How to Cook Turkey Like a Professional Chef
Cooking turkey is known to be quite challenging, so if you are planning to do it for the very first time, you might want to read on some turkey cooking tips in order to increase your chances of getting it right. Whether you have been tasked to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for the family or just want to use turkey as a healthier alternative to other meats, you would definitely benefit from the turkey cooking tips that you will find below.
It’s All in the Timing
So many people who have tried to cook turkey and failed did so because of improper timing. Some of them cooked the turkey too long, while others didn’t do it enough, ending up in a half-cooked disaster. In order to avoid these problems, one of the best turkey cooking tips you should keep in mind is to haw the turkey thoroughly before cooking it. Don’t take it straight from the freezer and into the oven. Another helpful tip would be to use a dark-colored cooking pan or tray instead of a reflective metallic one. You should also remove the foil tent covering the turkey after the first few minutes in order to promote faster and more even cooking.
Other timing-related turkey cooking tips are to use an oven cooking bag or a roasting lid in order to cut down your overall cooking time. You should also place the turkey in a pan or tray that is just big enough to contain it instead of one that is too wide. Also, placing the turkey right in the middle of the oven will allow you to cook it faster and much more evenly.
Monitoring the temperature of the turkey is another tricky part of the entire cooking process, but this is essential if you want to end up with a perfectly cooked bird. You can do this by using an ordinary oven thermometer but most experts agree that a meat thermometer gives a more accurate temperature. By cooking your turkey at precisely the right temperature, you will not only have a tastier result but you can also ensure that all the bacteria in the meat will be eliminated during the cooking process.
All these turkey cooking tips are actually quite easy to follow. If you combine them with a little bit of practice, you will be able to cook turkey like any pro in no time at all.
Cooking Turkey Legs May Be Easier Than You Think
Cooking turkey legs is easier than you might have thought and they are often less expensive then buying turkey breast, but they feed the same amount of people, so it’s important that you know how to cook these great big bird legs to ensure that you have a great meal at a cost you can be comfortable with. For instance, smoked barbecue turkey legs make a great meal that your whole family will love and it’s healthy, too. If you’re worried that nobody eats turkey legs, you are wrong, because these delights are offered at places such as Disney World as a top notch meal, so when you know how to cook them properly, you will find that they are a meal worth enjoying.
When you’re cooking turkey legs, probably the most important thing you can do is make sure to brine them. When you’re doing this, you’re working on making sure your turkey legs are well seasoned and tender. Consider marinating them in some spices and even fruit juice for the best flavor possible from your turkey.
You should also make sure that the skin on the turkey leg is crisp, so it’s easy to peel off when you’re eating it. This will ensure that the meat inside is tender and juicy, while the outside is crisp. So, make sure when you’re cooking your turkey legs that you uncover them for a time so the heat can crisp up the skin. This time uncovered will help the moisture that’s just below the skin to evaporate and give the skin a nice crunchy texture.
Another method of cooking turkey legs is to smoke them. Often, when you do this, you will want to use cherry or apple wood when you’re doing the smoking, so that the flavor is milder than with other woods and it will add a touch of sweetness to your turkey legs. So, when you’re cooking your turkey legs, you should first marinade it for about 24 hours in the refrigerator. Before you cook them, make sure to wash and dry them and proceed to add seasonings and olive oil to taste. You may want to try some of the really great poultry rubs that are available.
Cooking turkey legs is fun and if you’re looking for a different type of meal that your family will love, this might just be what you’re looking for. No matter whether you’re cooking the legs themselves, or considering using the meat in another dish, you will likely enjoy the flavor and versatility of these big, meaty parts of the turkey that are often overlooked. So, the next time you head out to buy turkey, consider cooking turkey legs instead of a breast for a healthy, cost effective meal that tastes great, too.