Joe's Farm Fresh Turkey
From: "Joe Quick"
To: <Joe@JoesButcherShop.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 8:58 AM
Subject: Turkey Success!!!
"Hey Joe -
First of all, thanks for taking the time to talk to me when I called during an obviously busy time for you... that is one of the many reasons I continue to take the long way home to shop at Joe's. Second, the Turkey recipe was dead on! The one thing I was not able to do was to cook it breast side down, however that was due to the fact that I stuffed the bird and I was concerned how I would flip it over to get the stuffing out once I removed it. this was my first non-fried turkey that I, personally, have cooked and it was the most tender bird I've ever had.
Thanks for putting the guidance out there and thanks for going above and beyond... I am a customer for life!
Joe Quick" - November 21, 2007
Many customers continue to ask how to best roast a Joe's Farm Fresh Turkey (Joe Quick expresses the sentiments of those who've tried the following method). Fortunately, there are many great ways to cook your bird…..and we are sure you have your favorite. Here is a classic method recommended by Joe himself….it’s near fool proof and quite easy. We wish you the juiciest turkey you’ve ever cooked.
Step 1) Preparing your turkey…
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse the turkey (inside and out) with cold running water. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
Slice 1 large red apple and combine with one cup of water and a cinnamon stick….microwave this mix for 5 minutes. Drain off the water and place the cinnamon stick and apples into the cavity of the turkey. Also, at this time add to the cavity 4 sprigs of rosemary, and 6 sage leaves.
Tuck in the birds wings and brush or rub the turkey liberally with canola oil.
Traditionally the next step is to reach for the foil. However, long cooking under foil holds in moisture, so the turkey tends to stew in its juices rather than roast by dry heat. Stewing the breast will actually over cook/dry it out….so here is the secret….
Soak a four-layer piece of cheesecloth in melted butter, and cover the breast (or more if you like!) with this cloth.The grid of the cheesecloth holds fat on the surface, but the bird still browns through the cloth’s open weave!
Now, lay your turkey into a roasting rack, inside a low wide roasting pan…breast side down (the cheese cloth will not fall off). In the bottom of the pan pour in one cup of water or chicken stock. Insert an oven-save meat thermometer into the center of the thigh muscles….you must avoid hitting the bone with the thermometer.
Step 2) Roasting your turkey….
The chart below gives you approximate roasting times for your turkey at 325 degrees. However, you will be cooking by internal temperature so use this chart as a guideline rather than a rule.
Every 30 minutes of roasting, baste your bird with pan juices. As you are basting rotate your pan ¼ turn in the oven. Cook your turkey, until the thermometer reads 155 degrees. I know…..safe cooking says it has to be 165, but remember that the turkey will continue to cook after removed from the oven…..and that turkey breast will cook more quickly than thigh so if you cook the thigh fully done, your breast will be dry as dust…so trust Joe on this one! To prevent the cheesecloth from sticking, and when the turkey is almost done, baste it as you remove the cheesecloth so that the skin does not tear. Let the bird rest, breast side down….loosely covered with foil (very loose!) for 15 to 25 minutes.
|
Turkey Weight |
Hours |
|
8 to 12 pounds |
2-3/4 to 3 hours |
|
12 to 14 pounds |
3 to 3 3/4 hours |
|
14 to 18 pounds |
3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours |
|
18 to 20 pounds |
4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours |
|
20 to 24 pounds |
4 1/2 to 5 hours |
Step 3) Carving your turkey……(Video)
Turn the turkey on a carving plate, breast side up...always cut the dark meat before the white meat so it will stay moist longer. In short, here it is:
- carve the leg quarter (thigh and leg) off the turkey by cutting through the skin that attaches the leg quarter to the breast, pull down and separate/cut the leg quarter form the body
- cut the drumstick (leg) from the thigh by first feeling for the joint between the two and cutting straight down at that joint
- cut the breast by placing your knife on top the bird and carving down, following the breast bone all the way down and to the side of the bird (follow the wish bone). The breast will fall off and you can then slice it thin as you wish…..
Additional U.S.D.A. Turkey Cooking Information.
Serve and enjoy!