Savvy Secrets -Turkey

Its almost time to celebrate that iconic American holiday…Thanksgiving! And what is more synonymous with a Thanksgiving meal than turkey? Still cooking a turkey strikes fear in the hearts of many, so today we have a couple of tips… aka Savvy Secrets…for cooking a delicious flavorful, juicy bird.

Something to consider… the size of the turkey is more about how much meat you will have as the carcass of all turkeys are approximately the same size regardless of the weight. So to get more for your money always choose a larger bird. You can use that left over turkey meat in all kinds of delicious and delightful ways besides the turkey sandwiches you’ll want to make on Friday.

1. Everyone loves crispy skin on their turkey. To insure you get that, unwrap your turkey, dry it off with paper towels, and place it on a tray unwrapped in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before cooking it. This will thoroughly dry the skin and insure it is crispy and delicious when cooked.
2. Season your turkey well before cooking. Loosen the skin and rub salt on the meat and the inside of the cavity. The salt does two important things. First it tenderizes the meat as it cooks. Secondly, it helps to keep the turkey juicy.
3. NEVER baste your turkey! Basting doesn’t add moisture it only prolongs the cooking time and doesn’t allow the skin to brown evenly. It also often means your turkey meat is drier because you leave the turkey in longer than necessary trying to get it nicely browned. For added moisture you can smear a little butter along with your salt under the skin for added flavor and juiciness.

Follow these tips and you’ll have a juicy delicious turkey to be thankful for come Thursday or whenever you are celebrating.