Christmas: these are the secrets to preparing the perfect turkey, according to the experts

The most important menu of the year is approaching. For many, the Christmas It represents the most laborious and challenging banquet of the entire calendar, and it is not for less. Rice, salads, purees, sauces, pork and -of course- turkey cannot be missing from the table. Christmas Eve dinner and lunch on December 25 represent a moment of union and celebration between family and friends. The common thread is, in many cases, food. How to ensure that the experience is complete?

Here are some tips for your Turkey, the star of the season, shine accordingly.

James Berckemeyer

Cosme

“It is essential to put it in brine for about 12 hours. For our turkey we follow a grandmother’s recipe, which has a “farce” (mixture of chopped and seasoned ingredients used to fill meat or poultry, among others) based on liver and mustard; It is stuffed with ground meat, pork, among others. We can add many things to the turkey, but it is essential that it has a previous brine ”.

Arlette Eulert

Matria

“You have to leave the turkey in brine for at least 12 hours. It can be flavored as you like. After the maceration, the preparation will depend on how we like it best at home. In the restaurant I serve it with a more Creole style, with aromas of ají panca and oregano. In my house I prepare it with pisco and cream, so that it is juicier ”.

Christian Bravo

Fire

“When it comes to turkeys we have many variables: the type and temperature of our oven; the size and weight of the bird; whether or not it has filler; and so many things that make it difficult to give an absolute rule to obtain the same result. The best thing we can do to make sure we get a juicy turkey is to have a thermometer handy. The internal temperature of the breast should reach at least 73 ° C. Thus, when we remove it, the turkey will continue to cook with its same internal juices and will rise about four or five degrees more (until it reaches 78 ° C, which is what ideal). If the turkey is browned before reaching this temperature, it must be covered with aluminum foil so that it continues to cook without burning the skin. What if it did not turn brown and we are close to the expected temperature? We can turn on the broiler (upper gilt of the oven) and, with great care, be attentive to obtain the desired browning. The thing is not so strict: nothing happens if we pass one or two degrees “

Carolina Uechi

Kilo

“The cold chain is key. The turkey always has to go through the refrigerator for at least 36 hours or until it is completely thawed (from the freezer it goes into the refrigerator and not outside). Then the maceration should last at least 6 hours. We can use clarified butter to smear the bird; that helps it withstand the heat longer and does not burn so quickly. Once it is ready, it is ideal to let it rest for about twenty minutes before cutting it; otherwise you will lose the juices. Finally, once it is cut, we can add a little Maras salt: this will enhance the flavors ”.

Alvaro Raffo

Charlotte

“Ideally, marinate the turkey overnight and then, shortly before putting it in the oven, smear it well with two packets of butter on all sides. We have to cover it well with plate and put it in the strong oven for twenty minutes. Then we lower the heat to medium low and we brush the turkey with the cooking juices every twenty minutes, until it is cooked ”.

Baked turkey, by Ignacio Barrios

To prepare a good Christmas turkey, you have to start the day early. Around 7 am would be ideal. Technically, this preparation must be started the day before: a 7 kg turkey is left soaking in a brine with salt and sugar overnight (50 grams of salt and 20 grams of sugar go for every liter of water) and in the refrigerator. The next morning the turkey is removed from the brine and left to rest for at least 3 hours. Make this the first thing you do when you wake up, so that the turkey goes into the oven at around 10 am Take advantage of the space to boil vegetables from other recipes, make coffee and leave the butter at room temperature for later use.

preparation:

• We preheat the oven to 200 °. We mix 150 g butter with 150 ml of olive oil; We smear the turkey with this evenly. We place it on a baking tray (if possible, on top of a rack, so that the juices are not in direct contact with the skin and it is crispy), breast side down. As soon as the turkey is in the oven, we lower the temperature to 180 ° and let it cook for 1 hour. We turn it over (now breast up) and let it cook again for another hour.
• At this point, the turkey will most likely have another 1 to 2 hours to go, so you have to start to be careful. There are many variables that influence the total time. It will depend on the oven, if the turkey was very cold when it came to cooking or the type of tray used, for example. “From this moment on you have to go over it. The best option is to use a meat thermometer, ”Barrios suggests.
• When we see that the skin is already golden and crisp, we cover it with platinum paper so that it does not burn. Then, we can measure the progress of the cooking with the thermometer. The ideal point for this recipe is when the internal temperature reads 68 ° (the thermometer should be placed in the thickest part of the breast). We can bathe the turkey every 20 or 30 minutes with its juices.
• In total, the complete cooking will take between 3 and 4 hours. Once ready, we must let it rest for at least 40 minutes before cutting it (in case you prefer to leave it chopped) or refrigerate it. If you want to show off the whole turkey on the table, you will need to give it a blast in the oven 1/2 hour before and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving it. Pour the juices that were left on the tray into a saucepan and reduce until the sauce is thick. Season with salt and pepper and reserve to serve alongside the turkey.