Cooking a Stuffed Turkey

For uniform cooking results, the USDA recommends cooking the stuffing outside of the bird. If you insist on stuffing the turkey, stuff loosely and follow the steps below.

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Check the wrapper to see how much the turkey weighs and determine approximate cooking time (see chart below). Remove the giblet bag from the breast and remove the neck from the turkey cavity. Wash the turkey inside and out and pat skin dry with paper towels.

2. Mix stuffing and lightly fill cavity. Allow 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. It is safer to understuff than to overstuff the turkey. Stuffing expands during cooking. Refrigerate any leftover stuffing and bake in greased casserole during the last hour of turkey roasting time.

3. Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow (about 2 inches deep) roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thigh (see Turkey Safety: Using a Thermometer). Add up to 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pan, if desired.

4. Cover turkey loosely with a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Cooking time takes longer for a stuffed turkey. For example, a 20 pound stuffed turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 1/4 hours to cook. (See timetable below).

5. Remove the foil cover after about 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking to brown the skin. Brush with vegetable oil to enhance browning, if desired.

6. A whole turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the inner thigh reaches 180°F and the stuffing is 165°F. The juices should run clear (not pink) when a long-tined fork is used to pierce the thickest part of the thigh.

7. Check the internal temperature of the stuffing. Insert the thermometer through the cavity into the thickest part of the stuffing and leave it for 5 minutes. Or use an instant red thermometer which will register the temperature after 15 seconds. The stuffing temperature will rise a few degrees after the turkey is removed from the oven. If the center of the stuffing has not reached 165°F after stand time, return the turkey to the oven and continue cooking.

8. Allow turkey to set 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.


Cooking Times
8 to 12 pounds = 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds = 3 1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds = 4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds = 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds = 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours

Cooking Thanksgiving Turkey

The days are counting down to the one day of year that most of us ever roast a turkey. Cooking these big birds doesn't need to be a challenge if you follow some basic tips. For those of you who are starting with a frozen bird, you must properly defrost it or else your cooking times will be way off and your turkey sub par. Rememver to preheat your oven; don't just throw it in. And once your bird is done, allow the turkey to set 20 to 30 minutes before carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.

For more such tips, watch the video below. Good luck with your turkey cooking

Simple Roast Chicken with Garlic

Here is a quick video which gives you a simple recipe for roast chicken and garlic. There is little better than a roast chicken when it is cooked to perfection. Also, with any chicken you have left over, you can make a delicious chicken salad the next day.

Chocolate Ganache

From Food Photos

Whether you are coating a cake or making truffles, chocolate ganache is the answer. When making the ganache, it is best not to use milk chocolate. If you want a less intense ganache, you can use semi-sweet chocolate but true chocolate lovers should look for chocolate with 70% to 77% cocoa solids.

Chocolate Ganache Recipe Link

Ingredients
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Gnocchi Alla Romana

From Food Photos

Roman-style gnocchi is very different from what most people have come to expect out of gnocchi. Rather than being made out of potato and into dumplings, these gnocchi are created from a porridge of polenta, milk, butter, and cheese. Very rich and very delicious.

Gnocchi Alla Romana Recipe Link

Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons for sheet pan and baking dish
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semolina flour
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus 1/2 cup
4 egg yolks

Pinza - Easter Bread

From Food Photos

Pinza - Italian Easter Bread Recipe Link

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons
Four 3/5-ounce cakes fresh yeast, crumbled (1/3 cup), or four 1-ounce packages instant dry yeast
9 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, or as needed, sifted
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 large eggs yolks, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the bowl of dough
1/2 cup Vin Santo, Verduzzo, or other sweet white wine
Grated zest (yellow part only, without the underlying white pith) of 2 large lemons
Grated zest (orange part only, without the white pith) of 1 orange
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Sitting down to eat

Thomas' food related blog begins.