Turkey Tune-Ups: 5 Easy Ways to Give your Turkey a Little Lift

By Katie Barreira

1. Wing it!
Every grandma knows that the best thing to do with leftover turkey is to make stock with the bones. But it’s a shame not to incorporate all that authentic turkey flavor into the Thanksgiving meal. So, a day or two ahead of time, clip the wing tips off the bird (they’re always getting burnt anyhow) and make a simple stock, which you can then use for everything from the gravy to the creamed onions. It’s a win-win: superior flavor than the canned variety and at no extra cost.

Cut the wing tips (the tip of the wing to the second joint) from a fresh turkey, leaving the drumettes attached, and place in a pot with the neck, giblets (not the liver), a quartered onion, carrot and celery stalk, and few thyme sprigs. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the ingredients by about 2 inches and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 2 hours. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Salt Bath
For the moistest meat, there’s only one solution and it’s made of saltwater. A nice long soak will season the bird and plump it with moisture.

To make a basic brine for a 12- to 14-pound turkey, dissolve 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of sugar (white or brown) in about 6 quarts of cold water, then submerge the bird in the solution and refrigerate overnight. Rinse the turkey before cooking.

3. Deep Tissue Massage
Go beyond skin deep, literally! Rub a flavored butter underneath the skin of the bird. The seasoning will permeate the meat and make for cracklin’ crisp skin.

Try room temperature butter (4 tablespoons) mixed with chopped fresh herbs (1 teaspoon) like rosemary or sage OR ground spices (3/4 teaspoon) like chile powder or cumin, along with salt and pepper (1/2 teaspoon each).

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/food-how-to/cooking-party-makeover-videos/how-to-prep-a-butter-basted-turkey

4. Citrus Aromatherapy
Instead of stuffing your bird, fill the cavity with lemon or orange halves. The citrus will perfume the meat and, unlike stuffing, allow the heat of the oven to circulate inside the bird, resulting in faster, more even cooking.

5. Body Break-Down
Inspired by a class at my gym called “body attack” (which I will never be attending) this aggressive technique is all about getting big results in half the time.

Breaking down the bird before cooking slashes your cooking time, takes up much less room in the oven and, best of all, it solves the age old question of how to get the dark meat done without overcooking the white. Granted you won’t be able to emerge from the kitchen with that iconic Norman Rockwell bird, but just wait, the oohing and ahhing will come at first bite.

Before cooking, cut the turkey into parts, much the same way you would after roasting-
2 wings
2 legs (keep the thighs and drumsticks attached and separate after cooking)
1 whole breast (keep the breast on the bone, using kitchen shears to cut through both sides of the rib cage, just below the breast meat, to free the breast from the remaining bird.

Arrange the pieces in a single layer in a large baking dish, coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees F. until the breast meat registers 150 degrees on a meat thermometer. Return legs and wings (check wings with breasts, sometimes they cook more quickly) to the oven and continue roasting until they reach 165 to170 degrees.

Related posts:

1. Getting Ready for Thanksgiving
2. Holiday Rolls Two Ways
3. California Roast Turkey