The Pampered Turkey

Deluxe treatment will produce a superior bird; Pamper Your Turkey Before You Cook It

BY KATHY STEPHENSON
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

A relaxing day at the spa: soaking in a nice mineral bath, enjoying a soothing massage, or sitting in the sauna wrapped in a big soft towel.
Everyone looks and feels better when they have been pampered -- including the Thanksgiving turkey.

The dry, tough and tired bird that often shows up at the holiday dinner can have a new, moister personality with a few "turkey treatments," according to experts.

Start With a Salty Soak: Every turkey deserves a good soak in the tub, says Salt Lake City cooking instructor Diane Sheya.

Four years ago, Sheya, co-owner of Ivy House Herbs, began brining her holiday bird overnight in a water and salt solution, making it plump, moist and well-seasoned. She has done it every year since. She even brines throughout the rest of the year with other meats such as chicken and pork.
"There is such a difference in the juiciness of the meat," she says. "Why go back and do it any other way?"

The brine is usually a solution of liquid, typically water but sometimes fruit juice, salt or other spices. The bird is submerged in the solution for several hours or overnight.

Thanks to the law of diffusion, the salt naturally flows from the area of greatest concentration (the brine) to the place with less (the bird). Water moves in a similar fashion, called osmosis.

"The brining idea is a good one, as the bird soaks up moisture and seasoning," says Rick Rodgers in his book, Thanksgiving 101 (Broadway Books, $15).

"But," he warns, "the logistics can be daunting."

The method only works with fresh turkeys, said Rodgers. Self-basting, frozen and kosher turkeys have already been salted. Cooks also need a container big enough to hold the turkey in the brine solution. A 6-gallon stockpot will hold 15- to 18-pound turkey. A new, inexpensive plastic bucket that has been washed, also works as well.

Few people have room in the refrigerator to hold such a large pot, however, especially during the holidays. And finding a spot to keep the turkey at a temperature less than 40 degrees is required.

Sheya lines her large canning pot with two sturdy roasting bags and places the turkey, legs up, inside it. Then she pours her brine into the bag until the entire turkey is submerged and she can tie the bag securely. She places the whole pot in an ice-filled cooler outside on her back porch.
Keeping the turkey in the cooler frees her refrigerator for the rest of the Thanksgiving meal, Sheya says.

A Spicy Massage: After the bath, the turkey should be rinsed thoroughly to remove excess salt and dried with paper towels.

Then it's time for a massage, says Scott Blackerby, chef at Salt Lake City's Bambara restaurant.

Blackerby, who cooks at least one, but sometimes several turkeys a day for the restaurant, makes a spice rub that he gently massages into the turkey's skin. (See accompanying recipe.)

Blackerby is generous with the flavors, from paprika and onion powder to garlic and thyme.

"It will seep into the meat and make it flavorful," he says.

If a spicy rub seems more like a backyard barbecue than a traditional holiday dinner, massage the bird with a mixture of butter and herbs. Rubbing the meat (under the skin) with this mixture also will keep it flavorful and moist.

Sometimes Blackerby takes this indulgence stuff even further, injecting the meaty portions of the turkey, like the breast and the leg, with a marinade of juices and spices, pumping up the plumpness.

Sitting in the Sauna: After all the coddling, most birds are moved into a 325-degree oven. But not at Bambara. Turkeys here get a "sauna" treatment of sorts, thanks to a cast-iron roasting pot made by a company in Logan.

The Ultimate Roaster, made by Camp Chef (www.camp chef.com), is a hefty, deep lidded pot that can hold up to a 20-pound bird. It has a center cone that the turkey sits on while cooking, creating a sort of mini-convection oven. The design, much like a crock-pot, helps the bird stay moist and retain vitamins and nutrients, says Ed Quinlan, a company spokesman.

The pot costs about $70, about the same as a good quality roasting pan and rack, and is sold at most outdoor and sporting goods stores. It works on the burner of a stove, in the oven or over charcoal. A special burner to use outdoors is available for another $60.

Perhaps the best part about using the pot, is that a 16- to 18-pound turkey cooks in about 90 minutes. Quinlan said the roaster has been available

for about a year, and was designed as an alternative for those who wanted to cook a turkey quickly, but without the hassle and safety concerns posed by turkey fryers.

More Coddling to Come: No matter which way the turkey is cooked, however, there are two more ways to coddle the bird. While it is cooking, cover the breast tightly with aluminum foil or cheesecloth soaked in butter (and wine, if desired). The foil or cloth should be removed the last hour of roasting so the skin browns properly.

Be careful with the cheesecloth, says Rodgers: "Mine always seems to stick to the skin."

And finally, once the deepest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees (the breast should be 170 degrees) on a meat thermometer, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest one more time for 20 to 30 minutes. This makes the meat juicer and carving easier.

Then after dinner, dishes and a good night's sleep, it will be the cook's turn to head for the spa.

kathys@sltrib.com