced stock). Canned low sodium
broth would do in a pinch.
If you want to present a beautiful stuffed turkey to your guests,
simply fill your roast turkey with the hot cooked stuffing during the last
15 minutes of the roasting process. This way the stuffing will be adequately
cooked and the turkey not overdone.
Speaking of overdone, how you cook a turkey and know when it is
done? (The following information ONLY applies to an unstuffed turkey.) Start
roasting a well seasoned turkey in a 350 degree oven with the cover on (if
the lid is too small, use aluminum foil, leaving about an inch of air space
between the foil and the top of the turkey) and a small amount of water (about
an inch) in the bottom of the roasting pan.
In essence, the turkey is being cooked by steam and not technically
by roasting. This is crucial as the moist heat keeps the turkey meat moist.
You can add a host of ingredients like thyme, bay leaf, freshly ground pepper,
white wine, Madeira, dry sherry, and chopped vegetables to the water in the
bottom of the roasting pan for additional flavor.
Take the turkey's temperature with an instant read thermometer
periodically during the cooking process. To do this, simply stick the thermometer
in the thickest part of the thigh. When the thermometer reads 130, remove
the lid and brush with melted butter. (Do not, at this point, baste with
the broth from the bottom of the pan. This will not crisp the skin but rather
make it soggy.) Turn the oven to 400-425 degrees. Roast with the lid
off.
Frequently brush with additional butter until the turkey is cooked
through. If the turkey is browning too slowly, turn the oven up. If it is
browning too quickly, turn the oven down.
Doneness. This is the key to a moist bird. And it's simple. Just
cook the turkey until the instant read thermometer, when poked into the thickest
part of the breast and thigh (not touching the bone), reads 160. (The carry
over cooking will raise the internal temperature of the bird to at least
165--the recommended temperature for poultry doneness.) That's it. Take it
out of the oven, let it sit loosely covered with aluminum foilfor 15 minutes
(while making the gravy), and serve.
What about the gravy?
Again, simple. Pour the juices into a saucepan. Skim the fat off
the top of the broth using a small ladle. Place juices over high heat. Meanwhile,
mix flour and cold water together until it forms a perfectly smooth, pourable
paste. Pour slowly into the boiling liquid, mixing briskly with a wire whisk.
Let the gravy come to a boil, stirring constantly. It will not thicken completely
until it comes to a full rolling boil. Taste for seasoning and add salt and
white pepper if necessary.
Perhaps the best piece of advice is to follow Julia Child's lead.
Be sure to keep a supply of wine on hand in the kitchen. Perhaps it will
add a little flavor to a dish you are making. But more importantly, working
with a glass of wine just lightens things up a bit. Cheers and happy
holidays!
About the Author: Chef Christopher Koetke is the co-founder of
www.ChefTalk.com, a web site run by
and all about professional chefs for anyone interested in cooking and food.
Get credible information from real chefs and their purveyors, ask questions
on our chat room, and see where chefs dine and what they are cooking. It
is a web site all about professional chefs (what they're cooking, where they
eat, favorite books, culinary history, educational articles and much more),
written by professional chefs for anyone interested in food. He is also a
culinary instructor at Kendall College in Evanston, IL. Visit
ChefTalk at
http://www.ChefTalk.com. |
