Merritt Family Two Hour Turkey Recipes

MARTHA'S SECRET TURKEY BURGER

Steps:

• Drain 1 jar relish in a sieve; discard liquid. Pulse 2/3 cup drained relish with onion and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add relish mixture. Cook, stirring, until a thick paste forms, about 7 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Transfer to a bowl; let cool 5 minutes. Stir in turkey, Worcestershire, mustard, bread, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Form into 8 patties, each about 4 inches in diameter. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
• Preheat grill to medium. Brush both sides of burgers with oil, then brush grates. Grill 5 minutes. Flip; lightly brush tops with chili sauce and grill until a thermometer inserted into centers registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Combine chili sauce and mayonnaise. Drizzle kale with vinegar and remaining teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Brush cut sides of rolls with butter; grill until lightly toasted. Sandwich burgers in rolls with chili sauce mixture, remaining relish and kale.

2-HOUR TURKEY

Steps:

• 1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 475 degrees F (240-250 degrees C). This is what you'll roast it at for the ENTIRE time. Since this employs the use of a VERY hot oven, make sure your oven is CLEAN before you start, AND put about 1 inch of water in the bottom of the roasting pan to reduce the risk of smoking your family out of the house. NOTE: Even WITH a pristine oven, I still smoked out my house last Thanksgiving... so a tip to cut down on the smoke issue is to add about an inch of water (or broth) to the roaster pan...and keep replenishing it as needed. By doing this, not only was the smoking problem eliminated, but I had terrific drippings for gravy! Place oven rack on LOWEST or SECOND-TO-LOWEST position in oven. The lowest position may be too hot in some ovens since it's directly above the heating elements.
• 2. Remove all giblets, neck, pop-up thermometer (if there is one), and any trussing (like the plastic thing that holds the legs together). Rinse turkey THOROUGHLY, inside and out with cool water, letting all water drain out of neck and body cavities. Pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
• 3. Place on V or U-shaped wire rack in roasting pan, so that turkey doesn't rest on the bottom of the pan. The first time I made this I didn't have a rack, so I just slapped it in my grandmother's old-fashioned blue-enamel roaster pan and it turned out FINE. If you don't have a rack...take a long piece of aluminum foil and wad it up into a long rope, then coil it in the bottom of the pan and rest your turkey on that. NOTE: I STRONGLY RECOMMEND KEEPING 1-2 INCHES OF WATER IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR ROASTING PAN DURING COOKING. This will GREATLY reduce smoking (which can be brutal). The first year I made this, I didn't put water in the bottom of the pan...and I smoked out my house. The turkey was fabulous, but the house was SO smoky.
• 4. Rub the entire outside of dried-off turkey with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. I use Kosher salt because it has large, coarse grains.
• 5. Pull wing tips AWAY from the body, twist them and tuck them, backward, under the bird... up by its neck.
• 6. Using aluminum foil, form caps over the end of each drumstick. If any parts of the turkey extend beyond the pan rim, make a foil "collar" underneath to make sure drippings flow back into the pan. Do NOT tie legs together, do NOT add stuffing, do NOT close body cavity. It's probably okay to put a little seasoning in the cavity (herbs, lemon, onion) but don't fill up the cavity.
• 7. Pour 2 inches of water into the bottom of the pan.
• 8. Bake on the 2nd to lowest rack in the oven.
• 9. Halfway through cooking time, turn the roasting pan around 180 degrees to ensure even cooking. Do NOT flip the bird over.
• 10. It's done when the internal temp (in the thickest part of BOTH the THIGH and BREAST is 160 degrees. Make certain they are BOTH at temp. Sometimes the thighs take a bit longer. When done, remove from the oven. Approximate Cooking Timing: 10-13 lbs. = 50 minutes to 1 1/4 hrs. 13-16 lbs. = 1 1/4 hrs to 1 hour 50 minutes. 16-19 lbs. = 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs. 19-22 lbs. = 1 3/4 hrs to 2 1/4 hrs. 22-24 lbs. = 2 hrs to 2 1/2 hrs. 25+ lbs. = 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hrs...or a bit more depending on how humongous it is. Are you sure it's not an ostrich you're roasting? If not, call the Guinness Book of Records.
• 11. Cover completely with foil and let rest 30-45 minutes before carving. The internal temp will continue to rise to the recommended 165 degrees. After resting, transfer to a platter for carving. NOTE: There will likely be a lot of juices in the cavity. Drain them before transferring the bird to a platter. Save the juices to make gravy or moisten dressing.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
• Slice the turkey and serve.

