Sometimes some things come into your life with your other half. Jas came into my life along with this big bird and all the new festivities and traditions. That’s the beauty of mixed-culture couples. We have double the festivals, double the traditions, double the occasions and, yes, double the food from different parts of the world. It’s all fun!! I still remember my first Turkey feast with endless sides on my first Christmas in 2013. We started the day opening gifts and sipping eggnogs or bloody Marys. Then breakfast of eggs scrambled with some of the previous night’s ham. And then, kind of lulled by those morning drinks, I could feel the activity happening in the kitchen… the Beiser men are already cooking. YES… ALL BEISER MEN ARE EXCELLENT COOKS! They cook all year long, but they are the main kitchen boss on holidays. We women just sit out with our drinks and chitchat and adore our men in kitchen… such is life! Anyways, this is no ordinary day. They have a lot of work ahead of them, with all the sides and that huge turkey to take care of. We will give you some Beiser methods to make this year’s Turkey. Here it goes…
Tips for the Perfect Turkey
Get about 1.5 pounds of turkey per person. This should give you a nice amount of leftovers. If you buy a frozen turkey, allow it to thaw in the fridge for about 1 day per 3-4 pounds of turkey. Don’t wash your turkey, simply pat dry with paper towels before preparing.
Preparing your Perfect Turkey
First, get your oven pre-heating to 325°F. Remove the gizzards and pat your turkey dry. Then, generously rub butter inside the cavity and all over the skin. While holding the turkey cavity side up, have your assistant (yes, you will want one of those) sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Place your turkey in the roasting pan breast side up. Go ahead and sprinkle more salt and pepper on top, we’re not watching our sodium today! Then comes the stuffing. Yes, sorry. There is an increased risk of food poisoning if you stuff your turkey, so it is generally not recommended. But these Beisers are very serious about their holiday food traditions. Spoon your stuffing into the bird, but don’t pack it down. There are many different stuffing variations, but we’ll save those for another post. For today, go with whatever type you prefer. Now, for that extra special touch, top your turkey with fresh rosemary, sage and thyme. Yes, whole. There is a great reason to do it this way. When these whole herbs get roasted and dried out we are going to crumble them into our gravy… yum, another future post!
Roasting Your Turkey
Below is approximate cooking times, but they will vary based on your oven and the starting temperature of the turkey. These numbers are for an unstuffed turkey, add 30 minutes if stuffed. Use a meat thermometer. You will know it’s done when the the thermometer reads 165°F between the breast and thigh. 6-8 lbs: 2.5-3 hours8-12 lbs: 3-4 hours12-16 lbs: 4-5 hours16-20 lbs: 5-5.5 hours20-24 lbs: 5.5-6 hours Baste the turkey every half hour or so. Once the turkey is done, remove from oven and let sit 20-30 minutes before carving.
The Perfect Turkey (with sides) on my Gypsy Plate… Merry Christmas!
Try these great side dishes with your turkey!Lazy Sweet Potato MashFruity Nutty Crispy Brussels SproutsSweet Potato Casserole with Pecan StreuselThanksgiving Kale SaladButternut Squash BlossomSouthern Squash Casserole
