Roast Turkey Cooking: A Caja China Holiday Recipe

Thinking about trying something different this Thanksgiving? Perhaps for Christmas or New Year's Eve? Well you've come to the right place. We're going to go step-by-step, and teach you how to roast the most delicious turkey you have ever had using a Caja China Roasting Box. Having prepared this turkey in our household, I can tell you it is a huge hit every time! Most everyone in our family call the box "La Caja Asadora" which translates from Spanish as "The Roasting Box." Another popular term for similar boxes, "la caja china" translates as "the Chinese box." While these pig roasters have many names, the rules for cooking tend to be the same whether you're in California, South Florida, or Louisiana (where they call it a Cajun Microwave.) Now, on to the reason you clicked on this article in the first place. I present to you, Caja China Style Roast Turkey!

Recipe:

1. Place the turkey on top of the rack, breast down if cooking whole, or skin down if cooking split. Attach top rack using the 4 S-Hooks.

2. Place turkey inside the Caja China roaster, skin or breast down, (attach probe from wired thermometer or insert meat thermometer here should you have one).

3. Cover your La Caja China style Roasting Box with the ash pan and charcoal grid.

4. Add 15 lbs. of charcoal and light up.

5. Once lit (20-25 minutes) spread the charcoal evenly over the charcoal grid of your Caja China box.

6. Cooking time starts now.

7. After one hour, open the box by removing the complete set of ash pan and grid together and place it on top of the long handles.

8. Now flip the turkey(s) over, skin or breast side up.

9. After one hour (2nd hour) add 10 lbs. of charcoal.

10. After one hour (3rd hour) add 10 lbs. of charcoal.

11. Do not add any more charcoal; continue cooking the turkey until you reach the desired temperature reading on the thermometer of 175 f. Should you not have a thermometer, check the turkey after approximately 30 minutes. Cook until desired tenderness.

12. Carve and enjoy with those you love most!

(Added that last one myself.)

For information and pricing on Caja China roasters and accessories visit http://www.shoplatintouch.com.

Have a wonderful holiday season, and happy roasting!

Secret Recipe Strategy on How to Keep a Turkey Breast Moist, Tender and Juicy During Thanksgiving

One of the many concerns that enter a Thanksgiving's day cook is how to cook a moist turkey. This can be a laborious task on it's own and one should be mentally prepared as well as physically prepared to tackle this feat; However, with a few quick and easy tips one can master this relatively simple task and produce a extraordinary turkey that is both moist and tender.

During the preparation of the turkey itself make sure to loosen the outer skin. One can do this by simply taking a clean pair of hands and slowly rubbing them between the turkey meat itself and the skin. Push inward gently to further separate as much skin from the meat paying attention not to tear or rip the skin - as we want to create a pocket to later fill with moisture. Do this on as many areas of the turkey as possible

Next, blend together a mixture of a half cup of olive oil, half a cup of breadcrumbs, and some fresh herbs such as Thyme, Rosemary, and/or Parsley. Blitz the mixture together until you have a creamy texture. For maximum results add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to the mixture and blend together.

Fill a pastry bag full of the blitzed mixture. If one does not have a pastry bag, this next task can easily be accomplished with clean hands and a long, thin, spoon - such as an iced tea stirring spoon. Carefully inject the pocket area of the turkey, between the skin and the meat with the blended mixture. Be extra cautious not to rip or tear the turkey skin when attempting to pipe the mixture all the way down to the lower crevices and various cavities of the turkey.

Once this is complete, stuff and prep the turkey in any desired manner. When all is complete do not forget to rub the outer areas of the turkey with olive oil and any excess of the blended mixture paying extra attention to the breast and thigh meat. It is important to baste the turkey often once it is in the oven and also cook the turkey on a low oven temperature for as long as needed. The time depends on the size and weight of your turkey.

If one has completed the steps outlined above, they will pleasantly be rewarded with an extraordinarily plump and juicy turkey that guests will rave about. This simple and easy-to-do, turkey trick will forever solve the common dilemma of how to keep a turkey moist.

