Karen from Webb City thawed out a smoked turkey in an ice box and wants to know if it will keep until Friday.
It will keep, but be sure to keep it plenty cold. If you can’t move it into your refrigerator, buy some dry ice (available at some grocery stores) for your ice box. If you’re using dry ice, be sure to arrange some way, possibly a couple of folded bath towels, to hold the turkey up off the ice so the bottom doesn’t freeze.
Tammy in Bradleyville wants to know how to smoke cheese on an electric smoker.
The key to smoking cheese is not melting it. Ideally you want to maintain a temperature of about 70 degrees F and smoke it for around 4 hours. If the temperature is higher, don’t smoke it as long — and check it regularly to make sure it isn’t melting. You need to use a hard cheese such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, or swiss cut into 1 – 2 pound blocks.
ChefsLine’s Chef Kevin gives step-by-step instructions on how to smoke a turkey.
1) Rub turkey. Cavender’s Greek Seasoning is a pre-made rub that is great with turkey. Do not stuff turkey.
2) Let sit in refrigerator overninght.
3) Soak wood chips.
4) Bring turkey to room temperature.
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5) Brush skin with vegetable oil.
6) Cooking times will vary depending on wind, weather, altitude and type of equipment. Given the season, 250 degrees is a best bet for your cooking temperature. Turkey should reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees °F in four hours or less. If your temperature is low at 3 hours, raise your cooking temperature or consider finishing in the oven.
7) Smoke for around 12 hours, or between 30-40 minutes per pound.
Cook turkey to internal temperature of 165 degrees F in breast and innermost part of thigh.
Listen now for Chef Kevin’s expert cooking tips on how to smoke a turkey. Any questions while smoking? Talk live with a great chef, just call the culinary hotline at 1-800-977-1224.[/hidepost]
Here are some tried and true flavors and techniques for baking a pork roast from Chef Rodney. Linda from Youngsville is preparing a 3 pound boneless sirloin roast.
Linda, bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes uncovered. Use your meat thermometer which will read 145 degrees when your roast is ready to be removed from the oven. Wrap in foil and the internal temperature will rise to the necessary 150 degrees. Bon Apetite!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Have a roasting pan, frying pan, garlic, canola or vegetable oil, salt and pepper handy.
Use a boning knife, make slits in the meat.
Then, push sliced garlic into the slits. Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper.
Being heating a large frying pan or grill pan with about 3 Tbsp of oil.
Sear the meat in pan over medium high heat on stovetop. Turn to brown all sides.
Place meat thermometer in roast about halfway in. Angle toward you so you can read it with the oven light on.
Place roast in roasting pan. Transfer to oven and roast until you reach 145-150 degrees internal temperature.
Linda, we’d love to know what else you are serving and what flavors you most enjoy. For example, a Tuscan style (rosemary, sage, garlic) rub will work well with potatoes and a salad. You could even cure the roast overnight with honey and a spicy salt for a more firey flavor that would work well with greens and roasted vegetables. ChefsLine chefs are here to help bring out the chef in you! Give us a call.
Melinda is cooking a 15-17 lb turkey, a turkey breast and 4 1/2 lb beef roast for Christmas Dinner. To coordinate the cooking process with minimal stress and great results, let us recommend the following.
Today
If brining your turkey, today’s the day! See our turkey help page for a great recipe.
Night before
Prep all vegetables and herbs for your dishes. Dry well and place in Ziploc baggies.
Prepare a red wine or beef stock for beef gravy. See our recipe for a cabernet au jus if you are feeling ambitious.
Prepare all side dishes that can be do-ahead such as mashed potatoes, yams, cranberries, etc. Place in refrigerator.
Early morning Turkey.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Rub inside of turkey with salt and pepper and stuff with onion, garlic and herbs.
Roast at 325 degrees for 4 hours.
At 3 1/4 hours, check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Remove turkey from oven when it reaches and internal temperature of 170 degrees. Turkeys can certainly rest and be reheated.
After removing your turkey from the oven, also remove your vegetable stuffing. Have turkey rest in pan on a rack and cover with foil to collect juices (ideally). Or, take turkey from pan and wrap tightly in tin foil. Your turkey is safe left out (not refrigerated) for around 2 hours or until the temperature of the meat stays above 140. You have just the window you need here but if you are concerned, you can always place your carved turkey platter in the refrigerator. (See below) Put roasting pan aside to save the drippings to make gravy.
At Countdown 3 Hours to Dinner
At about hour 3, remove beef roast from refrigerator. Season with salt and pepper.
Place oven racks at top third and bottom third for a small oven. If your oven is wide enough, place rack in center for placing roast and turkey breast side by side.
A reliable meat thermometer should be placed in the roast. An instant read thermometer will come in very handy.
Roast Beef and Turkey Breast in Oven at the Same Time.
After removing whole turkey from oven, raise temperature of oven to 450.
Place beef roast on top rack.
Sear beef roast at high temperature for about 12-15 minutes. Keep roast in.
Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Place turkey breast in bottom third or next to beef.
Finish roasting beef. After 30 minutes, check your meats. Use this opportunity to baste your turkey breast if you like.
After checking your meats, begin carving your turkey. Perhaps someone can assist you? Place piece on a platter that can be warmed in the oven.
Total cook time for beef will be approximately 1 hour. Your beef is ready to be removed from oven when it reads….Rare (135 degrees internal), Medium Rare (140 degrees), Medium (155 degrees), and Medium Well (160 degrees). FYI, as your roast rests, the temperature will rise by 5 degrees -10 degrees. The beef will be finished first.
Turkey Breast – we assume you will be preparing a boneless turkey breast. Roast at around 15-18 minutes per pound, unstuffed. Assuming a 6 pound breast, roast for 1 1/2 hours max. Remove from oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees. Remove and wrap loosely in foil. Begin slicing after 20 minutes or so.
Reheat Side Dishes and Turkey
These should be brought to room temperature (countdown: 45 minutes before beef and breast come out of oven). Place hardier side dishes (like mashed potatoes) in oven, covered, with the turkey breast. After removing turkey breast, lower oven temperature to 350. Then, reheat other dishes in oven while finishing your gravies and slicing your turkey breast.
To reheat turkey, perhaps add some of your turkey juices, a bit of broth, or water to platter. Cover with foil and reheat at 350 degrees. About 20 minutes or until temperature of turkey reaches 165 degrees.
If you have any questions while cooking, do not hesitate to call the culinary hotline at 1-800-977-1224. That’s why our chefs are here!
