Dragaera

Thanksgiving

Rick Castello rick at 404.978.org
Wed Nov 27 12:46:44 PST 2002

David Dyer-Bennet said:
>> Erik Dahl <eriktdahl at yahoo.com> writes:
>> The recipe goes on to talk about roasting it with aromatics (an apple,
>> an onion, and cinnamon) in the cavity instead of stuffing, since the
>> stuffing can dry out the bird and doesn't contribute as much to the
>> flavor. Basting is also discouraged, since opening the oven a lot
>> lengthens the cooking time and all the flavor should already be inside
>> the skin. You can find the recipe at
>> http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255,8865,00.html.
>
> Ooh.  Lost me on the stuffing bit.  The purpose of the turkey is
> largely to provide flavor to the stuffing, which is the centerpiece of
> the meal.  It's mere coincidence that I actually like the turkey.

     You don't have to skip the stuffing, just cook it separately
     outside the bird.  Spoon turkey drippings and gravy over it.

     You still get the excellent taste of turkey with the stuffing,
     without forcing either a longer cooking time for the bird,
     causing it to dry out, or keeping the turkey juicy, but with
     inside bits undercooked because the stuffing kept the core temp
     too low.

     Dry turkey is almost as bad as the stomach bug you'll get from
     undercooked turkey.

     -Rick