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OTHER HELPFUL ROASTING HINTS
1. Spray roasting rack and roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. This will make cleaning up easier.
2. Rinse with cold water and pat dry the turkey with paper towels.
3. An olive oil or butter rub helps seal in the juices and aids in browning the turkey.
3. It is best to use fresh herbs in the olive oil rub, since dried herbs may brown too quickly.
4. For added flavor, make an incision at the bottom of the breast to create a “pocket” between the skin and the breast.
Insert the olive oil or butter rub underneath the skin.
5. Chopped onions, carrots, celery, and whole herb sprigs may be inserted into the cavity of the bird. This helps retain mois-
ture while adding flavor to the turkey. These vegetables can be used to flavor homemade gravy after the turkey has
reached a safe internal temperature.
6. Never discard turkey drippings. It adds flavor to stuffing, makes a great stock for soups and stews, and makes the best
gravies and sauces to serve along with the turkey. If you must discard it, let it cool and scrape into the trash. Do not
throw it down the sink, as it may clog drains.
7. If there are not enough drippings in the bottom of the pan to make your favorite gravy, keep in mind that they are still
inside the turkey. You may need to compensate with additional stock or broth.
8. No basting is necessary when using the Pure Convection
™ Sear mode. If you are using a special sauce or marinade,
however, you may want to baste the turkey a couple of times during the cooking process. Do this during the last hour
of cooking.
9. It is better to prepare stuffing on the side, instead of stuffing the turkey. Stuffing adds insulation, making it harder for the
stuffing to reach a safe internal temperature of 165˚, while the turkey may register a much higher temperature, therefore
producing a drier product. It also lengthens the cooking process. Since minimum internal temperatures cannot always be
reached, we recommend cooking a separate casserole dish of stuffing.
10. It is acceptable to cover wings and legs that seem to be browning too quickly with foil. Keep in mind that Convection will
brown a turkey quickly, which will help it to remain moist.
11. If you are completely covering a turkey in a roasting pan or using an oven roasting bag, convection is not necessary.
Surround Roast is the best mode for this type of roasting, simply because the convection air is not able to reach the turkey.
12. Instead of doing one really large bird, try 2 medium-sized birds in one oven cell! In Dacor’s oven, you can place two 15
pound turkeys side-by-side on roasting racks. Think of it: four breasts, four legs- it’s enough for 30 people! Another reason
to try this is because the smaller the bird, the more tender it will be. And the time will remain the same for one bird- 8-11
minutes per pound! Your two birds at 15 pounds each will cook in about 2 hours!
13. Time Delay Cooking- We do not recommend using the time delay function on your oven to cook your turkey. It is hard to
keep protein foods out of the Temperature Danger Zone- from 40˚ – 140˚. In using time delay, you are allowing a raw
turkey to sit in the oven for an extended period of time, which allows bacteria to grow and a prospective foodborne
illness to occur.
14. Most Important Tip of All: Be sure to clean and sanitize every utensil used in preparation of the turkey. This includes
cutting boards, knives, kitchen sinks, and, most importantly, your hands.
Holiday Turkey Tips
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Holiday Roasting Tips
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO SAFELY DEFROST A TURKEY
1. Under Refrigeration. This requires adequate refrigerator space and advanced planning and is the preferred method for
defrosting a turkey. The turkey should be placed on the
lowest possible shelf
to prevent any juices from spilling into other
foods. A high- rimmed pan ( 2-3") is required to catch any juices. Defrost times will depend on the size of the bird. On
average, it will take a day or two for the bird to be completely defrosted. Plan on defrosting and cooking within a two day
time period.
2. Using a Large Sink and Running Water. The turkey may be defrosted by placing it in a sink full of cold running water or in
a sink of water that will be changed every half hour. Ample room is needed for loose particles and overflow. Special care
must be taken in cleaning and sanitizing every tool used in preparation of the turkey. Hot water and a bleach-based
cleanser should be used to sanitize the sink and utensils before starting and after turkey is removed.
3. Using Pure Convection
™
. You may use Pure Convection
™
at 150˚ to defrost a partially frozen turkey for same-day cooking.
Place turkey on an oven cooking rack. It will take approximately 8-11 minutes per pound to defrost the turkey. This is not
recommended with frozen solid turkeys as it will remain in the Temperature Danger Zone for too long.
ROASTING UNSTUFFED TURKEYS
1. Place turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Use a roasting pan that allows for at least
3
⁄4 of the turkey to be
exposed above the sides of the pan. This allows the convection air to flow freely around the bird, giving it a nice, brown
sear. It also helps to lock in the juices inside of the turkey, creating a moist, tasteful product.
2. The best rack position for the turkey is either rack position 1 or 2. If roasting only one turkey, place the turkey with the
rack facing side to side. If roasting 2 turkeys in one oven cell, two 10 x 13” pans with racks will fit front to back in a 30" or
36" wall oven.
3. The time it will take to cook will be approximately 10-12 minutes per pound for an unstuffed bird. Begin checking the
internal temperatures with an instant-read thermometer about 20 minutes before the expected time of completion.
Internal temperatures should read 170˚ in the breast, 180˚ in the thigh.
ROASTING STUFFED TURKEYS
1. Follow the same roasting instructions as above.
2. Always take internal temperatures with an instant-read thermometer of both the turkey and the stuffing to ensure
safe serving.
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