TWO-HOUR TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Put the onion, garlic, and rosemary, if using, into the empty turkey cavity. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan, breast side up, and brush with the butter or oil. Place in the oven, uncovered, and roast, unattended, for 1 hour. Carefully remove the turkey from the oven (close the door of the oven), watching out for steam. Brush the turkey with butter or its juices. Return to the oven quickly and reduce the heat to 400°F.Roast another 30 minutes, checking the pan juices occasionally. Cover with foil if the breast is too brown. Cook another 30 minutes, adding stock if the pan juices evaporate.
• The turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted in its thigh registers 170°F and the juices run clear. Let rest 10 minutes (the temperature should rise 10 degrees in 10 minutes). Remove the turkey to a board or platter for carving. Carve. Discard the onions and garlic from inside the turkey. The turkey can be made a day ahead and refrigerated before reheating, carved, or it can be carved 10 minutes after resting.
• If you decide to roast and carve the turkey ahead of time or if you want to freeze a portion of the turkey for another occasion, place the carved turkey in a shallow baking dish, cover it with broth, then wrap with foil or place the dish in a plastic bag; refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. When you are ready to serve, defrost, if necessary, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. When you are ready to serve, defrost, if necessary, in the refrigerator, then bake in a 350°F. oven for 30 to 45 or until heated completely through (or heat in the microwave).
• While the turkey is resting, place the pan over medium-high heat. The skin, fat, and juices should be a beautiful dark bronze, not black. Remove all but 1/2 cup of the fat. Keep as much of the juices as possible. Whisk the flour into the fat and cook, stirring, until the flour turns light brown. Whisk in the rest of the broth, and boil until thick and flavorful, stirring occasionally. Strain if lumpy or any part is burned. Add water or canned broth or stock if a thinner gravy is desired. Add as much cream as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

SAFEWAY'S TWO HOUR TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove and discard truss that holds turkey legs together. Pull or trim off and discard any excess fat in neck or body cavity. Remove giblets and neck.
• Rinse turkey inside and out with warm water. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Place the adjustable V-shaped rack in a 13 x 16 x 3-inch roasting pan (set rack sides so the bird is a minimum of 2 inches from pan bottom).
• Rub turkey skin generously all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set bird breast-side-up on rack. Pull wings away from body, then firmly twist them to push the wing tips under the bird.
• Using aluminum foil, form caps over the tips of the end of each drumstick. If any parts of the turkey extend beyond pan rim, fashion a foil collar underneath to make sure drippings flow back into pan. Do not tie legs together, add stuffing, or close body cavity.
• Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer near the center of the breast through thickest part until the tip touches bone, which is most accurate spot to check doneness.
• Verify oven temperature and set pan on the lowest rack in a 475° oven. Roast according to time chart:.
• 10-13 lb. 50min to 1 1/4 hrs.
• 13-16 lb., 1 1/4 hrs to 1 hr 50 mins.
• 16-19 lb., 1 1/4 hrs to 2 hrs.
• 19-22 lb., 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs.
• 22-24 lb., 1 1/2 hrs to 2 1/2 hrs.
• Continue to check as directed during cooking, until thermometer reaches 160°. Halfway through roasting time, rotate pan in oven to assure even cooking and browning (Tip C). If areas on turkey breast start to get browner than you like, lay a piece of foil over the dark areas.
• Remove pan from oven, set in a warm spot, and loosely cover pan with foil to keep it warm. Rearrange oven racks to accommodate potatoes and dressing. Decrease oven temperature to 400º. Let turkey rest 30 to 60 minutes. The resting period will allow the internal temperature to reach 165°, the USDA safe cooking temperature for poultry.
• Drain juices from body cavity (often plentiful in unstuffed birds) into roasting pan. Transfer turkey to a platter or rimmed cutting board. Set aside juices for gravy.
• Cut off turkey legs at thigh joint . If joint is red or pink, return legs to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes (at 300° to 475°) or heat in a microwave oven for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Carve the rest of the turkey. Carving juices may be clear to pink or rosy; both are fine. Save juices to pour into gravy if desired.
• Time Saving Tip. If you have a frozen turkey, place it in the refrigerator to thaw 4-6 days before Thanksgiving. Take it out an hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
• Helpful Hints.If there is any smoke, check pan and wings for drips into oven; adjust foil under wings, or slide roasting pan onto a larger shallow rimmed pan. Wipe drips from oven bottom.

