2 Responses for "24 lb Turkey - Help!"

1. Chef Kevin November 20th, 2008 at 6:11 pm

   Hi Patricia,

   Turkey is hard to cook - especially a large bird. Fact is, a turkey’s breast is done at 160 degrees while the thighs and legs should be 175 degrees. Almost all commercial turkeys have over-sized breasts which to some extent, “shade” the thighs while roasting. A turkey breast is inclined to be dry to begin with so over-cooking it simply makes matters worse. We love the way big birds look (like your 24-pounder) but one suggestion to consider preparing smaller birds which cook more evenly.

   Another consideration is to NOT stuff the bird since it takes even more time for the stuffing to reach a safe temperature so the breast is further over-cooked. (Note: ChefsLine does not recommend stuffing a turkey.)

   Perfectly roasted turkey requires planning and most of us have eaten so much disappointing turkey that it’s worth the extra effort. Please review our All About Turkey Guide for step by step directions of preparing your turkey. What follows are some cooking tips that you may want to use to help you make a great turkey this year:

   1) Allow the turkey to warm up for a couple of hours before cooking, but keep the breast cold with a plastic bag full of crushed ice laid over it. This will slow down the breast’s cooking time and speed up the legs and thighs.
   2) Don’t stuff the bird, that will reduce the overall cooking time by 30 to 60 minutes.
   3) Roast the bird back up (to expose the thighs/legs to higher heat) for the first half (about 4 hours) of your cooking time. Then turn the bird over to brown and increase the heat to crisp the breast. (You will need to jack up the heat to 425 for the last 30 minutes or
   so.) Remember to always fit your turkey comfortably on a well-oiled oven rack.
   4) Brine the turkey if it’s not Kosher or pre-basted. This will make
   the breast juicier.
   5) Use an instant-read thermometer to determine when the various parts
   are done.
   6) You could break apart your large turkey as well. Don’t roast a whole bird. If most of your family likes white meat then just cook a breast. If your family likes both dark and white meat then
   roast the thighs/legs separately from the breast and start them sooner.
   7) Try smoking or frying the turkey. Smoked turkey tends to be dry
   anyway, but the flavor makes up for it. Frying applies heat more evenly than
   roasting and seals juices in.

   Of course, if you’ve ever had a roasted wild turkey then you know why turkey has achieved its place of honor at our country’s harvest. The flavor is insanely good! Failing access to wild turkey, all you can do is make the best of a bird unfortunately designed to match more of our visual expectations than what is easy to achieve in any kitchen. But try we must and ChefsLine is here to help. Please let us know if you have any questions about my tips or the All About Turkey Guide. Have a great holiday.

2. katie November 21st, 2008 at 1:48 pm

   I need to use the oven for turkey at thanksgiving,so Can I put a honey smoked ham in crockpot? It is spiral cut with bone in fully cooked,around 7pds. If so, how would you suggest I cook it?

3 Responses for "Question re sweet potato casserole"

1. Chef Kevin November 20th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

   Barbara,

   Unlike regular potatoes, sweet potatoes freeze very nicely. Thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator and then either warm it covered in the oven for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees or in the microwave on high for 3 - 4 minutes, rotate it 1/4 turn and heat another 3 - 4 minutes.

2. Julie December 21st, 2008 at 7:56 am

   Should the casserole be baked before freezing? Or put it together, freeze, and bake later? Thanks, Julie

3. Chef Kevin December 22nd, 2008 at 12:10 pm

   Julie,
   You can do either.

Comments are closed.

2 Responses for "Lard"

1. Jim Gray November 19th, 2008 at 4:48 pm

   You can always substitute butter, but you’ll need to increase the amount by about 20%. If you’ve made this recipe before you will be able to gauge the amount by the consistency of the dough. The butter may also add some more flavor, too. Make sure you use unsalted butter, since your recipe probably already calls for the addition of salt.

2. Chef Kevin November 20th, 2008 at 3:05 pm

   Jane,

   I think I remember you, at least I remember someone asking about lard. Chef Jim’s answer is correct, but doesn’t really address the health issue. So, hoping he’ll forgive me for chiming in…

   The answer I gave the woman (you?) in DC is to substitute Crisco’s non-trans-fat shortening for the lard, this will work well in exactly the same quantities so 3 tablespoons lard = 2 tablespoons Crisco shortening.

   The longer answer is the non-trans-fat shortening has a lower melting point than lard so the texture is affected to a slight degree. But by using shortening you will also sacrifice some flavor.

   The truth is that from a calorie standpoint a tablespoon of lard, shortening, oil, or butter are all equal. So exchanging one for another doesn’t save calories - no net health gain. The other issue with lard contains saturated fat (a source of LDL cholesterol) and so does butter but the health links between cholesterol and heart disease are becoming more complicated. As usual, the more we know the more we don’t know. Personally, I’ve started using lard (that I take care to make myself) more often. Because I make it using pork fat from a source I know I also know I have pure product. And it tastes wonderful in pie crusts and coating roasted vegetables.

