So we are now officially in the month leading up to the biggest food debauchery there is…thanksgiving and the celebration of the turkey!. As a chef I get the question ” how do I cook the perfect turkey”….I explain how and more often than not left with more questions to answer..I sometimes forget that the restaurant language is not something the average person or armchair chef would understand. I get a trembling smile and ” I will call you if I have any more questions…” usually don’t take very long until the phone rings or dings with a message! . It is not that hard to make a turkey a bit more tasty..really it is not.
I usually remove all the things the turkey manufacturer has put in it in order to help you. Like a plastic thermometer that is guaranteed to make you fail…same thing goes for for the foot cuffs that are needed ,apparently.
I season the bird all over with salt and pepper then make a mix of dry sage and mayonnaise ,yup you heard it right, and spread it on the bird that has been well seasoned in the cavity with salt and pepper and stuffed with some onions ,garlic (fresh of course) celery sticks and bay leaves. I spread the mayo mix on the bird as you would spread butter on a sandwich. Once done I tie the legs together cross legged and lay bacon strips on the breast of the bird. I peel and cut some more onions and an apple or two and lay in the newly purchased turkey roaster in the bottom of the pan. Carefully the bird goes on top and in the oven at 300f for about three and a half hours for a 6-8 pound bird.As it is cooking you will be inundated with aromas that will entice you to open the oven door and when you do you should really bast your turkey with all the grease in the bottom of the pan. Just don’t do it all the time,the oven will get to cold, just a few times will suffice. To be safe you should make sure the internal temp is at 165F. It is safe to remove and cover your turkey in foil with an internal temp of 155f, you must remember that just because something came out of the oven that it does not immediately stop cooking,no no no it will still keep cooking and thats when you end up with a bird that is as dry as the Saharan desert. Following these rather simple steps will almost guarantee you a juicy tasty turkey that is sure to impress and you might get to be the one who answers “how in the world did you get it so juicy”. Good luck…if you need answers to any questions my phone is on silent….
A Swede and I did it my way 