of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashing it to smithereens, crashed through the control console, snapped the engineer’s backrest in two, and became embedded in the back wall of the cab.
The horrified Britons sent NASA the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the design of the windshield, and begged the American scientists for suggestions.
NASA’s response was just one sentence: “Thaw the bird.”
Source: Numerous Web sites.
•Keep the turkey in its original wrapper to prevent drying of the skin and to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
•It makes no sense to thaw a turkey in the microwave (even though this method of thawing is approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture). The configuration of a turkey, with large, thick areas and smaller, thin areas, leads to uneven thawing. Parts of the bird will begin to cook before other parts are thawed. This is not the best option.
•Once the turkey is thawed, use it within 4 days.
One week before the big day, a procrastinator tried to mend the error of her ways only to run into trouble.
“I’m a procrastinator, but this year I sat up all night and thawed the turkey in cold water and changed it every 30 minutes. Now I’m afraid it’s thawed too soon. Do I have to cook it now, or can I keep it refrigerated until the party? If I have to cook it now, it’ll be like a James Bond movie and we’ll have Turkey Galore!”
Once your turkey is thawed you should use it within 4 days. Again, be sure to keep it in the original wrapper. If you’ve already removed the wrapper, cover the turkey with plastic wrap or with foil, or seal 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.
