Have you ever seen Chevy Chase's movie, Christmas Vacation? During one, particularly memorable scene, the entire (kooky) family sits down to their holiday feast, and Chase begins to carve the beautiful picturesque turkey. When the tip of the carving fork pierces the turkey's skin, the whole thing literally "pops," exploding and deflating with its own dryness. The next scene is silent except for the chewing noises of the family, as they desperately attempt to eat the parched turkey meat. Funny in a movie; not so funny if you are the chef.
Many people do not even expect turkey to be moist and succulent. One friend told me, "Even the best cooks have a hard time producing a moist roast turkey. That is why gravy was invented." Should we feel offended or relieved?
Thankfully, there are ways around a dry bird. One of the best tricks is to brine your bird. What is brining, you ask? Brining is simply soaking the raw turkey in a salt and water bath for 10 to 12 hours. The only thing complicated about the process is finding room in your refrigerator. I highly recommend you find the room. Believe me, it will dramatically improve the flavor, texture, and appearance of your turkey-even if you use a frozen turkey.
Brining came to the forefront in the culinary world several years ago, and now chefs are brining pork, chicken, among other meats. The salt draws out impurities, while sealing in moisture and flavor. I know it sounds like one more thing to do, but Thanksgiving comes but once a year, and if you want to use gravy to season the meat, instead of masking its dryness, please at least consider this technique.
There are numerous recipes for roasting turkey; indeed entire books are devoted to this one meal. My favorite way is to stuff the cavity of the bird with onions, carrots, herbs, then lightly truss. I do not believe in elaborate trussing. The point is to hold the bird together, not to strangle it. If you have a homemade turkey or chicken stock, that is great. But, I will offer a way to make a fairly quick stock that you can use for roasting the bird, making the gravy, and for wherever else you need stock, like the dressing. You make it the night before, while your bird is brining.
As far as size goes
Wednesday
July 16th, 2025
9:36AM
