Cooking Class with Chef Ivan Flowers Lesson 19 - Talking Turkey

Last time you learned how to make super juicy chicken breasts. This week we are going to focus on another bird that many times suffers from a dry breast, yes, you guessed it, turkey. But not just any turkey, THE turkey! That’s right, in the next few weeks; this Cooking Class is going to tackle Thanksgiving dinner dishes, starting today with the turkey.

Before I get into the cooking method, let’s talk turkey. I prefer a free range turkey that has not been frozen. If you must by a frozen bird, look for one that has not been injected with “flavor enhancers,” this just means that the bird is full of salt and preservatives. Additionally, if you buy a frozen bird, it must be COMPLETELY thawed before you start prepping it, so that means a twenty pound bird will need to thaw in your fridge for at least three days. If it is still frozen when you are ready to prepare it, put it into the sink (still wrapped) and cover it with cold water. Drain the water every 30 minutes and refill the sink. Repeat this process until the bird is thawed. Finally, before you start prepping the bird, make sure you remove the giblet packet and neck!

Okay, let’s start cooking.

The first step in having a succulent turkey is brining the bird. Brining is similar to marinating (like the buttermilk for the chicken breasts last week) in that it imparts flavor to the meat. It also makes it very juicy because the salt in the brine causes the bird to absorb water into the meat, and the sugar in the brine tenderizes it. You will want to brine your turkey for at least twelve hours and up to 24 hours.

Here is what you will need: a large container with a cover that can hold eight gallons of water, two cups of Kosher salt, 2 cups of sugar, 2 cups peeled garlic cloves, ½ cup black peppercorns, 4 bay leaves, ½ cup sprigs of thyme and four rosemary sprigs. In a large sauce pan combine all the ingredients with four gallons of water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until all the sugar and salt is completely dissolved. This needs to cool completely before you brine your turkey, so I suggest you do this step a day in advance and simply hold this liquid in your fridge.
Once mixture is cooled, pour into the large eight gallon container and add in four more gallons of water. Stir the brine to make sure the salt, etc. is distributed through all the liquid. Now, add your unwrapped turkey. The turkey must be fully submerged in the liquid, so if need be, add more water to cover it. Cover the container and refrigerate at least twelve hours. Best to brine the turkey the night before Thanksgiving, that way when you get up, the turkey has been brined and is ready to be cooked. When you remove the turkey from the brine, rinse with water and pat it dry, inside and out. If the skin is wet, it won’t brown.
We are ready to roast the turkey.

You will need: one pound unsalted butter (room temperature), zest and juice of two lemons, two tablespoons granulated garlic, two tablespoons finely chopped thyme, two tablespoons finely chopped rosemary, one teaspoon kosher salt and one teaspoon black pepper. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. I like to put this mixture under the skin as well as on the skin of the bird. I find that this method is another way to ensure that the meat is very flavorful. You will use half of the mixture under the skin and the other half on the skin. To put it under the skin, loosen the skin by the neck and carefully distribute the flavored butter onto the breast and thighs. We go in at the neck because the skin on the breast tears too easily.

Now take the rest of the butter and evenly coat the entire bird. Now, lightly salt the inside and outside of the bird. I don’t stuff a turkey because the cold stuffing acts like an ice cube in the roasting bird. By the time the stuffing is at a safe temperature, your turkey is overcooked. I do like to put aromatics in the cavity, but please don’t over fill it! You should only fill half of the cavity with aromatics, this way the bird cooks evenly. For the cavity, cut in half one lemon, one lime and one orange. Also, two thyme sprigs, two rosemary sprigs, four peeled garlic cloves and ½ an onion. Remember, you don’t need to use all of this, when the cavity is halfway full, stop.

Instead of a rack, I like to build a mirepoix bridge in the roasting pan. Why do I do this? The vegetables not only act as a rack, but they also will give you incredibly flavorful gravy. For roasting you will need: a large roasting pan, four jumbo carrots split in half, six large celery stalks, two diced onions and three cups low sodium chicken broth. To make the “rack,” lay the split carrots lengthwise across the bottom of the pan. Next, put the celery stalks across the carrots, creating a tic-tac-toe pattern. Lastly, sprinkle in the diced onion. Before you put the bird in, use some butcher’s twine to tie the ends of the drumsticks together, this will help make sure the bird cooks evenly. Now, if there is a pop-up temperature gage, remove it. They don’t work. We will use a meat thermometer to check if the bird is done. Place the turkey in the pan, breast up. Once it is on the oven rack, add the chicken broth to the pan. The broth adds moisture to the bird and also will give you that extra liquid for lots of gravy.

Cooking the turkey.

You should plan for about 15 minutes per pound and remove the turkey at 150 degrees. Place the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, not touching any bone, to check the temperature. I like to start a turkey at a high temperature and then turn down the oven to finish cooking it. I’ve found that this method results in a super crisp, beautifully browned skin. So, preheat your oven to 250 degrees and cook the bird for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down and finish cooking at 325 degrees. If the breast looks like it is getting too brown, you can always cover it with some foil.

Okay, now for the big basting debate.

I don’t baste. Every time you open the oven to baste the turkey, you let heat out, which just prolongs the cooking time. Additionally, we brined the bird to get moisture in the meat, basting simply adds moisture to the skin. That being said, I do like to glaze the turkey. Use one of my glazes from a previous Cooking Class and brush all over the bird during last twenty minutes of cooking. This will add even more flavor and make the skin wonderfully crisp. Once the turkey is at 150 degrees, remove from oven and tent with foil. It must rest at least 30 minutes before you serve it, this lets all the juices redistribute into the meat and will raise the internal temperature to 165.

I know this was a very detailed class, but I want you to have the most delicious Thanksgiving turkey ever. As with any technique or recipe, the most important component is the cook’s heart. The heart is what creates delicious.

Chef Ivan Flowers brings 25 years of fine cuisine experience to Top of The Market, San Diego. Prior to becoming Executive Chef at Top of The Market, Chef Flowers owned Fournos restaurant in Sedona, Arizona, named a top 25 restaurant in Arizona. He was also Executive Chef at L’Auberge de Sedona, the AAA Four-Diamond, Four Star award winning restaurant. Flowers has created extraordinary cuisine for some of the finest restaurants in Arizona, including T. Cooks at Scottsdale's Royal Palms Resort and the Phoenician's Mary Elaine's and Different Pointe of View.