Now for the Main Event - Let's Talk Turkey

Thanksgiving is almost here!! It's time to get ready to make the bird. We are going to Aunt Judy and Uncle Butch's for Thanksgiving dinner, but I wanted to have leftover here at home for the weekend, so I am cooking a small turkey today for Bill and I. Thanksgiving weekend is just not the same without leftover Turkey sandwiches!

I know I was a little intimidated the first time I cooked a turkey, but trust me, once you do it...it's a piece of cake. There are many methods out there to cook your bird. I found this one through Martha Stewart (ok...get the signing and eye rolling done...now feel better...lol....we all know I have a Martha complex....except for that going to jail part...lol).

Begin by making sure your bird is completely thawed...the best way is to put it in the refrigerator a few days before you are going to cook it. Make sure you have a pan big enough...you do not want to crowd the turkey...this leads to uneven cooking.

You want to remove the neck and giblets from inside the turkey - make sure to check in the neck area - they are often packed in there (I did not know this the first year, we got a big surprise when we went to carve the turkey...it does not hurt anything...if you forget). And I like to rinse my bird and pat dry with a paper towel.



Preheat your oven at 325 degrees. Turkey is something you can not rush...so plan ahead for your oven use. Cooking time is based on the size of your bird and if you stuff it or not. Follow this link to Butterball to calculate the cooking time for your bird size.

Next for the dry rub...I make my own rub by mixing together: salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, sage and poultry seasoning. Rub the mix all over the outside and inside of the bird.






Next... melt one stick of butter with 1 cup of white wine. I then take about 2 yards of cheese cloth and place it in the pan to soak up the butter and wine. Use more butter, wine and cheese cloth if you have really big bird.

You then place the cheese cloth over your turkey...it should look like a mummy when you are done. You do not need to cover with foil. You baste the bird through the cheese cloth. And do not be alarmed as it cooks because the cheese cloth will turn brown, and almost look burnt.

I will post the finished bird when it comes out of the oven...