what is the traditional recipe to cook turkey in USA?

Question

give me a tipycal recipe for most important events: thanksgiving, xMas,....

Answer 1

Everyone has their own way. Some people smoke them, some even deep fry them. I think most roast them in the oven though. I stuff mine the night before, cover the outside with butter then put foil over it and put it in the fridge. The next morning around 5am I stick it in the oven and cook it at 250 degrees for 6-8 hours depending on how big it is. The last hour or so you take off the foil so it browns. It falls off the bone and is so moist that I sometimes see water blisters on the skin.

Answer 2

Just turkey baked, roasted, whatever it is called..... -- then it depends -- if in the south (where I live now) do not stuff the turkey, have "dressing", if in the north (where I grew up) prepare stuffing and "stuff" the cavities with the stuffing, then unstuff when done and serve.

As for baking the turkey, most have those pop up things now so you know when it is done, but there is a certain # of min per pound (it says on the turkey when you get it).

My personal recommendations:

Order a turkey, fresh, not frozen, then you don't have the hassle of defrosting, and you can get it the night before, so no storing issues.

Use crisco oil to lube it up. Makes the skin a beautiful golden color.

Do the stuffing, not the dressing, but again that is personal pref.

Have fun!

Answer 3

Oven roasted is probably the most "Americana" way to cook a turkey for the holidays. Some people stuff their turkey, some don't. I honestly have no idea how to roast a turkey -- I'd have to call the BUtterball hotline to get help with it.

My southern cajun family has deep fried turkeys on several occasions in the past. The raw bird is injected with a melted butter/spice mixture, then slowly lowered into very hot peanut oil. Turkeys cooked this way are delicious and very moist and juicy. (They even sell turkey injection spice in the stores at holiday times around here.)

Answer 4

A quick trick. Roast the turkey breast side down and all the juices run to it. It makes the breast very moist and you dont have to baste it. The only drawback is that the turkey often doesn't look picture perfect. My kids have dubbed it Road Kill Turkey but they eat it happily.

Answer 5

well around my grandmothers house it was started the week before..i grew up in the country in WVa....drying of the bread for dressing and then later that week making of corn bread for cornbread dressing......then of course the thawing of the turkey..2 days before and she would make her cranberry jello that was she used orange for water in cherry jello and then when almost set stirred in fresh cooked whole cranberrys and orange segments....then she would make her traditional corn pudding that was cream style corn with eggs and diced onions..so it could be baked on the hiliday...then she would score a ham and put cloves in all the scores and cover with crushed pineapple and brown sugar..of which she basted it frequently during cooking ...then came the big day grandma was up about 2 am and stuffe the bird with her bread dressin of which she had ready the day before....dried stale bread in cubes,1 inch..sauteed onion and celery....chicken stock and sage fresh and some poutry seasoning.....then the turkey and ham were cooked and green beans with bacon and onions and vineger and sugar were made the corn pudding bake til firm...corn bread dressing baked..and her good giblet gravy with giblets and chopped boiled eggs...and candied yams ..mashed potatoes ...after the meal she would sit down with a nice glass of wine and let everyone else clean up...my grandmother owned her own resturant for 45 years and the only two days a year she was off was the holiday thanksgiving and christmas when she had the whole family there....

Answer 6

Roasted and stuffed with aromatic vegetables, served with gravy sometimes. Leftovers are usually turned into sandwiches and soups. I like to replace any kind of meat with turkey though, like turkey chili, turkey enchiladas, turkey burgers, turkey bacon, etc.

Answer 7

I deep fry my turkey. It tastes just as good as a baked turkey and takes less than half the time to cook it in the deep fryer.
You should try it, it's delicious!

Answer 8

WHEN?

Differnt recipes for different times of year all over the world

Answer 9

Traditionally, it is roasted in the oven.

Answer 10

It's cooked a lot of different ways here. Here are some recipes

Roast Turkey Upside Down

Ingredients:

1 18 lb. turkey
1 14 oz. can Chicken Broth
Butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. marjoram
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine

Preparation:

Rinse turkey under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

Pre heat your oven to 325 degrees.

Pour the chicken stock into your roasting pan and place a roasting rack in the bottom of the pan. If you intend to stuff your bird, do it now. Rub the rack with plenty of butter to avoid the skin sticking.

Combine the garlic and spices in a bowl. Rub plenty of butter onto the surface of your bird and sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the entire surface. Place the bird on the rack, upside down.

Cook for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile melt the stick of butter and add the wine. Baste the bird with this mixture after the 40 minute period. Then baste the bird about every 30 minutes with the butter/wine mixture and the pan juices.

