Microwave Turkey
For all you ladies who didn't get a chance to copy it down, or are just interested in one of the topics covered at our impromptu "oven class" at Goshen this year. . .
I've been cooking my holiday birds this way since 1973 when microwaves were only 600 watts. Today's ovens work at 1000-1200 watts, so my recipe has been adjusted for quicker cook times. It sounds complicated in recipe form, but it's easy and quick. It always comes out juicy and flavorful. Hey, if my 14 yr old daughter can do it, it can't be THAT hard!
Be sure your turkey is completely thawed at least 1 day in advance. Clean & brine your bird as desired. Note the weight, in pounds, of the bird. DO NOT STUFF THE BIRD AS IT CAN POSSIBLY INFECT YOU WITH SALMONELLA.
And now for the ingredients:
1 turkey (or whole breast)
1 oven large enough to handle the bird
1 roasting bag large enough . . .
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2-1 cup white wine
2 tlbs to 1/2 cup coriander, ground
1 large glass lasagna pan
The Prep:
Place the bird in the bag, add the remaining ingredients, attach the seal, poke a hole in the bag near the seal. The liquid works both as a marinade and the basis for a steam bath for your bird. The soy helps season and brown the bird. If you have a flavor injector, by all means use it but try not to poke holes in the skin. If necessary, inject from the cavity out.
Place the bagged bird in the lasagna pan breast side down (BSD). Place in the fridge overnight to marinate. On the morning you cook the bird, flip it breast side UP (BSU) to marinate the dark meat for the day.
Now for the math: (for 1000-1200 watt oven) at 70% power.
If your oven has more or less wattage, adjust your cooking power by 10% either way: 600-800 wts @ 80%, 1300-1500 wts @ 60%
Weight of Bird x 6 (min/lb)= your total cook time (TCT).
If your oven has a turntable: TCT divided by 2=cook period.
If you have no turntable: TCT divided by 4-cook period.
Cooking Directions:
Just before cooking, flip your bird BSD. Cooking with the dark meat up allows juices to run down into the white meat, making a more moist breast. If you have a turntable, cook for one cook period then flip bird to BSU and cook for another cook period. Let it set for 5-10 minutes before carving.
If you don't have a turntable, or yours is no longer functional--like mine--you will have to manipulate your bird a little more. Cook BSD *with the legs to the back, then rotate the bird with the legs to the front and cook again. Flip the bird BSU and repeat from *. Let the bird set 5-10 minutes before carving.
Just to let you know, you can also do geese and large roasting hens this way. For beef or pork roasts, increase cook times to 8 min/lb, change your wine accordingly, and add your favorite seasonings.
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