11/2001 – Bot 9 lb Honeysuckle White Brand – Turkey Timer Assured Cooking. Worked very well!
RECOMMEND BRINING TURKEY BREAST before baking it.
Brining is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of meat; results in moister product when cooked. Makes meat juicier & less dry, It also infuses salt in to the meat (rather than salting it at the table) which makes it much more flavorful.
BRINING A TURKEY BREAST (10/2014)
NOTE: Don’t stuff a brined turkey.
6-8 lb turkey breast (no bone) (Serves 10)
Water – enough to cover turkey meat
1/2 c table or ground Himilayan salt
Boil salt in 1 cup water til sugar is dissolved.
Soak turkey in a large with a lid or tied up in an oven roasting bag. Add some COLD water to pot or bag. Add brine mixture.
Place breast in container. Make sure water totally covers it.
Brine turkey in refrigerator or ice cooler where temp is at least 40° for 6-8 hrs. Don’t soak any longer–makes it too salty.
The amount of brining TIME is not set in stone. A little is better than NONE!
Remove turkey and rinse. Trash brine.
Can use other liquids to replace some or all of the water: apple juice, cider, orange juice, beer, wine, rice wine or apple cider vinegar, tea, etc. Some add spices to brine.
See “Roasting a Turkey Breast” instructions for baking.
A 15 lb turkey takes 2 lbs salt dissolved in 2 gal cold water brined for 6-12 hours. For 7 lb turkey breast, 1 cup salt + 1 gal water for no more than 8 hrs.
ROASTING A TURKEY BREAST: (Cooks Illustrated) 10/2014
Loosen turkey skin
Mix spices rub (see below) & rub evenly on turkey meat.
Replace skin and rub thoroughly with (unseasoned) butter.
Butter keeps it moist, adds flavor & ensures the skin will be crisp & meat flavorful.
Place turkey on a rack sprayed with non-stick spray (PAM) in a pan with 1 cup water in it to prevent smoking and to get juices for gravy. (any more than 1 cup forms steam).
Start baking turkey breast in 425° oven for 20 min; then turn down to 325° for ABOUT another 1 hr & 30-45 min.
The higher temperature at first kick-starts the browning, ensuring the skin is golden by end of cooking time.
Test with meat thermometer–done when internal temp. reaches 160°. For a whole turkey, it’s done when thigh reaches 185°.
Let turkey rest for 15-20 min before carving to let juices redistribute, or your carving board will be flooded with turkey juice!
*SPICE RUB for 3 lb turkey: ¼ c butter mixed with: ½ t coarse pepper, 1 t garlic powder; 1 t onion powder; 3 T Italian seasoning
HOW TO COOK A TURKEY (Melba Lovelace)
Turkey
Salt
1/4 c butter, softened
5T flour
2T lemon juice
Rub turkey inside with salt and skewer openings closed.
Cream butter, flour and lemon juice together til fluffy.
Put heavy coating over turkey breast, wings and thigh joints.
Put thin coating over remainder.
Stuff turkey with Stuffing Recipe above.
Place on rack in open roaster. Bake at 350° for 20-25 min per pound.
Do not cover and add no liquid.
Baste occasionally with hot chicken broth or water with butter added.
COOKED TURKEY BREAST – not tried!
Melt 1 stick of butter.
Add salt and pepper.
Wet cheese cloth or large napkin in butter and lay over turkey.
Put in roaster and add 3 cups of water.
Lay 3 or 4 stalks of celery around turkey.
Cover roaster with 3 or 4 layers of tin foil so lid will fit tight.
Preheat oven to 500°.
Put turkey in oven and bake from 55 to 60 minutes.
Turn oven off and do not open door of oven until morning.
BREAD STUFFING (Diane Myers)
4 c cubed day old bread
1/4 c chopped parsley-optional
1 t salt
½ t paprika
½ t sage
½ t poultry seasoning
½ c oleo
1 c chopped celery
1 med. onion, chopped
1 c fresh mushrooms, chopped
3/4 to 1 c broth or milk
1 egg, raw*
Mix bread, parsley and seasonings.
Melt oleo and saute onion, celery and mushrooms.
Add to bread mixture with egg and broth. Toss lightly.
Stuff chicken or bake at 325 for 20-30 min.
*Egg can be omitted for dryer dressing.
