Are you still struggling to prepare the ultimate, mouth-watering turkey? If you're one of the many people who look forward to a fall turkey feast, but are just disappointed by a dried out, tasteless bird, then consider it your lucky day. Thanks to the members of the DoItYourself.com community forum, your turkey will be anything but dry and tasteless this fall. Check out these recipes to find out how to make sure your turkey will come out super moist, and get great ideas on what you can do with all the leftovers.
Stuffed Turkey
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Check the wrapper to see how much the turkey weighs and determine approximate cooking time (see chart below). Remove the giblet bag from the breast and remove the neck from the turkey cavity. Wash the turkey inside and out and pat skin dry with paper towels.
2. Mix stuffing and lightly fill cavity. Allow 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. It is safer to understuff than to overstuff the turkey. Stuffing expands during cooking. Refrigerate any leftover stuffing and bake in greased casserole during the last hour of turkey roasting time.
3. Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow (about 2 inches deep) roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thigh (see Turkey Safety: Using a Thermometer). Add up to 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pan, if desired.
4. Cover turkey loosely with a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Cooking time takes longer for a stuffed turkey. For example, a 20 pound stuffed turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 1/4 hours to cook. (See timetable below).
5. Remove the foil cover after about 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking to brown the skin. Brush with vegetable oil to enhance browning, if desired.
6. A whole turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the inner thigh reaches 180°F and the stuffing is 165°F. The juices should run clear (not pink) when a long-tined fork is used to pierce the thickest part of the thigh.
7. Check the internal temperature of the stuffing. Insert the thermometer through the cavity into the thickest part of the stuffing and leave it for 5 minutes. Or use an instant red thermometer which will register the temperature after 15 seconds. The stuffing temperature will rise a few degrees after the turkey is removed from the oven. If the center of the stuffing has not reached 165°F after stand time, return the turkey to the oven and continue cooking.
8. Allow turkey to set 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.
USDA Roasting Timetable for Fresh or Thawed Turkey at 325°F.
These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed thermometer.
Unstuffed Turkey:
8 to 12 pounds 2 3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3 3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 1/2 to 5 hours
Stuffed:
8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
Cooking Turkey In A Bag
Bags can be purchased in the paper goods section of most grocery stores. Instructions for use are printed on the box.
When using an oven-cooking bag, preheat the oven to 350°F. To prevent bursting, a tablespoon of dry flour is shaken around to coat the empty bag and slits are cut in the bag to allow steam to escape. The pan holding the turkey in the bag must be large enough so the bag does not hang over the sides. Allow ample space for the bag to expand during cooking so that it does not touch the top or sides of the oven or it will melt.
This method produces a moist-heat cooking environment. A meat thermometer can be inserted right through the plastic in the thickest part of the thigh. The turkey is done when the temperature reaches 180°F.
Turkey Baked in Aluminum Foil
Wrapping and cooking the entire turkey in aluminum foil requires increased oven temperature to ensure safety. Preheat the oven to 450°F. This method actually steams the turkey in its own juices. It produces a moist bird with a light golden, non-crisp skin. The cooking time is reduced due to higher temperatures and the trapped steam inside the foil.
Brush or smear turkey with melted butter, vegetable oil or margarine. You will need to tear off a piece of foil three times longer than the turkey. Place turkey lengthwise in foil, breast side up. Fold foil to seal and insert meat thermometer in thickest part of thigh.
Do not make an airtight seal. Place in shallow roasting pan. Open foil during last 30 minutes of cooking. Roast until thermometer reads 180 degrees. Broth accumulated in foil can be used to moisten stuffing or make giblet gravy. This method can reduce traditional baking methods as much as 30 minutes to an hour.
Cooking Turkey in Brown Paper Bag
This method involves placing the turkey in a large brown paper bag from the grocery store and cooking at very low temperature. Brown paper bags were never intended to be used for cooking. Glue, ink, chemicals and other materials used in recycling grocery bags are unsanitary and some bags may even contain tiny metal shavings. Use an oven cooking bag. Cooking turkeys below 325 degrees Fahrenheit is unsafe. Don't ever cook below 350. Use a meat thermometer in thickest part of thigh and cook to 180 degrees. It takes 180 to disinfect.
Maple Roast Turkey and Gravy
Ingredients:
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
- 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3/4 cup butter
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 14 pounds whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved *
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons apple brandy (optional)
Directions:
Boil apple cider and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 of the thyme and marjoram and all of the lemon zest.
Add the butter, and whisk until melted. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cold (syrup can be made up to 2 days ahead).
Preheat oven to 375F.
Place oven rack in the lowest third of oven. Wash and dry turkey, and place in a large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Rub 1/2 cup of the maple butter mix under the breast skin. If planning on stuffing turkey, do so now.
Rub 1/4 cup of the maple butter mixture over the outside of the turkey. With kitchen string, tie legs of turkey together loosely.
Arrange the chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrot around the turkey in the roasting pan. If desired, the neck and giblets may be added to the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining thyme and marjoram over the vegetables, and pour the chicken stock into the pan.
Roast turkey 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350F, and cover turkey loosely with foil. Continue to roast, about 3 to 4 hours unstuffed or 4 to 5 hours stuffed, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180F and stuffing reaches 165F. Transfer turkey to a platter, and cover with foil. Reserve pan mixture for gravy. Allow turkey to sit about 25 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.
To Make Gravy:
Strain pan juices into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from juices. Add enough chicken stock to make 3 cups. Transfer liquid to a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.
