Black Swan Recipes

Tips for a Juicy Roast Turkey

• Choose a fresh turkey instead of a on that has been frozen.  The muscle cells expand during freezing, when the bird thaws these expanded cells allow the fluids from them to leak resulting in a drier roast.
• Marinate the turkey in buttermilk as opposed to salt-water brine.  The turkey will absorb the buttermilk making it moister but not overly salty as salt-water brines are inclined to do.  Place the turkey, breast side down, in a vessel large enough to hold it.  Pour the buttermilk over the turkey.  Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning several times.  Remove the turkey from marinate.  Discard the marinate.  Rinse the turkey under cool running water and pat dry.
• Roast the turkey breast side down on a V-rack for the first hour or so, depending upon the size of the bird.  This allows it to baste itself.  Turn the bird over and finish roasting it.
• Don’t overcook the turkey.  Use a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh being careful not to hit the bone.  Remove the bird from the oven when the thermometer reads 160^oF.  Allow it to rest about 20 minutes before carving.  The temperature will continue to rise approximately another 10 degrees after being removed from the oven.  Poultry is done when the temperature reaches 165^oF.  If it is left in the oven until it reaches that temperature the bird will be overcooked.

These tips can be applied to any type of poultry.