How to Get Your Thanksgiving Turkey to Come Out Just Right
Posted on November 11th, 2016 by Chips Restaurants
If there’s one thing the majority of people look forward to most about Thanksgiving, it’s the food, and specifically, the turkey. A staple of all Thanksgiving meals, anyone who takes on the responsibility of cooking the turkey has a lot riding on them, so we want to help all dinner hosts make sure that their bird comes out just right! Here are a few things to remember:
Make sure you pick the right kind. There are several different kinds of turkeys out there for purchase, so you want to pick one that makes the most sense for you taste wise and cooking wise. For example, frozen turkeys could take days to thaw, so choosing this type of turkey would require you to have a lot of time to set aside to prepare!
Cook your turkey on top of vegetables. Don’t just cook your turkey on any cooking rack – instead, create a natural roasting rack out of vegetables! Some of the best vegetables to choose are carrots, onions and celery, and having these spread out on the bottom of the roasting pan allows for better circulation around the turkey (not to mention, the vegetables enhance the overall flavor!).
Save the stuffing for the side. Many people choose to cook the stuffing directly inside the turkey, but we say try cooking it separately. Not only does stuffing your turkey require more time for it all to cook, but it could also provide a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. So, for everyone’s sake (turkey included), keep your stuffing on the side!
Go heavy with butter or oil. Not super heavy, but your turkey should have plenty of butter or oil all over it before you start to cook. This is a simple and effective way to keep your turkey moist the whole time, which means great tastes are on the way!
Allow your turkey time to rest. As we mentioned in a recent blog post, a common mistake that people make is digging right in once the turkey comes out of the oven. But, for the best results, you need to let it sit for about 15-20 minutes (wrapped in tinfoil) before you start to carve.
If you’re in charge of cooking the turkey this Thanksgiving, we hope you’ll keep these tips in mind – you’ll be glad you did once you start eating and everything tastes delicious!
Chip’s Family Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to customers in Fairfield, Orange, Southbury, Trumbull and Wethersfield, Connecticut. Breakfast is served all day, and customers can even place an order online for pickup. For more information about locations and menu items, please click on the tabs above.