Home › The Principles of Cookery › Turkey, Roast

Turkey, Roast

There are several methods of preparing a turkey for roasting. The bird may be simply trussed like a fowl, and roasted without being stuffed at all, and will be found excellent, the pure flavour of the bird being then presented unmixed with any taste that does not belong to it. When dressed in this way it should be served on a dish garnished with water-cress, and no other sauce than its own gravy should accompany it. The usual way of serving roast turkey, however, is to stuff it either with veal forcemeat, chestnuts, or sausage-meat, and to send it to table accompanied by a string of sausages, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, or chestnut sauce, and brown gravy. Forcemeat flavoured with oysters or mushrooms, and the accompanying sauces are more suitable for boiled than roast turkey. Pluck, draw, singe, and truss the turkey. Tie a buttered paper over the breast, and hang the bird before a clear fire. Baste frequently whilst it is being roasted. Unless this point is attended to the meat will be dry and tasteless. A quarter of an hour before the bird is taken down, remove the paper, dredge a little flour over the breast, and baste it well with cold butter. This will make the froth stronger than if hot dripping is used. Let it brown brightly. Garnish with lemon and sausages, or forcemeat balls. Serve very hot. Time for a small turkey, an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half; for a moderate-sized turkey weighing ten pounds, about two hours; twelve to fourteen pounds, about two hours and a half. Probable cost, moderate-sized turkey, 8s. to 14s., excepting at Christmas.