While lunching, I was idly turning the pages of "Real Simple" magazine (we get it here at the office for the reception area) when I saw they had written an article on the "classic" Thanksgiving feast, complete with recipes and what to do ahead of time to simplify the matter. Reading it, I saw it was geared for the person who had never cooked a Thanksgiving dinner before.
Then I realized with horror that they had forgotten a very important instruction. A very, very, very important instruction that a first-timer would not know:
FROZEN TURKEYS TAKE A HELLUVA LONG TIME TO DEFROST.
Wait, let me repeat that . . .
FROZEN TURKEYS TAKE A HELLUVA LONG TIME TO DEFROST.
Which is why it must defrost in the refrigerator, so that the portions that defrost first do not become replete with salmonella or e. coli or any other harmful bacteria. Food poisoning will spoil the mood of the gathering and cast a pall over your festivities. The tryptophan should be putting your guests to sleep, not anything else.
For a good-sized bird, around 12 pounds, my mother would place the turkey outside in a well-secured pot (New York in November) no later than Monday morning. I have done the same but using the fridge here in Southern California.
I heard a story once about someone placing a frozen turkey in the clothes dryer on Wednesday night, in an act of desperation.
Anyone out there cooking Thanksgiving for the first time?
4 comments:
My best friend called me and told me she was coming to my house for Thanksgiving--so did my youngest daughter--sheesh--what if I have to be "on call" at the hospital? They said they would come when I was done--so looks as though I'll be cooking again--how the heck did I ever get into this cooking job? Oh, yeah--I guess I love to cook--and my friends and daughter love to eat--win--win situation.
And no defrosting for me, just call ahead and the stores will have a fresh--never frozen turkey available on Thanksgiving morning--aint it grand.
I can handle both fresh and frozen. The trick is not to over-baste, because you should not be opening the oven door that often. And put herbed butter UNDER the skin and some olive oil on top.
Smoking a turkey or deep frying it? Fugheddaboutit! You want the smell of a roasting turkey, wafting through your house.
Nope - I go to my dad's house. My dad and stepmom are fabulous cooks, and they make enough for a small army. Someday I will have to learn to make my own Thanksgiving dinner, but I'm not in any hurry! :-)
there was a "Cheers" episode about how long it takes to defrost/cook a turkey! i hate turkey. good thing we don't have thanksgiving in Australia!
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