To diminish the oven’s direct heat to the turkey, aluminum foil is lightly placed over the turkey. A sheet of foil, large enough to cover the breast, should be folded in half and gently placed over the breast, making a tent. To further reflect the heat, the foil should be placed shiny side up. Do not tuck the foil around the roasting pan edges, simple allow it to float on top of the breast. • What are some regional trends in the preparation of whole turkey? Professional chefs across the United States feature whole turkey in ways that reflect regional cooking. In the Florida Keys, chefs place aromatic oranges or lemons and limes in the cavity of the roasted bird. In the Southwest, poblano and ancho chilies may be used in a paste that yields a bit of heat to the mild flavored turkey. In the Northeast, many chefs brine turkeys in a salt, sugar and water mixture prior to roasting. The Cajun style of deep-frying a whole turkey with Cajun spices has gained popularity in much of the rest of t
To diminish the oven’s direct heat to the turkey, aluminum foil is lightly placed over the turkey. A sheet of foil, large enough to cover the breast, should be folded in half and gently placed over the breast, making a tent. To further reflect the heat, the foil should be placed shiny side up. Do not tuck the foil around the roasting pan edges, simple allow it to float on top of the breast. • What does “truss” mean? Truss means to secure the turkey with string, skewers or clamps/pins so that it maintains its shape during oven roasting. Many of the turkeys produced for today’s market feature a band of skin or a metal or plastic clamp to hold the legs together. If this feature is not offered on the turkey you purchase, you may tie the legs together using oven-safe kitchen string. However, a turkey does not have to be trussed before it is roasted. It takes longer for the dark meat in the inner thigh area to reach its proper doneness of 175F-180F when it is trussed. If it is important the
To diminish the oven’s direct heat to the turkey, aluminum foil is lightly placed over the turkey. A sheet of foil, large enough to cover the breast, should be folded in half and gently placed over the breast, making a tent. To further reflect the heat, the foil should be placed shiny side up. Do not tuck the foil around the roasting pan edges, simple allow it to float on top of the breast.