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Turkey tip
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If you love the turkey, but hate the carving, here's a great tip from Sunset Magazine. Skip the last-minute hacking at the table and speed up the roasting by having the butcher cut your fresh turkey into pieces when you buy it. Ask him or her to cut the bird into seven parts: two wings, two drumsticks, two thighs and the whole breast. Also ask him or her to please bone out the thighs and breast. (Be sure to ask for the bones and giblets to make broth.) Do this when the butcher is not busy.
When ready for the big feast, you can add the white meat to the oven after the dark, which means all of the meat will be juicy. Bonus: the oven will be free longer to bake side dishes.
-- Marlene Parrish
Cut-up Roast Turkey with Wine and Herbs
PG tested
- 12- to 14-pound turkey, cut up by the butcher
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon each minced fresh sage, rosemary and thyme, divided
- About 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups white wine, divided
- 1/3 cup marsala
- 3 tablespoons red currant or raspberry jelly
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, coat turkey with oil, 2 teaspoons of each herb, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper; turn to coat evenly. Pour 1 cup wine into a roasting pan. Add legs and wings. Roast 15 minutes skin side down. Turn legs and wings over; add thighs and breast to pan, skin side up. Pour in remaining wine. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of breast and thighs reads 160 degrees and juices run clear.
Transfer meat to a cutting board; tent with foil. The temperature of the meat will rise a few degrees as it rests. Strain pan juices into a saucepan.
Add marsala, jelly and remaining herbs to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes; season with salt. Spoon off fat. Pour juices into a gravy boat or pitcher.
Carve thighs and breast meat into chunks or slices and arrange on a platter with legs and wings. Garnish the platter and serve.
-- Sunset Magazine
First Published November 12, 2009 12:00 am
