When it comes to Thanksgiving, perfecting the turkey is a must. As the staple of the meal, friends and family tend to base the overall experience around the outcome of the turkey. Whether flavorful and cooked to perfection for hours or deep-fried, the turkey is always first in mind when asked, “how was your Thanksgiving?” As the number one Worcester deli, D’Errico’s Market is here to ensure your turkey is one to remember. And, contrary to popular belief, perfecting the turkey is not as hard as many believe it to be.
Choosing how to cook your turkey is always the best starting point. From slower cookers to roasting, deep frying to instant pots, the possibilities are endless. So, where to begin? First, consider the size of your turkey and how much time you have for prep work and cooking. With these two considerations in mind, the most appropriate cooking methods become more evident.
Roasting a turkey is one of the most traditional cooking methods but requires a good deal of time. As a general rule, an unstuffed turkey takes around 15 to 20 minutes per pound. On the other hand, deep-frying is one of the trendiest and fastest methods but involves a good deal of attention and care. Cutting the cooking time to 5 minutes per pound, a deep-fried turkey still requires thawing, bringing, and preparation.
When figuring out the process of cooking a turkey, brining is a step that you’ll come across. However, what most people don’t realize is that not every turkey requires brining. Brining is the process of soaking your turkey in a salt solution for at least eight hours to change the muscle composition of the turkey. By doing so, the meat retains both moisture and flavor at the highest levels. When you combine fresh herbs and spices into the process, you can see how brining becomes a desirable step.
However, brining also requires delicate timing. Over brining can increase the sodium to undesirable levels, ruining your meal. Further, unless you have a bland, super organic turkey, chances are your bird will already be flavorful. By brining, you could overpower the natural turkey flavor that so many love!
No matter how you cook your turkey, seasoning the bird is a must. However, this category is one of the largest in regards to options. So, what you do here comes down to preference. We will focus on some of the most traditional seasonings used when roasting a turkey for simplicity’s sake. Those include:
Whatever combination you use, one of the most beneficial methods of seasoning a turkey is to season under the skin. This technique puts the seasonings in direct contact with the meat for the most significant flavoring.
For the juiciest, most flavorful turkey this season, start with the freshest bird! Pre-order your Thanksgiving turkey at your favorite Worcester deli today. At D’Errico’s Market, our family is committed to providing yours with only the best ingredients.