Quick and Easy Turkey Stuffing Recipe Tips

Turkey Stuffing Recipe Tip #1) Should I stuff the turkey, or roast without the stuffing?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking the turkey stuffing outside of the turkey to make sure the bird gets cooked all the way through, however many consumers prefer the traditional method of stuffing the bird.

An un-stuffed bird requires less cooking time, leaving the breast meat more moist. You can still make the bird recipe flavorful by placing onions, apples and rosemary leaves in the cavity. The stuffing can be baked in a casserole dish in a 350º F. oven. The internal temperature of the stuffing must reach 165º F., which usually takes about 45 minutes. For any turkey stuffing recipe if you want a more moist and flavorful stuffing, moisten with some pan juices or chicken broth, and bake uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes.

Turkey Stuffing Recipe Tip #2) How do I stuff a turkey, if I choose to cook the stuffing in this manner?

Prepare the turkey stuffing recipe as directed, cool to room temperature, and loosely stuff the turkey. The turkey stuffing in this turkey stuffing recipe will need space to expand, and tightly packed stuffing may cook unevenly. For any turkey stuffing recipe you should use about 3/4 cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey. Roast the turkey immediately after stuffing. You must ensure that the center of the stuffing reaches 165º F or else harmful bacteria may be found in the stuffing. For any turkey stuffing recipe a food thermometer is recommended to check the inside of the stuffing to ensure that the temperature does reach 165ºF., even if the pop up timer on the turkey indicates that it is cooked. You may choose to let the turkey stand for about 20 minutes to let the juices set. If so, remove all of the stuffing from the turkey immediately after the standing time.

Don't forget to promptly remove all stuffing from the turkey and either serve or refrigerate the stuffing in a separate container.

Turkey Stuffing Recipe Tip #3) Can I stuff the turkey the day before?

For any turkey stuffing recipe make sure to never stuff a turkey ahead of time, only stuff right before you are ready to roast it. Stuffing ahead may enable harmful bacteria to grow in the turkey and stuffing.

Turkey Stuffing Recipe Tip #4) Can I prepare the stuffing ahead of time, and then re-heat it?

For any turkey stuffing recipe you can prepare the stuffing the day before, and refrigerate the stuffing in a covered casserole dish or mixing bowl until you are ready to use it.

Turkey Stuffing Recipe Tip #5) Is the preparation the same whether I stuff the bird or bake in a casserole dish?

Yes, the preparation of this turkey stuffing recipe is the same for either bake method. Water and butter are heated to a boil and the dry stuffing added and lightly mixed until stuffing is moistened.

Cooking Recipe - How to Bake Turkey Pies

Turkey Pies Ingredients:

Eight pound turkey meat, cut up
Water
Two large carrots, cut coarsely
Two large stalks celery (with leaves), cut coarsely
One small onion
Six clovers
Six large sprigs parsley
Twelve peppercorns
One bay leaf
Three table spoon salt
One fourth cup turkey fat, butter or vegetable oil
One pound mushrooms, sliced
Two cups turkey stock
Twelve medium carrots, sliced thin
One medium bunch celery, sliced
Thin on diagonal
Three table spoon salt
One half table spoon pepper
Two table spoon dried leaf thyme
One table spoon dried leaf marjoram
One table spoon dried leaf chervil
One cup chopped parsley
One lb cooked ham, cut in strips
(Canned ham is fine)
One cup butter or margarine
One cup chopped onion
One cup flour
Six cups liquid (vegetable cooking liquid plus turkey stock)
Two tablespoon salt
One fourth table spoon pepper
One fourth table spoon nutmeg
One table spoon lemon juice
Two cups light cream
Sage Pastry (recipe follows)
One egg yolk
One table spoon cold water

Procedure:

