Talk Turkey to Me. Renee S. Ferguson

it in a food-safe storage bag, and store it in the refrigerator. Remember, being thawed is being completely thawed. It’s like being pregnant . . . either you are or you aren’t.

      Preparing the Turkey

      Everyone has a first time. But regardless of how you plan to cook your turkey, there are steps to follow. These are:

      •Remove the wrapping from the turkey.

      •Drain the turkey over the sink and check both of its cavities. One holds the neck and the other the bag of giblets. Remove these and either reserve them for use in your recipes or discard them. Some people like to cook them for either themselves or their pet—it’s up to you!

      •Blot the exterior of the turkey dry with paper towels.

      •Stuff the turkey if desired.

      •Bend the wings behind the back of the turkey (optional). This is a sexy little move meant to hold the neck skin in place, but it’s not really necessary.

      •Brush or spritz the turkey with oil, and season if desired.

      •Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the turkey.

      “We just realized we cooked the turkey with that bag of stuff still inside of it. Do we have to throw the whole turkey out?”

      No—it’s okay. But don’t use the neck or giblets, as they may not have cooked to the proper end temperature and could pose a food-safety risk.

      One consumer called with a note of fear in her voice. She was afraid someone had tampered with her turkey. It seems that when she unwrapped it she found a large hole between the legs and a smaller hole between the wings. She wondered if the holes should be there or if the turkey on her counter was a victim of product tampering.

      All dressed and ready for a hot date in the oven!

      Rest assured that the holes in the ends of the turkey are supposed to be there. The larger hole is the body cavity and the smaller one is the neck cavity. This is where the stuffing is to be placed, if you choose to stuff the turkey. During preparation, be sure to check both ends for the giblets and neck and remove both packages.

      “I’m newly married and we’re pregnant and I feel like I live on Stupid Street. I’ve never done this before and I know I have to wash the turkey. My husband said that it’s just like washing a baby and to just hold it under a shower of water—and that I should get used to it . . . the baby will be here before we know it!”

      Good news. You don’t live on Stupid Street and you don’t have to practice Baby Bathing 101 on the turkey. There’s no need to wash or rinse a turkey, chicken, fish, or any meat product you plan to cook. The cooking process will kill any bacteria that are present. That’s the purpose of cooking—not to mention the fact that it enhances the taste! But truly, the reason we don’t wash turkeys, or any other meat products, is to minimize the splashing of raw juices. Scattered drops of raw juices can inadvertently splash other food products and cross-contaminate them.

      Prepping the turkey and roasting it are easy to do despite attempts by many to complicate the matter. Simply place the turkey on a rack in a shallow, open pan. If you’re using a disposable roasting pan, place the pan on a baking sheet for support. Most disposable foil pans have some “bumps” on the bottom that act as a rack, helping to keep the turkey out of its juices as it cooks.

      Brush the skin with oil, or use a cooking spray to add moisture to the skin.

      Why oil?

      Vegetable oil results in more even browning than butter, which tends to produce tiny brown specks on the skin. However, some people are passionate about their choice of “massage oil.” Choose whatever makes you feel better!

      A sweet-voiced elderly woman described her method of moisturizing the turkey’s skin before putting it in the oven:

      “I pamper my turkey. I take two sticks of butter and, in a circular motion, I rub it all over the turkey—just like a facial rub!”

      This simple and easy method of preparation will become second nature to you.

      Just remember to follow the steps:

      •Place the turkey in the sink. Remove and discard the wrapper.

      •Drain the juices from the turkey into the sink.

      •Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Discard the paper towels.

      •Place the turkey on a rack in a shallow, open pan.

      •Rub the turkey with vegetable oil for even browning, or simply spray with a cooking spray—it’s a lot less messy and there’s no brush to clean.

      •Season the turkey if you wish.

      •Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the turkey.

      Seasoning: The Spice of Life

      “I lived in Barbados for a while. Those people rub everything with ketchup. How do you think it would be if I rubbed my turkey with ketchup?”

      “Our family uses maple syrup to baste the turkey. It’s sweet and crispy and it browns the turkey nicely.”

      “My mother is from the Old Country. She’s always done this and I’ve been cooking since I was 13 so I do it too. Everyone just loves my turkey in tomato sauce!”

      “I just watched this cooking show and they used pickling spice to season the turkey. What do you think of that?”

      Seasoning is a matter of personal preference. In reality, any seasoning that is sprinkled or rubbed on the turkey will not flavor or penetrate the skin or the ribs. The skin is a barrier—it keeps substances from getting into the meat. Think about your own skin. If you sprinkled oregano on yourself, it wouldn’t seep through your skin and flavor your insides! The only part of the turkey that gets flavored is the skin itself—as well as the pan drippings.

      Trends in seasoning change, just as recipe ideas featured in magazines change from year to year. Whatever choice of flavors is your passion, just remember to follow the timing guide for the specific cooking method you will be using. The only thing you really need to do is keep it simple.