About 1 hour before estimated time of doneness, remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully turn the bird Breast side up and return to the oven.

Check for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Look for an internal temperature of 170 degrees. Allow the bird to rest for 20 minutes before carving.


Apricot-Glazed Turkey with Roasted Onion and Shallot Gravy

Ingredients:

Glaze
1 cup apricot nectar
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp. honey

Herb Butter
3/4 cup unsalted butter; room temperature (1-1/2 sticks)
3 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon; dried
3 tbsp. chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon; dried rubbed sage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Onion and Shallot mixture
2 tbsp. unsalted butter; (1/4 stick)
3 lg. onions; (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced
6 oz shallots; (about 6 large), thinly sliced
1 turkey (21- to 22-pound)
1 can low-salt chicken broth; (14 -1/2-ounce) or more
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon; dried
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon; dried
1 can low-salt chicken broth; (14 -1/2-ounce)

Preparation:

For the Glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a heavy small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 15-20 minutes.

For Herb Butter:
Blend all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.

For Onion Mixture:
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots and saute until very soft and light brown, about 20 minutes.

NOTE: Glaze, herb butter and onion mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Bring herb butter to room temperature before continuing.

For Turkey:
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper.

Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Slide hand under the skin of the turkey breast to loosen. Spread half of herb butter over breasts under the skin.

If stuffing turkey, spoon your stuffing into the main cavity. Place remaining herb butter in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted. Brush butter over outside of turkey. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.

Roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F. Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes, basting occasionally with pan drippings.

Tent turkey with heavy-duty foil; roast 45 minutes longer. Add onion mixture, 1 can broth, thyme and sage to the roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes.

Bring the glaze to a simmer. Remove foil. Brush a 1/2 cup of the glaze over the turkey. Continue to roast turkey uncovered, until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170 F., or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer.

Brush occasionally with glaze and add more broth to pan if liquid evaporates.

About 40 minutes longer for an un-stuffed turkey or about 1 hour 10 minutes longer for stuffed turkey. Place turkey on platter, tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes to rest. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.

For Gravy: Pour contents of roasting pan into strainer set over large bowl. Spoon fat from pan juices in bowl. Transfer onion mixture in strainer to blender.

Add 1 cup pan juices to blender and purée until smooth, adding more pan juices and chicken broth if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency.

Transfer the sauce to heavy large saucepan and bring to boil. Cook until color deepens, skimming off any foam, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve turkey with gravy.

Serves 16.

Baked Ham with Mustard Glaze

Yield: 12 To 15 Servings

Ingredients:

3 to 5 pounds cooked ham, drained
10 to 12 whole cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 tbsp. cornstarch

Preparation:

Score ham in diamond pattern and stud with cloves. Place in slow cooker. Combine brown sugar, mustard and lemon juice and spoon on ham. Cover and cook on high 2 hours, then on low for 6 to 7 hours or until ham is hot.

Remove ham to warm serving platter. Turn slow cooker to high setting. Combine orange juice and cornstarch to form smooth paste. Stir into drippings in slow cooker. Cook stirring occasionally
until sauce is thickened.

Spoon over ham.

Note: If cooking larger ham using a 5- to 6-quart unit, cook 1 hour on high, then low 8 to 10 hours.


Roast Raspberry Pekin Duck

Serves 2

1 each Pekin Duck, about 6 lbs.
Basting Mixture For Raspberry Duck
Raspberry Sauce

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the basting mixture.

Trim any excess fat from the cavity of the duck and remove any neck or gizzard parts from inside the duck. Using a fork, pierce the skin in several places.

While the duck is roasting, prepare the sauce.

Place the duck, breast side up, on rack in a large roasting pan. Brush on a little of the basting mixture and roast for 45 minutes, basting twice. Turn the duck breast side down, baste and roast for another 30 minutes.

Turn the duck, breast side up, baste and roast until golden brown and an instant read thermometer gives you 160 degrees inside the thigh.

Remove the duck from the oven and allow to rest for 6-8 minutes, carve and serve with the sauce.

Basting Mixture For Raspberry Duck

Serves 4

Preparation Total: 05

Use this baste when roasting duckling to be served with raspberry sauce.

2 ounces Chambord
2 ounces honey
2 ounces bourbon whiskey

Combine ingredients and use in the last half of the roasting period. Baste liberally.

Raspberry Sauce

Serves 4

Preparation Total: 30

3 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh
1 each tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 each bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig parsley
1/4 cup duck, stock
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons creme de casis

Place 3 cups of the berries as well as the tomato, tomato paste, vinegar and herbs in a 1 quart saucepan. (Reserve the remaining berries for garnish)

Simmer over low heat until the juice of the berries is released.

