How to Cook The Perfect Turkey on Can’t Cook Burn Water

18.12.09 How to Cook The Perfect Turkey

If like most of us you’re buying a frozen turkey, be sure to allow lots of time for your bird to defrost. This is a classic mistake and one that’s responsible for many a delayed Christmas dinner. Your turkey must be fully defrosted before you start cooking it and the time it takes to cook will depend on its size.

The best way to defrost your turkey safely is to remove all packaging, cover loosely with foil and place it on a tray in the bottom of the fridge. This is best done the night before.
When the turkey is defrosted, remove any giblets and make sure there is no sign of the bird still being frozen in the cavity. Pat dry, inside and out.

Stuffing

It’s a shame these days but most people buy ready-made stuffing, but I’m here to let you know you shouldn’t be afraid to make your own. It’s easy and will be much better. And of course you can spice it up anyway you like. For a classic sage-and-onion stuffing, get some good-quality Cumberland sausages and remove the skins.

Meanwhile, fry a couple of onions with some chopped Bramley apple in about 25g of butter until soft. Once it has cooled down, mix with the sausage meat, a handful of breadcrumbs and some chopped sage. For those of you, who’d rather not use the Cumberland sausages in your stuffing; add 2 beaten eggs to the mixture to bulk up the consistency instead.

When it comes to stuffing the bird at the leg end, I like to place an onion (or two, depending on the size of the bird), a few crushed cloves of garlic, a lemon cut in half and loads of ‘hard’ herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, sage) wrapped in a bundle. Don’t be shy - pack it all in.

The more flavour the better…… mmmmmmmmmmmmmm J

Cooking

Preheat your oven to 180C/gas mark 4. When your bird is stuffed and ready to be roasted, weigh it and calculate the cooking time. You should be looking at about 20 minutes per 500g/1lb 2oz.

What you’re trying to achieve is maximum flavour while keeping the bird moist. I like to make an herb butter (with finely chopped rosemary, thyme and flat-leaf parsley) and carefully smear it under the skin using my fingers.

Some may prefer to put stuffing between the skin and the breast meat.
Next, place your turkey in a large roasting tin or on a roasting tray; rub it with olive oil and season. Very roughly chop some carrots, celery, leeks and onion and scatter around the bird - this will add flavour to your gravy later.

Cover with foil and place in your preheated oven and cook for the calculated time.
Remove the foil for the last 45 minutes or so to get a nice golden-brown colour.
To check your turkey is cooked properly, pierce the thigh with a skewer and make sure the juices run clear - you don’t see any pink.

Serving

As with any meat, allow the turkey to rest after removing it from the oven - at least 15 minutes before carving. Always use a really sharp carving knife, and make sure the turkey doesn’t slide about by holding it in place with a meat fork and carve it on a stable cutting surface.

Insert the fork in the top of the breast and with your carving knife make a deep horizontal cut just above the wing. Then, starting halfway up the breast, carve down to meet the horizontal cut, trying to keep the slices thin and uniform. Serve with a spoonful of stuffing, cranberry sauce and all the trimmings. As Promised you can see our Can’t Cook Burn Water Blog for all the added extras to add to your meals.

How To Tell If Your Turkey Is Cooked

Try to test all three ways to make sure your bird is totally cooked:

Lift the turkey out of the tray and pour the juices on to a white plate. If there is any hint of red, put it back into the oven for a little while longer. If the juices are clear, you’re laughing.

Stick a metal skewer between the leg and breast. Leave for a few seconds, and then press it against your lip. If it’s really hot, the bird is cooked.

Try pinching the leg meat off the bone with tongs or your fingers. If it comes apart easily, your turkey is done

Winter Warming Veggie Risotto on Can’t Cook Burn Water

11.12.09 Char’s Winter Warming Veggie Risotto (V)

Risotto isn’t difficult to make, but it does require a lot of standing at the stove, stirring away. The end result, however, is delicious and a wonderful comfort food.

Serves: 4-6 servings
Cooking Time: 1hour

Utensils:

Spoon

Medium saucepan with lid

Cookie sheet

Pastry brush

2 bowls

Fine-mesh strainer

Measuring cup

Heavy-bottomed saucepan

Wooden spoon

Ingredients

2½ pounds Winter squash (one medium butternut Squash or 2-3)

3 Tbsp butter (1 Tbsp melted)

Salt

Vegetable stock

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1½ cup Arborio rice

¾ cup dry white wine

¾ cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp fresh sage

Minced nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 450

Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and strings, and put them in saucepan

Brush the squash flesh with butter, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and place on the cookie sheet, flesh side up. Bake for about 45 minutes, until tender

Set aside to cool, then spoon the flesh into bowl, discard skins, and mash squash until smooth

Meanwhile, add stock and ½ t salt to the seeds and strings and heat over high heat until it boils

Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Set strainer over bowl and pour the liquid through. Use spoon to squish the strings and get all the liquid out

Measure the liquid back into the saucepan and add water until the total liquid equals 5 cups. Heat to a simmer, cover, and turn off heat

In the heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp butter with olive oil until butter melts and is no longer foamy

Add onion and sauté until soft, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute

Stirring constantly: Mix in rice and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and cook about 2 minutes, until absorbed. Add 1 cup of broth and cook until absorbed, then add another cup, and repeat until rice is soft and creamy with just a bit of hardness right at the centre. Add more hot water if needed to get the texture just right

Remove from heat and stir in mashed squash, Parmesan, sage, and the last butter. Mix until butter is melted, then add nutmeg and additional salt, if desired. Serve immediately, with Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

This should take about 25 minute’s total

You may also add prawns or Salmon for that extra oomph!!!!!!!!!

Quick Christmas Pudding on Can’t Cook Burn Water

4.12.09 Super Quick Christmas Pudding

Ingredients

300g good-quality mincemeat

140g fine shred orange marmalade

200g molasses cane sugar

4 tbsp treacle

3 eggs , beaten

4 tbsp whisky

100g butter , frozen and coarsely grated

200g self-Raising flour

Method

Butter and line the base of a 1.5-litre pudding basin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl, stir the ingredients together, adding them one at a time in the order they are listed, until everything is completely mixed.

Tip the pudding mix into the basin and cover with a circle of greaseproof paper. Place the pudding on a plate and microwave on Medium for 20-25 minutes until cooked and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out and serve with brandy butter and cream.

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