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While it can be nice to hang at home during the holidays and have family and friends partake in the merriment on your turf, delivering a perfectly moist turkey that’s full of flavour can be stressful. But it’s not impossible.
The turkey is the centerpiece to many holiday meals, so you want to make sure you have the proper tools for success.
From fresh spices to a good carving knife that perfectly slices up the final product, read on for 10 things you’ll want to invest in to cook the perfect turkey this Christmas.
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One of the keys to a perfectly moist turkey is brining. To brine yours, you’ll need a large stockpot that can fit the entire bird when emerged in salty water. (Be sure to clear space in the fridge beforehand to avoid messy spills.) You could also use a cooler with fresh ice, but when you use a giant stockpot you also have an excuse to make soup from the turkey carcass the next day.
If you like to use fresh herbs and aromatics, go for it. But there’s nothing wrong with using a premade rub, either. We love the collection over at Montreal-based A Spice Affair, where fourth-generation spice merchant Ayman Saifi offers jars of chemical-free deliciousness. This turkey rub features a freshly dried mix of Christmas-friendly flavours that will give your bird that added boost.
If you’re roasting your turkey in the oven, you’ll want a large pan that holds the bird and can also collect juice for gravy. Avoid extra dishes with a disposable pan and use rolled up aluminum as a makeshift rack. (Be sure to use a cookie tray underneath to give it extra stability.)
Or, roast turkey a little more directly and evenly with a roasting pan and a removable rack. That way you can easily remove the turkey to rest while you whip up gravy directly in that pan.
Trussing your turkey is a matter of choice (it looks prettier and can prevent wayward stuffing, but some experts say leaving it untrussed leads to a more even cook.) Most cooks agree, however, that basting your turkey is a good way to evenly disperse juices while roasting. Grab a baster that comes with extra attachments, like an injector needle and a silicone brush, so that you can spread that flavour as far as possible.
How long you cook a turkey for depends on several factors, like weight, whether it’s stuffed, and temperature. Plus, all ovens are unique and come with their own nuances and hot spots, which can matter when achieving that perfect roast. The best way to make sure your turkey is done without going over is to invest in a meat thermometer. We’ve used a digital ThermoPro for years on everything from turkey to roasts and love how you can set a temperature timer to know when your dish is ready to pull out.
If you’re feeding a crowd, you’ve probably got a big turkey. That means you’re going to need a large cutting board that can keep up. Look for a carving board that’s bigger than the bird itself. And if you want to avoid a mess, opt for one with grooved edging that will help to prevent juices from running onto the counter and floor.
There’s nothing worse than going to all the work of preparing and cooking an amazing turkey only to have to hack it up with a dull kitchen knife. When carving your turkey, most sharpened chef’s knives should do the trick. Or, you could invest in a carving knife and fork set, which will help you perform the job with ease.
You can’t have turkey without gravy — we’re pretty sure it’s some kind of law. Forget it, and some guests may pout. While many like making the gravy with the drippings, some stock, a few seasonings and either a quick roux or some corn starch, sometimes things don’t come together the way you’d like. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have a pouch of gravy mix on hand, just in case.
They say you eat with your eyes first, so find something pretty to lay those juicy turkey pieces down on. No matter what kind of table you’ve set, you can usually bank on a white dish to help make the meal pop. This rectangle porcelain platter is simple and rustic, but it can also work with a more contemporary setting.
Aside from good food and family dynamics, Thanksgiving is also known for one other important thing: leftovers. If you don’t want to keep them, encourage guests to bring their own containers ahead of time. Otherwise invest in a glass set, like Pyrex, for easy storage and reheating over the days to come. Because once you’ve spent all that time cooking a turkey, you deserve a few nights off from the kitchen!
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