Let’s talk turkey

Turkeys. I’ve fried them, baked them in a bag, barbecued them and

wrapped them in foil. I’ve undercooked them, overcooked them and

everything in between.

I’m always up for a better way to get to the finish line. But I

still think the oven-baked, occasionally-basted turkey is best. No

red dots that may or may not pop up. Just a meat thermometer and a

little TLC (Turkey Lovin’ Care).

Personally, I think that the best thing about a turkey is the fact

that it holds stuffing. Give me cornbread stuffing any day of the

week and I’m happy.

My brother, who is a professor at Vanderbilt University, lives in

Nashville and has created the best cornbread stuffing I’ve ever had.

There’s something great about southern cooking -- you just can’t beat

it. And if he makes it, I don’t have to. Score.

My kids only care about the mashed potatoes, which have nothing to

do with the turkey except that they like their volcanoes covered in

turkey gravy.

And you’ve got to cook the turkey to get those good drippings. So

in the end, I guess it really is all about the turkey.

So let’s talk ... turkey. First, you need a bird. Whether you snag

a free frozen fowl from the grocery store or order a fresh

range-roving organic hen or tom from your specialty meat store, get

the right size bird. Anticipate a pound of turkey per guest. I know,

you’re not really going to eat a pound, it’s just a formula to help

you choose a size.

If your bird is frozen, allow enough time to defrost the star of

the show. I’ve cooked a partially frozen turkey ... it’s not pretty.

Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator with the wrapping intact. Allow

24 hours for every five pounds of bird.

If you get a late start, place the turkey in a sink filled with

cold water. Allow 30 minutes per pound and change the water every 30

minutes.

Before you stuff the bird, remove the packet of giblets out of the

cavity. My mom loves to boil the giblets for gravy. All I can say is

“yuck.” I wrap the giblets in foil and cook them for the cat and dog.

The animals are grateful; I haven’t wasted some of the turkey’s

better parts and I don’t have to eat them.

Plan for 3/4 cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey. Loosely

spoon the dressing into the turkey and fasten the opening with a

small skewer -- you don’t want to lose any of the fabulous fattening

ambrosia.

Place the bird in a shallow roasting pan. Now, if you want to get

fancy, pull the skin away from the turkey breast and place fresh sage

leaves and rosemary under the skin. Get a little artistic and impress

the family. The herbs look like little silhouettes under the crispy

golden skin.

I like to rub the outside of the turkey with garlic, then butter

and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I throw a few cloves of garlic in

the pan, along with extra herbs and a sliced lemon. Remember, we’re

going to baste the turkey with the drippings and then make gravy,

it’s worth this little extra effort.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, place a meat thermometer into the

center of one of the thighs, cover with foil and start the ritual.

Roasting time will be approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound.

About an hour before the turkey is done, remove the foil so the skin

can brown.

Now it gets a little tricky. The turkey is done when the drumstick

moves easily in the socket; when the juices flow clear; and when the

meat thermometer reads 180 degrees. The jiggling is a judgment call.

The thermometer is a sure thing.

If you want to double check the system, place the meat thermometer

into the stuffing and make sure that it reads 170 degrees. At that

point, you can take the turkey out of the oven and start the mashed

potatoes.

Put the turkey on a serving platter and let it “rest” for 20

minutes. Now you can make the gravy and continue mashing, and mashing

and mashing....

So what am I doing for Thanksgiving this year? Not cooking. This

year we’re dining out. But have a good time with your bird, I’ll be

thinking of you.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Sundays.

CRAIG’S CORNBREAD STUFFING

Makes 12 cups stuffing 8 cups fresh cornbread, crumbled

1 cup butter

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery

12 cloves roasted garlic, chopped

1 cup candied pecan pieces

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leafed parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Saute the onion, celery and garlic in butter. Add pecans, dried

fruit and herbs. Remove from heat and toss with cornbread, broth,

salt and pepper. Stuff turkey. Bake remaining stuffing at 325 degrees

in a buttered dish for one hour.