Roasting a turkey is not terribly difficult if you follow a few key rules. Erika D’Eugenio, an avid cook and the general manager at Great News! Discount Cookware and Cooking School offers a few crucial pointers. • Don’t keep opening your oven door. Track the temperature of the bird with a thermometer. Turkeys should only need about two hours to cook – not the six hours it’ll take if you continually let cold air in. The turkey is ready when the thigh registers 175 degrees and the center of the stuffing hits 165 degrees. • Do not serve the turkey immediately. Let the bird sit for at least half an hour after you pull it out of the oven. Otherwise, you’ll have tough meat. • Don’t baste the turkey. It will only mean repeatedly opening the oven door. Instead, moisten the turkey by rubbing the skin on top and underneath with a butter and herb mixture. You can also inject the turkey using a culinary syringe. D’Eugenio’s personal favorite mixture is butter, rosemary and garlic. Some like to spice up their bird with an olive oil and chili seasoning. Or, brine your turkey by soaking it overnight in a salty solution infused with herbs and spices. Disaster prevention — Learning from others’ mistakes:D’Eugenio has heard the horror stories, which weren’t so funny at the time. • Carefully set the oven to “bake,” and not to “self-clean” for a normal tasting turkey. • If you leave the turkey and the dog alone in the same room – it’s your own fault! • Put your hand in the bird and remove those insides: the bird tastes better without its giblets and bladder. Starting points for the novice • Buy a roasting pan. The disposable foil pans will not be able to handle the weight of the bird and good juices will leak from the holes. • Invest in pot holders; your sleeves are not sufficient. • Purchase a thermometer. • For gravy that is less fatty, splurge on a gravy fat separator. Fat rises and the clear gravy can pour easily through the spout at the bottom. • A frozen turkey will not thaw out the morning of Thanksgiving. Defrost your turkey in the refrigerator at least three days ahead of time – or one day for every five pounds of meat. • If you want leftovers, half-a-pound of meat for each person will suffice. Great News! Sells the thermometer, pan, gravy separator, injector, brining bags – anything needed to roast a juicy turkey. Great News! Discount Cookware and Cooking School is located in Pacific Plaza (close to Vons) at 1788 Garnet Ave. Great News! willingly offers turkey advice at (858) 270-1582. You can also call the Butterball turkey hotline at 1-800-288-8372.
