Thanksgiving is a gratitude and feast day that is adored by everyone in the family and friends as well. People make a lot of dishes for this day but the most delicious and liked dish among them is juice and delicious turkey dish.
Turkey is actually a bird that is cooked with some spices and olive oil for this day. Beginners might find making this dish difficult but if they have accurate and clear instructions, It is very easy to make.
You can make flavourful, soft and juice turkey dishes with proper directions. This article will help you to make such a turkey dish that your family and friends will love. This article will guide you properly about how to make this dish.
How to cook juicy and flavourful turkey?
You can make a juice, moist and flavourful turkey easily according to following instructions.
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of parsley
- Two tablespoons of dried rosemary
- Two tablespoons of thyme leaves
- One tablespoon of lemon peel
- One tablespoon of black pepper powder
- One tablespoon of salt
- One whole turkey bird ( neck and internal organs removed)
- One medium orange, cut into eight parts
- One large chopped onion
- One carrot, cut into slices
- One stalk celery ( herb), cut into slices
- A whole can of chicken soup
- Extra virgin olive oil
2. Directions:
Selection of right turkey bird:
The first and the foremost step for making a turkey dish is selection of the right turkey bird. You can either use fresh turkey bird or frozen turkey bird. Make sure to defrost your turkey at least 24 hours before its use if you are using frozen turkey.
If you don't defrost your meat before its use, your dish will not taste good and the softness of your dish will also be affected.
You can purchase fresh turkey from any butcher’s shop easily. Frozen turkey birds are easily available in the market and you can purchase them.
Cleaning the turkey:
First of all, you need to remove your turkey from the shopping bag and start cleaning it. If there is a neck or other organs attached to it, remove tem. Now wash the turkey with cold water.
Make sure to wash it with cold water because it will help you to make a soft turkey with crispy skin outside. Then dry your turkey using paper or kitchen towel.
Marinate the turkey:
If you want your turkey dish soft and delicious, you should marinate your turkey before cooking. You can marinate your turkey by using water or by using spices.
You can dip your whole turkey bird for 24 hours in water with salt and some seasoning added to it or you can directly rub spices throughout your turkey. But you should marinate your turkey for at least 12-24 hours before use.
Season the turkey:
Add salt, black pepper powder, onion powder, garlic powder, olive oil and fresh herbs in a bowl and mix them well. Now season your turkey with this mixture. Rub this mixture on the turkey skin, inside the turkey and under the turkey skin.
You can add onion, potatoes, garlic or some vegetables inside the turkey. This will not only moisten your turkey but also add flavour to your dish.
Preheat the oven:
Before cooking the turkey you need to preheat your oven. You should preheat your oven at around 175 degree celsius so that heat is equally distributed in the oven. Your turkey will be cooked properly if you preheat your oven.
Preparing the turkey:
Place your seasoned turkey on the aluminium foil in the roasting tray and add some olive oil on the top and chicken soup at the bottom. Adding chicken soup will moisten your turkey while cooking.
Now cover your turkey with aluminium foil and seal it. Make sure that aluminium foil does not touch your turkey. You can remove the foil at the last hour of cooking if you want crispy skin.
Roasting the turkey:
Now roast your prepared turkey in the preheated oven for about 2-3 hours. Actually roasting time of your turkey depends upon the size of the turkey you are using.
If you are cooking a turkey with a weight of 15 pounds, it will take 3-4 hours but if you are cooking a 20 pound weighted turkey, it will take around 4-4.5 hours.
Check your turkey continuously so that it does not get overcooked. Remove your turkey from the oven to check its skin to be golden brown and meat completely cooked.
You can insert a thermometer near its thigh to check the temperature inside. A completely cooked turkey had an inside temperature of 80 degree celsius.
Chopping the turkey:
After making sure that your turkey is completely cooked, remove it from the oven. It should be soft inside and have a crispy skin outside. Now let it cool down for about 10-15 minutes first and avoid touching it with your bare hand.
Then start chopping your turkey by removing its legs and thighs first. Now slice the breast piece of your turkey and serve it with the broth and roasted vegetables.
Why should we use olive oil for this dish?
Most people use butter or simple oils for cooking and roasting their turkey. Here they make a huge mistake. Using any kind of oil or butter does not make your turkey that much soft and tender as olive oil can do.
Olive oil is the oil that is extracted naturally and completely from olives. No other chemicals or preservatives are added in it that change the texture and taste of your turkey.
Its salty and tangy flavour enhances the taste of your turkey and makes it soft. While other oils and butter are processed chemically hence they do make your turkey soft but its taste is not enhanced.
Similarly, using olive oil in your dish also provides various health benefits to your body. It contains healthy fats, protecting substances, inflammation reducing substances, vitamin E and minerals that lowers your cholesterol level, strengthens your body muscles and reduces the risk of heart attack.
Butters and other oils have bad fats that damage your body cells and increase the risk of having a heart attack.
Should we put water at the bottom of the baking pan?
You can add water at the bottom of your baking pan if you want to. Because it will produce steam in your oven while your turkey is being roasted. But some people think that steam will make the turkey skin soft as well.
If you want to make your turkey skin crispy, you should remove aluminium foil while roasting your turkey and avoid adding too much water at the bottom of your baking pan. You can add chicken soup with your turkey to make it soft and more flavourful.
What are some tips to have crispy turkey skin?
If you like crispy turkey skin, here are some tips to achieve it. When you have cleaned and washed your turkey, dry it. Make sure that it is completely dry and no water droplet is present on your turkey skin.
Second, you should increase the temperature of your oven while roasting the turkey so that you can have a nice, crispy and golden brown turkey skin. Heating your turkey at high temperature for around 30 minutes will give a crispy and golden brown turkey skin.
Similarly, you can brush the olive oil on your turkey skin before putting it in your oven. Olive oil will help you to have a nice golden brown turkey skin. Some people use butter for this purpose but their turkey does not taste good due to butter.
Are you ready to make a delicious and soft thanksgiving dish for your relatives, family and friends? Do you want to impress them with your dish? Then quickly follow our instructions for making a delicious thanksgiving turkey dish. Collect all the ingredients and try our recipe right now.
But don't forget to try our extra virgin olive oil for roasting your turkey. If you use our extra virgin olive oil, Your dish will taste much more delicious. You will be provided with a lot of health benefits as well.
Zagoda olive oil contains vitamins, minerals, protecting substances and inflammation reducing substances that lower your cholesterol level, make your muscles strong and reduce the chances of having a heart attack.
Let's make this holiday special for your family and friends by trying our recipe using EVOO.