At the outset, you have to put the turkey in a large kettle and have it covered with cold water. Second, you need to add the coarsely cut carrots, the celery, the onion stuck with the cloves, the parsley, the peppercorns, the bay leaf and the salt. After that, you have to bring it to a boil, and then you turn down the heat. Next, you need to cover and simmer this until the turkey becomes just tender. Cook this for about two to three hours. Afterward, you need to lift out the pieces of the turkey and then cool it. Next, strain, cool and chill the turkey stock. After that, you lift the fat off the top of stock and set it aside for later usage. Next to that, you have to take the turkey meat off the bones and cut them into bite-size pieces. Following that, you refrigerate the stock, the fat and the meat until you are ready to make the pie (all of this step can be done the day ahead). You should have about ten cups (2.5 L) turkey meat and fourteen cups(3.5L) stock.

Furthermore, you need to have ready a two 3-qt (4-L) casseroles when you start making the pies. Then, you need to heat the one fourth cup (60 ml) turkey fat, the butter or the vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet. Following that you add up the mushrooms, and then cook this gently for about five minutes. Stir this constantly. After that, you have to remove this from heat. Next to that, you heat the two cups (500 ml) turkey stock to boiling point in a large saucepan. Next to that, you must add the sliced carrots and the celery. Later, you have to bring this back to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover and cook this until the vegetables becomes tender-crisp. Do this for about ten minutes. Later, you need to drain this, saving the cooking liquid.

Moreover, you have to combine the three tablespoons (15 ml) salt, the pepper, the thyme, the marjoram, the chervil and the parsley in a small dish. And then, you put the layers of turkey, the mushrooms, the vegetables and the ham strips in each of the casseroles, sprinkling each vegetable layer with a little of the salt-herb mixture and then continuing to sprinkle the layers until all ingredients are used.

And finally, you must heat the one cup (250ml) butter (or margarine) in a large saucepan. And then you add up the chopped onion. And then cook and stir this for about three minutes or even until the onion becomes limp. After that, you need to sprinkle in the flour. Let this bubble. Next to that, you remove this from the heat. And then, you add up the six cups (1.5 L) liquid. (Save any left-over stock for the soup for another day). Stir this to blend. Finally, you add the two tablespoons (10 ml) salt, the pepper and the nutmeg. Return it to heat and cook this until it is boiling, and thickened. Serve immediately.

Christmas Turkey Cooking Recipe - Juicy Turkey Breast

This turkey recipe uses brine techniques to bring forth turkey meat which is incredibly moist. Cooking this turkey meat for your Christmas meal will make you a hit both your friends and family. Home cooking has never never more exciting!

In cooking, brining is a process similar to marination in which meat is soaked in a salt solution (the brine) before cooking.

Brining makes cooked meat moister by hydrating the cells of its muscle tissue before cooking, via the process of osmosis, and by allowing the cells to hold on to the water while they are cooked, via the process of denaturation. This prevents the meat from drying out, or dehydrating.

Christmas Turkey Cooking Recipe

Juicy Turkey Breast

Serves 8

For the brine:

16 cups water

2 cups sugar

2 cups coarse salt

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon pickling spices

For the turkey:

1 fresh breast, 9-11 pounds, deboned

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Black pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1. Combine the brine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool to room temperature.

2. Rinse the turkey breast, discarding excess fat. Place in a deep bowl or pot, turkey breast-side down. Pour the brine over the turkey breast and refrigerate. loosely covered, overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350*F. Remove the turkey breast from the brine 30 minutes before roasting. Line a shallow roasting pan with long pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

4. Place turkey breast in the pan. Brush with 4 tablespoons of melted butter; season with pepper. gather foil loosely on top and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Open the foil and bake for 2 1/4 hours more, basting every 30 minutes with broth and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, until the turkey breast is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165*F and the juices run clear.

5. Transfer the turkey breast to a cutting board; let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Reserve pan juices for gravy.

Calories: 240;

Carbohydrates: 1g;

Protein: 33g;

Fat: 10g;

Cholesterol: 90mg;

The water, pickling spices, and salt combine to make brining a great technique for wonderfully moist turkey meat. Be sure to register on our web site to receive free weekly home cooking recipes, great home cooking articles, home cooking tips, and cooking recipes from the world over.

