The quest for the perfect turkey with juicy meat and crispy skin seems eternal. You probably have already tried several methods. When a recipe comes up wanting, you can use the cheesecloth technique (Julia Child was fond of this).
Cheesecloth Turkey Technique
The quest for the perfect turkey with juicy meat and crispy skin seems eternal. You probably have already tried several methods. When a recipe comes up wanting, you can use the cheesecloth technique (Julia Child was fond of this).
Ingredients
Step one: Turkey Preparation
- Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets
- Pat it dry
- Season it all over with salt (pepper, and some poultry seasoning)
- Gently loosen the turkey skin and put plentiful compound underneath
- Stuff the cavity with an orange (onion, lemon, and garlic.)
Step 2: Preparing the Cheesecloth
- Use a large piece of cheesecloth
- Dunk it in melted butter (don’t think about the calories!)
- Make sure it’s saturated.
Step 3: Covering the Turkey
- Wring out excess butter from the cheesecloth
- Center the cheesecloth on the turkey so it covers the bird completely
- Tuck the ends of the cheesecloth under the turkey to secure it in place.
Step 4: Roasting the Turkey:
- Preheat your oven to 325F
- Put one cup of wine or beer in the bottom of the roasting pan
- Place the turkey on a rack in the pan.
- Roast the turkey.
- Baste the turkey every 30 minutes
Step 5: Remove the Cheesecloth
- Carefully remove the cheesecloth 30 minutes before the turkey finishes cooking (180F in the breast and 170F)
Step 6: Resting the Turkey
- While it may seem tempting to jump right in (resting the meat keeps the turkey moist. Wait 30 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, step back and appreciate the beauty of your golden, crispy bird.)