In a small bowl, mix reserved maple butter mixture with flour to form a paste, and whisk into the broth. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and apple brandy. Boil until reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Turkey With Fennel Crab Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 20 cups French bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 cups sliced celery
- 2 medium red or green sweet peppers, chopped
- 3/4 cup margarine or butter
- 6 beaten eggs
- 2 6-ounce cans crabmeat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed
- 1 10-3/4 ounce can condensed cream of shrimp soup
- 1 cup snipped fresh fennel leaves or 1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
- 1 20- to 24-pound turkey
Directions:
Spread bread in shallow baking pan. Bake in convection oven at 300 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes on mode, 10 to 15 minutes in a standard oven.
In large skillet cook vegetables in margarine or butter until tender. Add to large bowl with eggs, crabmeat, soup, fennel, 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp. pepper. Add bread cubes, toss lightly to mix. Add 1/4 cup more water, if desired, for moister stuffing.
Rinse turkey and pat dry. Season body cavity with salt and spoon stuffing loosely into neck cavity and body cavity. Twist wing tips under back and truss legs.
Place breast side up on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into thigh muscle, careful not to touch the bone. Cover loosely with foil. Place remaining stuffing in casserole, cover and chill.
Roast at 325degrees for 4-1/2 hours in Convection oven. Standard Oven 5 to 6-1/2 hours or until the thermometer registers 180 degrees to 185degrees and drumsticks move easily.
Uncover turkey.
Place casserole of stuffing.
Put turkey back in oven for remaining 35 to 45 minutes.
Let turkey stand, covered for 15 minutes before carving.
Makes 26 to 32 servings.
Turkey Salad Tortillas
This is a quick dinner using leftover turkey (10 minutes). You can use reduced fat cheese, reduced fat mayo,omit salt, and fat free tortillas to obtain the Nutritional Analysis and Diabetic exchanges listed at the end of the recipe or go for the HIGH octane stuff. 850 watt microwave was used for this recipe so adjust for your oven.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cps cubed cooked turkey
- 1 Cp (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- 3/4 Cp finely chopped celery
- 1/2 Cp finely chopped onion
- 1 can (2-1/4 oz)sliced ripe olives, drained
- 1/2 Cp Mayo
- 1/4 Cp picante sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
- 6 flour tortillas
Directions:
In a bowl, combine first 8 ingredients; mix well. Spoon about a 1/2 Cp filling off center on each tortilla. Fold sides and ends over filling and then roll up.Place in a shallow microwave safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is hot.
YIELD: 6 servings.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving (with reduced fat cheese, mayo, and fat free tortillas and without salt) equals 255 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 37 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 15 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1-1/2meat, 1 vegetable.
Credit: Pauline Hershberger Lott Texas
Low Fat Gravy
Ingredients:
1/2 Cp finely chopped onion
1/2 Cp finely chopped fresh mushrooms
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2 Cps reduced-sodium fat free beef or chicken broth Divided
2 TBS cornstarch
pinch pepper
Directions:
In a saucepan, saute onion,mushrooms, and parsley in1/4 Cp broth until vegetables are tender. Combine cornstarch, pepper and 1/2 Cp of broth, stir until smooth. Add to pan with the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally;boil for 2 minutes. Yield 2 Cups
Diabetic Exchanges;1/4 Cup serving equals a free food; also,19 calories,28mg cholesterol, 3 gm carbohydrate, 1 gm protein, 1 gm fat.
Credit: Mary Fry Cedar Rapids Iowa
Turkey Biscuit Pie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups leftover Turkey, cubed
- 2 cups Chicken or Turkey Stock
- 1 Tbs. Olive Oil
- 1 sweet Red Pepper, diced
- 1 4-ounce can Mushroom Slices
- 2 cups fresh or frozen Corn
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 1/2 Tbs. Cornstarch
- Salt and Black Pepper
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
- 4 tsp. Butter or Margarine
Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400-F degrees and lightly butter a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish; set aside. Bring the chicken or turkey stock to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer the stock about 8 minutes more, or until the original
volume is reduced to 1 1/2 cups Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over
moderate heat, and sauté the red pepper and mushroom slices 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the corn kernels and the turkey.
In a small bowl, blend together 1/4 cup of the buttermilk with the cornstarch until smooth. Stir into the chicken stock until it thickens slightly. Add the sauce to the
turkey and vegetables. Add about 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
To prepare the biscuit topping, sift the flour into a large bowl with the baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Rub the margarine with your fingers
until coarse crumbs form. Stir in 3/4 cup of buttermilk and blend just until the mixture forms a soft dough.
On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 8 rounds from the dough.
Place a single layer of biscuit dough rounds on top of the meat and vegetables in the baking dish. Bake in the oven 15 to 20 minutes, until the biscuits are browned and the turkey mixture is hot. Serve warm. Add additional nuts for garnish
Turkey/Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (about 4 cups) Wide or Extra Wide Egg Noodles, uncooked
- Vegetable cooking spray
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups diced, boneless, skinless, cooked turkey
- 12 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 4 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, heat oven to 350° F.
Lightly spray an 11x 7-inch baking dish with vegetable spray. Combine chicken broth, turkey, mushrooms, onion, parsley and bay leaf in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Heat to boiling, cover pot and cook 5 minutes.
Stir milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl until the cornstarch is dissolved. Stir milk mixture into the saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to simmering. Simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
When pasta is done, drain well and return to pot.
Remove bay leaf from sauce and pour sauce into pot. Stir until pasta is coated with sauce. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Mix the bread crumbs, oil and Parmesan cheese together in a small bowl until evenly blended. Sprinkle mixture over pasta.
Bake until crumbs are golden brown and edges are bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves 6
For more great fall recipes check out these other articles:
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