AUNT JEMIMA COUNTRY DRESSING/STUFFING (12/09)
1/2 t garlic powder
l large onion, pureed
1-1/2 c chopped celery
2 c fresh mushrooms, chopped
*2 cups Pepperidge Farm cubed herb seasoned stuffing
8×8 pan Shawnee Mills cornbread, cooled, crumbled (NOT the Shawnee Mills Muffin Mix which is too sweet; Square kind is OK)
1/2 t poultry seasoning
2-4 eggs
2-1/2 chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup
2 t sage
1 t black pepper & 1/2 t salt
*can use 8-10 slices of day-old bread, cubed OR 2 c herbed poultry stuffing mix
Mix eggs and broth together.
Combine remaining ingredients.
Add all ingredients and mix well.
Place in casserole dish and bake covered at 325° for 1 hour.
If stuffing a bird, use only 2 cups broth.
Makes 3 qt dressing.
SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSSING (Melba Lovelace)
***FAMILY FAVORITE***
9 c dry breadcrumbs
3 c cornbread crumbs
1 c fresh minced onion
1 c chopped celery
1 t thyme
1 t marjoram
1 t sage
salt, pepper
1-3/4 to 2 c turkey/chicken broth
3/4 c melted margarine
3 eggs, beaten
Mix crumbs and seasonings. Add small amt of stock to moisten; then add melted butter, mixing well. Stir in eggs. Add 1-3/4 to 2 c stock, or just enough to make c stuffing which holds together, but is not wet or pasty. Stuffing changes very little during cooking, except to expand. Can add chopped pecans.
DRESSING-SQUASH (Dot Berry)
***FAMILY FAVORITE***
2 cups cooked squashed, blended
2 cups cornbread, crumbled
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 stick oleo
salt & pepper
Mix all ingredients. Cook 35 minutes at 350° in 8 x 8 pan.
TURKEY STUFFING for 12 people (Melba Lovelace)
1-1/2 qts dry breadcrumbs* (9 c)
1 pt cornbread crumbs (3 c)
1/4 c minced onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1/2 t thyme 1/2 t marjoram 1/2 t sage
3/4 c to 1-1/4 c turkey or chicken stock/broth
1/2 c melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
salt, pepper
Break bread into chunks and dry in slow oven. Crumble.
Mix breadcrumbs, cornbread crumbs, onion, celery, thyme, marjoram, sage.
Add small amount of stock to moisten; then add melted butter, mixing well.
Stir in beaten eggs.
Add 3/4 to 1-1/4 c stock, just enough to make a stuffing which holds together, but is not wet or pasty. (Stuffing changes very little during cooking except to expand.)
Stuff turkey with this mixture.
RICE & SAUSAGE STUFFING NOT TRIED!
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon snipped parsley
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chicken broth
Crumble pork sausage into a 1-quart glass measuring cup.
Cook uncovered in microwave oven 2 to 3 minutes at High, or until meat is no longer pink; stir once. Drain and set aside.
Put butter, mushrooms, celery and onion into the glass pitcher.
Cook uncovered in microwave oven 2 minutes at High, or until tender.
Add rice, bread crumbs, parsley, poultry seasoning and chicken broth; mix well.
PEPPERIDGE FARM STUFFING RECIPE (made 12/2013)
2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
Generous dash ground black pepper
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 pkg. (14 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
2 eggs beaten
Do NOT add extra sage—has plenty already!
OPTIONAL: 1 c chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup each dried cranberries & chopped pecans; 1/2 lb pork sausage, cooked & crumbled; Substitute some crumbled cornbread for Pepperridge Farm Stuffing.
Heat the broth, black pepper, celery and onion in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring often. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the stuffing and mix lightly with eggs.
Place in greased 3-qt shallow baking dish.
Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or til the stuffing mixture is hot.
For crunchier stuffing, bake uncovered.
WILD RICE & BARLEY – Great for Thanksgiving
1 med onion shopped finely
1 c med pearl barley (not quick-cooking)
1 box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice-Roasted Garlic
1/2 c oleo
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c thinly sliced green onions
1 c celery, chopped small
8-10 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
2 can beef broth
2 c water
2 T soy sauce
1/4 lb HOT ground sausage, browned-opt
1/2 c slivered almonds, toasted*
Saute in oleo onion and barley till barley is browned.
Add green onions, parsley, celery and mushrooms, salt & pepper and saute 3-4 min longer.
Transfer to greased 4 qt baking dish.
Stir in cooked sausage, wild rice, soy sauce, water, broth, contents of rice seasoning packet.
Bake covered at 350 for 45 min; remove cover, sprinkle almonds on top.
Bake 30 more min., til barley is tender and liquid is absorbed.
*Toast almonds by placing on paper plate, drizzling melted oleo over them, and micro for 4 min., stirring after each minute.