Thanksgiving Turkey Tips

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

05 Nov 2009 11:50 AM

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away? Yikes! I better get going, huh? This year, we plan on having Thanksgiving at our home and will invite our family. And no one wants a dry turkey, especially when your mother-in-law is going to be there!

If you find yourself in a similar situation, you might want to take a look at the following tips. And please add your own in the comment sections.

Fresh versus frozen

The debate about fresh verses frozen turkey can be huge. Some say it makes a big difference in taste and texture, while others say that it does not. Here are my thoughts. "Fresh" turkey from the grocery store has usually been previously frozen or semi frozen and then thawed (yes you can still freeze it a second time with no issues). This is to extend the shelf life from the time it leaves the farm.

For a real fresh turkey, you want one that says "Fresh, never frozen." A fresh turkey does tend to take a brine better than a frozen and thawed turkey, but other than that, there is usually little difference between the two. The only exception I have seen is with a "fresh killed" turkey. Fresh killed turkeys are harvested that same morning or at the most a day before being sold.

To brine or not to brine

I've made many a juicy turkey without the benefit of a brine, but a brine does tend to add moisture and flavor to a turkey as long as you do it well. Brines can vary in their seasoning, but the basic recipe is one cup of salt and one cup of sweet for every gallon of water. You can substitute a sweet liquid, such as apple juice instead of the sugar.

The key to brining is to make sure that you don't brine too long. You want the turkey to sit in the brine for about an hour per pound, and less time is better than too much time.

If you don't want to brine, just make sure to baste your turkey often and well while cooking. A base of butter and water or chicken stock can help provide moisture and flavor.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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