If your turkey weighs 8-12 pounds, thaw it in the frig. 1-2 days, then 4-6 Hours in cold water, and so on.
| WEIGHT | REFRIGERATOR/DAYS | COLD WATER/HOURS |
|---|---|---|
| 8-12 pounds | 1-2 days | 4-6 hours |
| 12-16 pounds | 2-3 days | 6-9 hours |
| 16-20 pounds | 3-4 days | 9-11 hours |
| 20-24 pounds | 4-5 days | 11-12 hours |
Of course there are the Reynold's cooking bags that cook the bird faster.
A good tip is to put aluminum foil over the tip of the legs and the wings, to avoid burning to those areas and drying out.
Stuff the bird immediatly before cooking, to leave the stuffing in the uncooked bird raises bacteria, and you can become very sick.
1. Pluck any remaining pinfeathers from bird. Rinse and dry cavity. Fill with your choice of stuffing, and pkace on rack in a roasting pan.
2. Lay 3 or 4 slices of bacon over breast and cover loosely with foil. Also wrap each leg in foil to prevent its drying during roasting.
3. With oven at
350*F.,roast a small unstuffed turkey (up to 10 pounds)
3-4 hours, a 10-16 pound bird 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, a
large bird 4 to 5 hours, or until a meat thermometer
registers 170*F. Add 1/2 in each case for a stuffed
bird. Baste occasionally and remove foil during last
1/2 hour for browning. Do not overcook. You can
substitute a basting sauce for the bacon. Baste very
hour or more frequently as desired.
1 turkey, 8 to 10 pounds, ready to cook.
salt and pepper.
8 cups partially dry bread cubes.
3/4 cup cup finely chopped celery.
1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
2 to 3 teaspoons sage.
1 teaspoon salt.
1/4 teaspoon pepper.
1 1.2 cups chopped onion.
1/4 cup butter or margarine.
1/4 cup water.
Sprinkle turkey inside and out with salt
and pepper. Combine bread, walnuts, celery and
seasonings. Cook onion in butter or margarine until
tender, but not brown, pour over bread mixture. Add the
water and toss lightly. Spoon stuffing lightly into
bird cavity. Put remaining dressing into greased
casserole. Cover and bake in oven with turkey during
last 30 minutes of roasting time. Truss bird. Cover
breast with bacon slices and cheesecloth soaked in
melted bacon fat.Place turkey, beast up, on rack in
roasting pan. Roast at 325*F. for 20 to 25 minutes per
pound or until tender, basting fequently with bacon fat
and drippings in pan. Remove cheesecloth, skewers and
string. Serves 8 to 10.
Turkey Buffet Casserole
3 cups cooked and diced deboned turkey
1 cup cubed American cheese.
1 cup chopped celery.
1/2 cup chopped celery.
1 can mushroom soup.
2 eggs, beaten.
1/4 teaspoon salt.
1/2 teaspoon pepper.
1 teaspoon sage.
4 cups turkey broth, or chicken or bouillon.
4 cups round, butter cracker crumbs (Keebler).
Mix turkey,
cheese, onion, mushroom soup, eggs, salt, pepper and
sage. Mix in broth (mixture will be very thin). Place
half the cracker crumbs in a 3 quart casserole. Spoon
in turkey mixture and top with remaining crumbs. Bake
at 350* degree oven for 1 hour.
2 cups boned chopped turkey.
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped.
Chopped sweet pickles to taste.
Chopped onion to taste.
Mix ingredients in
a large bowl, then add enough Kraft Miracle Whip until
you have a good consistency.
4 tablespoons margarine.
1/3 cup flour.
1/4 teaspoon salt.
1/8 teaspoon pepper.
1 1/3 cups turkey broth.
2/3 cup milk.
2 cups (or more) cut up cooked turkey.
2 1/2 cups (approximate) biscuit dough.
1/4 teaspoon paprika.
1/4 teaspoon celery salt.
1. Melt margarine in a sauce pan. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Stir in turkey broth and milk. Cook until thickened, and then add 2 cups or more of cut up turkey.
2. Pour into baking dish.
3. Top with 1 recipe of biscuit dough (Bisquick) to which you have added paprika and celery salt.
4. Bake at 425*F., 25
minutes or until nicely browned.
4 turkey cutlets (from the breast)
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1. Saute turkey cutlets in butter or margarine, or bake on buttered baking sheet in 400* degree oven, until no longer pink.
2. Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise and grated
parmesan cheese. Spread mixture on cutlets and place
under broiler for a few minutes until brown and bubbly.
1 8 ounce package medium wide noodles.
6 tablespoons butter or margarine.
6 tablespoons flour.
1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
1/4 teaspoon pepper.
1/2 teaspoon celery salt.
2 cups turkey stock.
1 cup heavy cream.
1/3 cup sherry.
1 6-ounce can mushrooms.
1/3 cup slivered almonds.
3 teaspoons minced parsley.
2 cups diced turkey.
1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
1. cook noodles until tender and drain.
2. Melt butter, add flour, and blend. Add seasonings and stock (or use 2 cups turkey gravy); cook over low heat until thick, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat, stir in cream (scalded), sherry, mushrooms, almonds and parsley.
4. Alternate layers of noodles, turkey, and
sauce in 2 quart greased casserole. Top with cheese.
Bake at 350*F, for 45 minutes.
Sweet Potato Stuffing
1 1/4 cups mashed sweet potato.
4 cups toasted bread cubes or croutons.
1/2 cup finely chopped celery.
1/3 cup chopped fresh onion.
6 link sausages, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
1 1/4 teaspoon salt.
1/4 teaspoon pepper.
1/4 teaspoon sage.
1/4 teaspoon crumbled whole, marjoram leaves.
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme.
2 tablespoons butter.
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in mixing bowl.
2. Brown sausage and add to mixture, discarding fat.
3. Blend in remaining ingredients. Mix and spoon into turkey cavity.
4. Cook turkey
immediatley after stuffing.
1 pound bulk sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion.
2 loaves unsliced stuffing bread.
1 cup chopped celery.
1 tablespoon Bell's seasoning.
1 teaspoon pepper.
2 eggs.
1. Break up bulk sausage into a skillet and cook over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Push to one side and saute chopped onion.
2. Break stuffing bread into a large bowl. add chopped celery and the onion and sausage, including drippings in skillet. Add Bell's poultry seasoning, pepper, and eggs. If necessary add a little water to bind ingredients.
3. Stuff neck and body cavities
lightly. Bake extra stuffing in a greased bowl, placing
it in a oven about 45 minutes before turkey is
ready.
(Using leftover turkey carcass)
1. Cook carcass 2 to 3 hours in water to cover (about 6 quarts) for a good broth. Remove from pot, pick off remaining meat, and reserve. Refrigerate broth overnight and skim off any fat accumulated on top (little or none from a lean wild turkey).
2. Chop an onion and a few
stalks of celery and cook in a little broth, then add
to pot. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup rice (about a handful).
Simmer about 15 minutes. Remove meat to broth and add a
20 ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetables, plus salt and
pepper to taste. Cook 10 minutes. (To add a creole
twist; add tomatoes and green pepper.)
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Wild Turkey Hunting