SLOW-ROASTED HERITAGE TURKEY WITH ORANGE AND SAGE

Steps:

• One day before roasting turkey, salt cavity. Prick oranges all over with the tines of a fork and stuff inside turkey cavity along with sage. Using a 3-foot-long piece of kitchen twine, loop in half over the neck and pull under the back, crossing twine. Pull twine between legs and breasts and flip bird over; tie drumsticks together tightly. Place turkey on a rimmed baking sheet, breast side up, and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
• Heat butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and bubbling. Skim foam from top and let butter continue to cook until the milk solids sink to the bottom and begin to brown and become fragrant, about 30 minutes. Set a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee liner over a metal container and strain butter into container. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Reheat browned butter before using.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Fit a roasting pan with a rack and transfer turkey to rack; season with salt and pepper. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Brush turkey with some of the browned butter and transfer to oven. Roast, rotating every hour and brushing with browned butter, for 2 hours.
• Using an instant-read thermometer, check temperature of turkey by inserting into the largest part of the thigh. Continue cooking turkey until it reaches 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. Remove turkey from oven and let stand 30 minutes; increase oven temperature to 475 degrees.
• Drain fat from roasting pan and clean rack. Place turkey on clean rack and return to oven. Cook, turning frequently, until skin is browned and crispy, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before carving. Serve.

SMOKED TURKEY

Steps:

• Pulse rosemary leaves, peppercorns, coriander, fennel, bay leaves, and orange zest in a spice grinder until finely ground, 30 to 45 seconds. Stir salt into mixture. Season turkey cavity with salt mixture, then rub it all over skin. Transfer turkey to a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack; refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
• Fill a ceramic grill about halfway with hardwood (lump) charcoal. Fill a chimney with charcoal and light it. When coals are uniformly gray, pour them over the unlit charcoal spread over bottom of grill, avoiding vents (for proper airflow). Add one unsoaked 3-by-3-inch applewood chunk (for bolder flavor, add another). Place indirect-cooking rack in grill. Place a 9-by-13-inch disposable pan filled halfway with water on top of it; top with direct-cooking grate. Close lid and adjust temperature, using vents (start with top and bottom vents each opened about a quarter of the way), bringing internal grill temperature to 300° to 325°; maintain that temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove turkey from refrigerator; rinse and pat dry. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, 1 hour. Stuff cavity with halved orange, onion, and rosemary sprigs. Tuck wing tips behind back and tie legs together with twine. Rub oil all over turkey; season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Place turkey on cooking grate and cook, covered, and maintaining grill temperature between 300° and 325°, until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 155°, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes (begin checking after about 1 1/2 hours; it may take up to 3 hours, depending on exact size of bird). Let stand 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will continue to rise, reaching a minimum of 165°).