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La Belle Cuisine
Julia Child’s Roast Turkey
Good Morning America, December 2000
“After 40 years in the kitchen, Julia Child has earned her
celebrity
chef's
apron many times over. And when it comes
to holiday favorites,
the French-
trained kitchen wonder
has some simmering suggestions…”
Ingredients:
Turkey, Vegetable Oil, Salt and Pepper, Celery, Onions, Lemon (to
season
turkey cavity, if desired), Butter, Port or Madeira.
Defrosting Frozen Turkey:
Keep
the turkey in its original wrapper. A 20-pound bird takes 3 to 4 days
to
defrost in the refrigerator, about 12 hours in a sinkful of water. Warning:
Do not stuff your turkey in advance, since the stuffing could start to sour
and spoil inside the bird; goodbye, happy holidays.
Servings: Count on 1/2 pound of turkey per serving, or 1 pound per
person, with leftovers. Roast at 325 F (or see below for high- temperature
roasting).
Cooking time: For unstuffed birds: 12 to 14 pounds, about 4 hours; 16 to
20 pounds, about 5 hours; 20 to 26 pounds, about 6 hours. Add 20 to 30
minutes in all for stuffed birds.
Internal temperatures: 175 degrees F at the thickest portion of the leg;
165 F in the breast; 160 F in the center of the stuffing. Stuffing amounts
are 1/2 to 3/4 cup per pound of turkey, making roughly 2 to 2 1/2 quarts
of
stuffing for a 14 to 16 pound bird.
Ms.
Child says that she prefers a flavoring in the cavity (salt and paper, and
a
thinly sliced lemon, a small onion and a handful of celery leaves), rather
than a stuffing and she cooks the stuffing separately. Make turkey stock
with the neck and scraps (see Turkey Stock recipe below). Save the liver,
heart, and gizzard for giblet gravy (See Giblet Gravy recipe below).
Directions:
1.
To prepare the turkey for roasting, cut out of the wishbone and
cut
off
the
wing nubbins.
2. Skewer the neck skin to the backbone, and skewer or sew the
cavity closed
or close it with foil.
3. Rub the turkey with salt and vegetable oil.
4. Roast breast up on an oiled rack, basting rapidly every 20 minutes
or so.
5. Start testing rapidly for doneness 20 minutes before the estimated
roasting time- and note that a sure indication of approaching
doneness
is that turkey juices begin to exude into the pan.
Turkey Stock
1.
Simmer the turkey neck and scraps in enough water to cover
them,
skim off
scum that rises to the surface for several
minutes,
then salt
very lightly.
2. Cover loosely and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding water
if
necessary.
3. You may also wish to include chopped onions, carrots, and
celery [yes!].
4. Strain and degrease.
5. When stock is cool, cover and either refrigerate for several
days
or
freeze.
Giblet Gravy
1.
First make a simple sauce, as follows. Have the turkey bones
chopped
or
sawed into 1/2-inch pieces, and brown with a lit-
tle oil in a heavy pan
with
a chopped carrot, onion and
celery stalk.
2. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of flour and brown, stirring for a minute
or
two.
3. Add a chopped plum tomato, spices, turkey stock, and water
to cover.
4. Simmer slowly, loosely covered for two hours, adding more
liquid
as
needed.
5. Peel the gizzard and add it to simmer with the rest of the ingre-
dients,
removing it after about an hour, or when it is tender.
6. Mince it.
7. Sauté the heart and liver briefly in butter, mince them, and add to
the
finished sauce along with the minced gizzard, simmering for
several
minutes
and adding, if you wish, a spoonful or so of dry
Port or
Madeira.
8. Strain, degrease and boil down to concentrate flavor.
High-Temperature Roasting
1.
In Ms. Child’s high-temperature roasting system, you start the roasting
at
500 degrees F, and in 15 to 20 minutes, when the juices begin to
burn,
reduce the heat to 450 degrees F.
2. Next, add chopped vegetables (1/2 cup of chopped carrots and 1/2
cup
chopped onions) and 2 cups of water to the pan, pouring in a
little more
water now and then as needed to prevent burning and
smoking.
3. A 14- pounder will roast in about 2 rather than 4 hours. High heat
makes
a brown and juicy turkey, but you have little control in such
a hot oven,
and Child thinks the slower, longer cooking produces
a more tender bird.
Copyright © 2000 ABC News Internet Ventures.
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