Pour the berry mixture into a sieve and press down with a rubber spatula to release the juices back into the saucepan.

Place the sauce pan over the heat, add the duck stock and simmer over low heat.

Prepare a simple syrup by boiling the water and sugar for 5-6 minutes. Slowly add the simple syrup to the sauce until a slight sweet flavor develops (not all the simple syrup need be used.)


Creole Roast Turkey (Chef June Jacobs CCP)

If my way of roasting turkey reminds you of Julia Child's, I can tell you in all honesty that she taught me (via "From Julia Child's Kitchen") how to cook a turkey. This method has always been successful, so "if it's not broke, why fix it?" The massage with Creole Butter comes from my love of Louisiana cooking. It won't make the turkey "hot," just gives it a warm "glow!" For the perfect dressing, you'll want to make Flora's Cornbread Dressing, which follows.

For a 16- 25-pound turkey

1 fresh, free-range turkey
Sea salt
Handful of celery tops
2 cups coarsely chopped carrots and onions
Handful of parsley sprigs
Fresh herbs of choice
Creole butter
6 reserved whole sage leaves

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove any loose fat from inside the cavity. Cut off the wing tips and add to the ingredients for stock.

2. Rinse and thoroughly dry the turkey with paper towels. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt in the cavity. Put celery, parsley, sage and cooked vegetables from the stock preparation inside. Carefully run your fingers under the breast skin to loosen it. Rub under the skin with Creole butter, then insert 6 whole perfect sage leaves in a pattern under the skin. Rub skin all over with Creole butter. Skewer the neck skin and vent. Tie with kitchen twine to hold legs and wings in place. Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in roaster. Tent with heavy-duty foil, shiny side in.

3. Roast in the preheated oven, lifting the tent to baste, first with cooking oil, then with the accumulated pan drippings. About 1 1/2 hours before it is done, add the 2 cups of carrots and onions to the pan to flavor the pan juices.


Teacher's Tips:

1. The most reliable way to tell if your turkey is nearly done is to insert an instant read thermometer. It should register 165 degrees F. The turkey will continue to cook as it rests.

2. After you remove the turkey from the oven, put an upside-down salad plate on a large sheet pan. Rest the turkey (breast side down) against the plate with its tail in the air. Cover the whole thing with a foil tent and place in the still-warm oven (with the heat turned off) while you finish the gravy.


Pounds Hours at 325 Rest Period
08 - 12 3 1/4 - 4 20
12 - 16 3 1/2 - 4/ 1/2 20
16 - 20 4 - 6 30
20 - 25 5 1/2 - 7/ 1/2 30

Turkey Stock and Gravy

Giblets (except the liver) and wing tips
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2/3 cups dry white wine or vermouth
2 cups chicken stock or water
Sea salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons potato starch mixed with 1/4 cup cold chicken stock
2 tablespoons Armagnac

1. Chop neck into 2-inch pieces, quarter the gizzard, halve the heart. Rinse and dry with paper towels.

2. Heat oil in a heavy 2 1/2 - 3-quart saucepan. Stir in giblets and brown rapidly on all sides. Don't let the oil burn. Remove giblets and stir the vegetables into the pan; cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes, until tender. Then uncover, raise heat and brown lightly, for several minutes. Remove half the vegetables and put into the turkey cavity. Return the giblets to the pan. Add vermouth, stock and water to cover ingredients by 1 inch. Add salt and herbs, and simmer partially covered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Strain, degrease, return to pan. Beat in starch mixture, simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Chill.

3. Finishing: Spoon excess fat out of roasting pan. Pour in turkey stock and stir over moderately high heat for several minutes, scraping bottom of the pan to get all the coagulated juices incorporated into the sauce. Strain into a saucepan, pressing all the juices out of the vegetables. Degrease the gravy again, and correct seasonings. To reheat just before serving, add 2 tablespoons Armagnac and ignite. When the flames have all gone out, pour into a warm bowl or gravy boat.


Wine Tip:

Normally, there are a wide variety of wine choices to accompany the holiday bird. However, the Creole "glow" on this one leads me to prefer the great American Zinfandel above the rest. I especially like a big one from Shenandoah.


Creole Butter

This is almost as essential to my Thanksgiving turkey as the bird itself. Try it! You'll also find MANY other uses for this incendiary butter. The secret is that when you use it with meats, fish or vegetables, it doesn't make them spicy. Rather, it imparts a warm glow to everything it meets. As with all butter, it freezes well.

Makes about 2/3 cup

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 medium garlic cloves, mashed
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon each white, black, red peppers

Blend all in the food processor until smooth. Transfer to bowl.