One Response for "brownie recipe"

1. Jim Gray November 19th, 2008 at 5:02 pm

   Thanks, Barbara. It’s our family’s, too! I wanted to show my viewers that this is just as easy, if not easier, than buying the box mix.

One Response for "potato soup"

1. Chef Kevin November 18th, 2008 at 2:40 pm

   Hi. You sure can. But use whole milk if possible because the cream’s function is to add richness and body. Use the same amount. And know, next time when shopping that if you can’t find “heavy cream” at the grocery store, whipping cream is essentailly the same thing. Another substitute option is half and half or even fat-free half and half.

One Response for "Thanksgiving as hors’d'oeuvres"

1. Chef Erika November 19th, 2008 at 8:28 pm

   Brian - what a cool idea! I definately have some thoughts which mostly involves being able to eat small delicious traditional Thanksgiving foods with a glass in the other hand. Here is my suggested menu that includes the whole meal as appetizers.

   Butternut Squash and Maple Soup
   Soup is a great dish to serve at a cocktail type of party. In this case, I would serve our Butternut Squash Soup in pretty teacups. Garnish each cup with a candied pecan (which you can even purchase pre made).

   Stuffing Bites
   When making your favorite stuffing recipe - keep your ingredients small in size and bake your stuffing in a Pyrex baking pan. Also, add one more egg to the recipe so it sticks together. After removing your stuffing from the oven, cut with round cookie cutter or slice into bite-sized squares. No one will be able to pass these up!

   Cheddar Cornbread Bites
   An alternative to Stuffing Bites are Cheddar Cornbread Bites. Prepare this recipe in a small square pan and cut into small squares. Even easier, prepare in mini muffin tins.

   Petite Turkey Biscuits with Cranberry Chutney
   Prepare my moist Buttermilk Biscuits with 2 inch biscuit cutter. Slice biscuits in half and top with thin slices of turkey breast and a tablespoon of Festive Cranberry Chutney.

   Scalloped Potatoes
   Prepare this scalloped potato recipe as a do-ahead small plate dish. To do so, prepare the dish by layering the potatoes but only as high as four inches high. Bake a day ahead of your party and chill. Cut into squares and reheat in microwave or oven to warm.

   Yukon Potato Rounds
   An alternative to scalloped potatoes are Yukon Gold Potato Rounds. First, brush thick slices of yukon gold potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake bite sized potato rounds in oven at 375 degrees until browned, turning once. These are delicious when served with a dollop of mashed potatoes on top and garnished with fresh chives. Or, take your pre-baked plain potato rounds and top with a bit of shredded cheddar cheese. Place on cookie sheet and put under broiler on low for three minutes. Garnish with sour cream and fresh chives.

   Green Bean “Casserole” Dip
   Steam a bunch of fresh green beans. Arrange nicely on a serving tray. Serve with a bowl of Warm Onion and Mushroom Dip. This dish screams Thanksgiving!

   Dessert can and should fill your plate but keep it simple.

   Please let us know what appetizers you come up with and serve. And how the party turns out.

   Chef Erika

One Response for "creme fraiche"

1. Jenn Beisser November 11th, 2008 at 12:21 pm

   Hi Ilona,

   Substituting for creme fraiche is easy. Here is a link with step by step directions from our blog.

   Homemade creme fraiche

One Response for "Is the chicken safe?"

1. Jim Gray November 6th, 2008 at 6:16 pm

   You’ve about reached the limit, that is, if it’s been covered tightly. Was it freshly cooked (or purchased) when you put it in the fridge? Purchased fried chicken sometimes has been sitting around, which advances the expiration date considerably. Take it out of the wrapping, smell it, look for obvious signs of deterioration. Better yet, it’s easy enough to make. So throw it out and make a new batch.

One Response for "Soup is too salty"

1. Adam Cutsinger November 3rd, 2008 at 7:05 pm

   Probably the most common problem ever, for professional and home cooks alike: woops, too much salt.
   Many chefs are heavy handed with salt, and are only remember to go lighter when one of their dishes is returned from the dining room.
   The important thing to know is that you can’t undo salt: you have to dilute it. And with soup, that means making more soup.
   So you need ask yourself: how much too salty is it?
   If it’s not too much to the extreme, you can add more of the other ingredients in your soup: broth, meat, vegetables, spices, etc.
   However, if it is “way” too salty, you will likely need to start from scratch.
   To avoid throwing out the salty soup you already have (I absolutely loathe unnecessary waste), or to avoid making a huge batch of soup (which could end up getting wasted too), you might try freezing the soup, and using smaller portions of it as a base for the new soup, like stock. You can use similar portions of it for the same or similar soups until it’s all gone.
   If starting from scratch is impossible or undesirable, you could try putting large pieces of raw potato into the soup and letting it rest in the refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight. The potatoes will draw flavor elements out of the soup, including, but not limited to, the salt. What to expect - less all around flavor, which you can adjust to taste afterward, and starchiness, which may not be ideal for some recipes.
   Have fun cooking!