Volume 12 , Issue 44

Home Comfort Cookbook (1934) - Roast Turkey

With the Thanksgiving holiday just a few weeks away, we thought it appropriate for some Home Comfort Cookbook hints on Roasting that Thanksgiving Turkey. Will it be Wild or frozen?

Home Comfort says that poultry and game are to be primarily classified as meat. Their proper cooking is governed by the general instructions given under "Methods of Cooking" and "Meats and Meat Specials" (See in Other features of this week's newsletter).

However, they require a somewhat more delicate treatment than the more mature or coarser joints and cuts, and, as a rule, a much longer time for proper cooking.

In preparing poultry and wildfowl for cooking, there is little variation from the regular methods employed with coarser meats. Cooking authorities do not agree as to the proper method. However, some cookery experts contend that poultry should never be wet or washed before cooking, holding that it has a tendency to make the skin and flesh soft and sodden. This is not only poor advice, but surely a weak reason for the practice, for one of the first and most important principles in all cookery is absolute cleanliness.

In dressing all poultry and fowl for whatever method of cooking, after carefully removing all pin-feathers, and thoroughly singeing, a good cook will use many clear, cold waters -- washing and rewashing until absolutely clean, using a small quantity of soda in the let rinsing water. She will not allow the bird to remain in the water while dressing, but will accomplish the washing by frequent dipping and spacing in order that the water may not remain long enough to penetrate the tissues. After sufficient washing, the bird must be immediately dried by the use of a soft, clean cloth, merely blotting the surface lightly, inside and out, instead of roughly wiping. Lightly sprinkling with salt and allowing to remain for a few moments rolled up in a dry clean cloth, will insure a sufficiently dry, unshrunken bird diesel for even roasting or baking.

Roast Turkey

After properly plucking, dressing and cleansing, prepare for the roasting pan; cut off some of the neck if too long, and tie the skin over it; prepare a dressing of double the quantity in the bread dressing recipe, stuff the crop, and then the body, carefully stitching up the openings.

Tie or skewer the wings and legs in folded position and close to body; rub over with soft butter, sprinkle with slat and pepper, and dredge with flour; place on rack in dripping pan, our in 1 to 2 cups water, and set in hot oven for 30 minutes to the pound.

Baste frequently while roasting; if any portion should seem to be browning too readily, protect it by pinning a piece of buttered paper over it; turn frequently, that all portions may be evenly baked and browned.

When pierced with a fork, and the juice runs out perfectly clear, the roast is done; serve up on hot platter; stew the giblets separately until tender, remove them and chop fine, thicken the gravy in which they were stewed with flour and butter rubbed together, return the chopped giblets, and serve in gravy dish on the side. Serve with cranberry sauce.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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