Ogochukwu Ugwu

· 17 Dec 2021

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How to cook Turkey

It's hard to imagine a Christmas meal without turkey. Right?
All year round turkey is consumed everywhere but there is rise on its demand during festive period like Christmas.

Important facts to know about turkey

1. Pasture raised turkey tend to be more nutritious than factory raised turkey; pasture raised turkey contains more Omega 3 fats than the other type of turkey.

2. Dark turkey meat are loaded with much more vitamins and minerals than the white turkey meat.

3. Turkey skin just like chicken's skin contains lots of fats, simply remove the skin for a healthier you.

4. The internal temperature of a well cooked turkey should be up to 165° Fahrenheit.

Nutritional value of turkey
According to USDA, every 85g or 3 ounces of dark roasted turkey meat contains

173 calories
5.13g of fats
23.55g of protein
In addition, it contains vitamin B6, B12, niacin,  selenium, zinc and Amino acid - tryptophan.

Risk associated with the consumption of turkey

1. Roasted and processed turkey are often prepared with spices ladened with sodium nitrite. This compound combines with amines in the meat (from protein) to form N-nitroso compound, a potent carcinogen.

Therefore, overconsumption may be linked to some diseases like cancer.

2. Processed turkey is high in sodium and as such may sour the blood pressure.

3. Increased consumption of turkey may lead to high level of bad cholesterol in the body due to high amount of fat on the skin.

My advice:
Instead of buying processed turkey, why not cook it yourself. And prepare it with herbs and natural spices.

Recipe for cooking turkey

1 turkey
Coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 lemon, zested or quartered
1 bunch of fresh thyme or rosemary
1 bunch fresh sage
12 garlic cloves, mashed
1 bottle hard apple cider
Dry white wine (as desired)
Onions peeled, quartered
3 Bay leaves
Olive oil and melted butter as needed
Procedures for cooking turkey
1. Remove the giblets.
2. Mix the salt, pepper and lemon zest, rub these mixture thoroughly on the turkey. Transfer it to a large resealable bag. Gently tuck  the garlic and other herbs inside the bag and seal it.

3. Place it on a baking sheet and refrigerate between one to three days, with regular turning. Open the bag and bring out the turkey carcass.

4. Pat dry the turkey with paper towel, place the turkey on a baking sheet and refrigerate again between 4 to 12 hour in order to dry the skin and make it crispy.

5. To cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it for 1 hour get to room temperature before cooking it.

6. Preheat the oven to 450°, add cider and white wine into a roasting pan to cover about 1/4 inch of the pan. Add onions, bay leaves, and remaining garlic cloves.

Rub the oil or melted butter on the chicken. Fill all the remaining spices and herbs inside the turkey cavity.

7. The turkey should be placed on the rack with it's breast facing up in the roasting pan.

Cover the breast with aluminum foil. Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting for about 1½ to 2 hours.

To confirm that the turkey is well cooked, insert a thermometer inside the thickest part of the thigh. If the temperature reaches 165 degrees. Then you know it is well cooked.

8. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and allow for 30 minutes to cool before carving it.

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