Turkey for Choice

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 141, 18 December 1928, Page 31

Turkey for Choice

If we all had freedom of choice, thero | are few households in which the choice of the bird to be served for Christmas dinner would.not be turkey. There are, j jof course, many people with delicate | digestions, there are many families with small children, and for these chicken,or a young capon will almost certainly be served. But, in so hot a;, summer as ours, most poorjle -find-both duck and goose much-too. rich,, while turkey, possessing most of the advantages of fowl, is moro imposing to look at, offers much better '' cuts'' for a big group of people, and is capable of being reheated in very many appetising forms. What prevents most people from enjoying it is its price. But allowing for tho large proportion of "meat,'' arid for the fact that none of it need-be wastod,-it"is;ndt: so extravagant a choice as,some people I imagine. We will assume that the turkey has boon delivered ready for cooking—that it has been plucked and drawn, and tho head aud feet removed, writes "Vesta" in the "Australasian." Cut off the I nock close to the back, leaving the skin long. Wipe the inside,with a clean I wot cloth. Cut the brcastbono through on each side close to the-back, and draw tho legs close up. Fold-a clean I cloth several times, and lay it on the breast. Beat this a little until the breast is slightly flattened. Pass a skewer through one wing at the joint under the back and through the joint of tho wing on the other side. Pass a second skewer .through the underneath, part of the drumstick close to thr shank, their -through: the; back-and .-'through the' underneath ...part of-the drumstick -on tho other side. A third skewer should be'put through the small part of the legs and through the body. Tho liver and gizzard, if used, should be placed between the pinions of the wings, and the points of the wings are turned on tho back. A strong white cord may now be passed across the back, the ends carried round-the .ends of the wing skewer crossed on the back of the bird, passed round the ends of the drumstick skewer, crossed over the "pope's nose," passed round tho ends of the shanks,, and tied securely. Take about one pound of stuffing, and put it under the'skin .at. the neck. Tie the skin under, but not too tightly, or it will burst in roasting. Melt about a breakfastcupful of clean dripping in the meat dish, lay the turkey in the dish, breast upwards, place a sheet of buttered white paper, or several rashers of fat bacon on top,, and place in the oven, which should be hot, but not hot enough to. burn tho bacon on the breast. _ It should be hot enough to turn a piece of white paper moderately- brown in three minutes. Keep the temperature of the oven as even as possible all the time, and allow for cooking from two hours to threo and a half hours, according to tho sizo of the turkey. Baste frequently, and turn after an hour and a half. Wlien' cooked remove the string and skowers. Servo with thick brown gravy, bread sauce, and fried or grilled pork sausages. -Red currant or cranberry - jolly may also be served with tho turkey, if available.