Teacher's Tip: To freeze, wrap securely in plastic wrap and then in a zip lock freezer bag. Be sure to label it with the date!


Turkey Shopping List:

1 fresh, free-range turkey
Bunch flat-leaf parsley
Fresh herbs of choice
Vegetable oil
5 or 6 onions
2 bunches carrots
Bunch celery (make sure to get one with leaves!)
Dry white wine or vermouth
Chicken stock
Sea salt
Bay leaf
Crushed red pepper flakes
Potato starch
Armagnac
Unsalted butter
1 head garlic
Hot pepper sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Fresh thyme
Rubbed sage
Ground allspice
White, black, red peppers


Flora's Cornbread Dressing

I consider this an "heirloom recipe." It's from my "other mother," Flora Hayden. All Flora's kids LOVE this dressing and make it for every occasion. In addition to serving this with turkey, I use it to recreate Flora's Baked Chicken and Dressing (browned pieces of chicken are "buried" in the dressing in a deep roaster and baked for about 1 1/2 hours) and to stuff double-thick pork chops. Once you've mastered the recipe, you'll think of many ways to enjoy it.

Makes enough dressing to accompany 2 chickens or 1 medium-sized turkey.

2 or 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 8-inch pan cornbread
8 slices crisp toast
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups chicken stock (home made is best, or use More than Gourmet or Perfect Addition)
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon powdered sage
2 extra large eggs
Sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Sauté celery, bell pepper and onion in 2 tablespoons melted butter.

2. Mash all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add more stock if necessary to thoroughly moisten the mixture. (Be careful not to make it too mushy.).

3. Place in an oiled baking dish, cover with foil, shiny side in, and bake for 1 hour in the 325 degree oven with the turkey.

Teacher's Tip:

"I never stuff anything with dressing/stuffing. I LOVE dressing and if you stuff something, there just wouldn't be enough!" - quote from Sheila Thomas.

Dressing Shopping List:

Bunch of celery
1 large green bell pepper
1 large onion
Unsalted butter
1 8-inch pan cornbread
8 slices crisp toast
1 head garlic
Celery seed
Chicken stock (home made is best, or use More than Gourmet or Perfect Addition)
Rubbed sage
Powdered sage
2 extra large eggs
Sea salt
Whole black peppercorns


Grilled Turkey A recipe from author Martin Kimeldorf "The King of the Grill"

Nothing is better than grilling a turkey in the winter. And nothing is better than the turkey sandwiches, which follow. You may want to add stuffing to this traditional turkey recipe.

Method and Preparations

Indirect, two outside burners
Your favorite wood chips soaked in water at least 2 hours (optional)


Ingredients:

Fresh turkey
21/2 Tbsp. melted butter
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 whole onion (peeled and quartered)
Fresh Herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)


Steps:

Place 2 handfuls of your favorite wood chips on lava rocks near outside burners before starting to pre-heat.

Remove neck and giblets from cavities of turkey; discard fat. Rinse turkey thoroughly inside under cold running water; pat dry.

Brush turkey inside and out with butter and seasonings. Place onion and herbs inside cavity. Place bird, breast side up, in roasting pan.

Roast turkey (allowing 15-20 min. per pound) until juices run clear when pierced at thigh. The bird will typically reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees at this stage. Check with thermometer to be certain.

Remove turkey and allow to stand 15 min. before carving. Garnish platter with fresh herbs.


Shopping List:

Fresh turkey
Butter
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 whole onion
Fresh Herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)


Deep Fried Turkey

Ingredients: 1 ea. 11-14 lb. whole turkey

Marinade:

2/3 c Wishbone Italian Dressing
1/3 c sherry the real stuff not cooking sherry
2 teas garlic powder
3 teas lemon pepper
1 teas onion powder
2 teas cayenne pepper
5 gal peanut oil


Instructions

Mix all the marinade ingredients well, strain through a fine strainer and place in an injection syringe. Inject the marinade into all parts of the bird. Place the bird in a large plastic bag and allow to disperse throughout the bird for at least 2 hrs. Turn the bag and massage the bird from time to time.

Optionally you can make a rub of the dry ingredients and rub over the surface of the bird after the first hour of marinating.

Preheat the cooking oil in a kettle large enough to hold the entire bird and peanut oil, to 350-375. Tie the legs of the bird together with wire. It helps hold the bird together and provides a way to lift it in and out of the oil. Pat the bird dry inside and out.

Carefully place the bird into the oil and fry 3 1/2- 4 min per lb. You should carefully time your cooking as each cooker has it's own peculiarities. The resulting bird is tender, tasty, very juicy and crispy skin.