BUDGET BEATERS. “ EVERY YEAR, about this: time, I get a few (usually : young or male) readers call- ing in to ask, “How do you & cook a turkey?” It seers “that wrestling with a big «bird is the crowning culinary " achievement. . 2) Let's take a ‘practical look at the first step in'the process — buying “the turkey. How big? Utility or Butterball? Fresh or frozen? -* Smaller turkeys are easier to handle. They cook more quickiy, so the breast meat has less chance of drying. out. If you have enough oven space, you. can cook two at a sincerely hope that no novice ‘will bring home any bird over 20.. pounds and have'a go at it! To feed a group of eight or. 10 people and still have leftovers, 15- 17 pounds will do the job. Two eight-pounders is also a Boot absolute presents in. : premium, cookware: Wednesday, December 14, 1994 ~ North Shore News — a1 AER CTT LA A TIL STOP WHET IS SED EHO KATATE GEC ISA STAAL LEACH PREG TOTS TOM UPROAR TEE IC BER broth in an attempt to keep the meat moist. Does it work? Sort of. A utility turkey is a fine bird — Grade-A quality — that has met with a bit of misfortune during han- dling. This means ‘that the skin may be torn or a wing may be missing. The : careful shopper can choose a bird » from the vulity: case and have little trouble. *: My bird, already resting in the freezer, is 18 pounds of utility. It has all its parts — its only defect is - & tear in the skin on the back — no problem since it will be cooked breast up. Fresh birds aren’t all that fresh. They may well have been processed a week before you get them home, a day or two before - Christmas. ; Frozen birds are zapped with super-cold immediately upon clean- “ing so are really far fresher. To thaw a frozen bird safely, move it to the refrigerator two days beforehand. On the morning it’s to be cooked, set it in a sink full of cold water. By noon, peel off the plastic and run cool water into the cavity to loosen the neck, which is usually ., shoved inside and the devil's own job to free. Also, check the neck cavity... (other end, silly) as the giblets . - ought to be in there in a paper bag. . A week or so before Christmas "there are a few supplies you should : have to make cooking the bird easi- « er. Buy them now! - . ‘MA Aroaster. ~ . Sy ~~ If you have a large broiler pan, it, will do fine. If you, intend to cook *" turkeys at every opportunity for,the “rest of your life, buy a roaster. L They come with lids which you will likely never: use. Otherwise, ‘invest a couple of dollars in a big foil disposable. a A box of cheesecloth. , Untill discovered the ‘ease: of |. ‘packing the turkey . stuffing in a cheesecloth bag ‘before insetting it. ‘into the cavity, I stuffed like every- , -5'or Spe sets . (while quantities last) “Sale Starts December 7th/94 - Available At... : ppuccino Kit hen Park Royal South {The Market), min a g Sposa 1270 Marine Drive ; North Vancouver. , one else and jammed a heel of bread in the opening to hold the stuffing inside. By tying a length of cheesecloth at one end, filling it up and tucking it in the bird, serving the stuffing is easy, Simply pull out the bag and turn the stuffing into a dish, This works very well if you make extra stuffing to cook ‘in a dish — stir the two ‘together before serving. B A meat thermometer. Inserted in the thickest part of the inside thigh, it takes the guesswork out of roasting. Use the time chart as 4 guide only. Allow an hour for the bird to rest before-carving -- which also frees your oven for vegetables. : Stuffing A Turkey The important thing to remem- ber is that it’s wise to get the basic preparations done the day before — Christmas Day is just too busy to be trying to start from serateh, If you like, the stuffing can be fully prepared weeks ahead and frozen, You must never, ever stuff a turkey the night before! Warm stuffing placed in a raw bird is bet- ter than a fab culture for growing bacteria and none of us need to be dialing 9-1-1 on Christmas night. Pack freshly combined dressing in the bird just seconds before you begin to roast, There's no sin involved in roast- ing a turkey without stuffing. The bird will cook in approximately two-thirds of the allotted time and the stuffing wilt cook alongside, in a dish, for the last hour before serv- ing. Add an extra half cup of chick- en broth to stuffing recipes if it’s to be cooked out of the turkey. 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