Your holiday bird: A guide for making the perfect turkey
Your holiday bird: A guide for making the perfect turkey
The Denver Post
By Tucker Shaw
Jon roasts 200 turkeys a year. That’s about 199 more than the rest of us.
So when Emanuel — the executive chef at Project Angel Heart, a nonprofit organization that delivers meals to homebound folks across the Front Range — lays out his system for a moist, picture-perfect Norman Rockwell-style Thanksgiving roast turkey, it pays to pay attention.
“I use what I call the BATTT method,” Emanuel says. “Brine. Air dry. Truss. Turn. Temperature.” He swears that this progression, from seasoning to serving, results in an impeccable turkey every time.
A survey of each expert’s playbook reveals some similarities and some differences. But each was emphatic, confident and clear about his own unique method.
One rule all three experts agree on: Start with a natural turkey, preferably organic and never one that’s been pumped with saline. Check the label if you’re uncertain. (Best bet: Call a local independent butcher and order ahead of time instead of shopping the grocery store bins. You’ll pay a little more, but your turkey will be much, much better. And, being the star of the Thanksgiving show, it’s worth it.)