Cooking Turkey - How Much Time Does it Take to Cook a Turkey?

Some people get really uptight at the thought of cooking a turkey, but their worry is unfounded. Actually roasting a turkey is one of the easiest cooking feats to accomplish successfully. Allow for adequate turkey cooking time, and you can be successful your first time out. By following a few simple cooking tips, anyone can roast a perfect turkey to complement their Thanksgiving feast or any other meal.

The traditional way to cook a turkey is to roast it. Even roasting can be done a number of different ways. To start with, always wash a turkey thoroughly. Check it over for any remaining pin feathers, and cut off large chunks of fat. Tying the drumsticks together with a piece of string and securing the wings with toothpicks will help ensure even browning. If you aren't going to stuff your turkey, salt the bird's cavity well. Stuffing will increase the turkey cooking time you will need to allow for.

If you have a roasting pan with a lid, that is ideal to roast your turkey in. If not, a large baking pan will do. Spray the pan with cooking spray and then cover it with aluminum foil for ease of cooking. Put the turkey into the pan, and tent another sheet of foil over the top. Your turkey cooking time is going to depend on the way you cook it. A good rule of thumb in roasting an unstuffed turkey is to allow a half hour for each pound your turkey weighs. Roast your turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast reads 170 degrees or 180 degrees in the thigh. The touchiest part of roasting a turkey this way is not to cook it too long which will cause it to dry out.

If you want a shorter turkey cooking time, you can invest in a roasting bag. These bags are quite inexpensive and will save you a lot of roasting time. Using a bag, a ten pound turkey can be roasted in about 2 hours. A timetable comes in the box with the bags which gives you the exact times depending on the size of your turkey and whether it's stuffed or not. All you have to do is add a tablespoon of flour to the bag to keep the turkey from sticking, pop in your prepared turkey, and use the enclosed tie to secure the end of the bag. Your turkey will brown beautifully and remain juicy.

Probably the fastest, although most expensive, way to cook your turkey is by frying it. This method is costly, because you have to invest in a turkey fryer and several gallons of oil. However, if you're pressed for time or oven space, this may be the way for you to go. It will only take about three minutes per pound to cook your turkey this way, and it will turn out very moist and flavorful. One caution, however. Frying also adds a large number of calories to low-calorie turkey meat.

All You Need To Know When Cooking A Turkey

When it comes to that time of year that everyone is looking forward to because of the delicious food that is served, there is always at least one person that is slightly tense about it and that would be the person who is going to be cooking a turkey.

Although it really is a simple job, a lot of people tend to get a little stressed out about cooking a turkey and it is not because it is a hard job, but because the turkey is the thanksgiving dinner and many people feel that if the turkey gets ruined, that thanksgiving is ruined. Even though that is not the case, a lot of people cannot get that thought out of their minds.

Remember, that cooking a turkey is not a hard job in itself and that is a fact but it is strictly the anticipation of whether or not it is going to come out right that is the problem. But when you think about it, your oven is actually doing more work than you are so when thinking about how hard cooking a turkey is, think about how much work your oven has to go through. All you really have to do is dress it and place it in the oven and the rest of the work from cooking a turkey is done by the oven while you prepare other things such as side dishes.

The Most Important Thing

Although messing up the turkey in that it came out a little dry or without a lot of flavor is heartbreaking to some; that is not the real danger to consider when cooking a turkey. When you are getting ready to begin cooking a turkey, you have to make sure that you have fully read over all of the instructions. By not following these instructions, you are either going to have a bird that does not taste all that great or you could end up giving your guests food poisoning.

When roasting a turkey, make sure that it has reached the proper temperature of 165 degrees by sticking a cooking thermometer into it. Any reading lower then that, you need to put it back in. All in all, when those few things are followed, cooking a turkey does not have to be anything to worry about or stress over. You can do it just as millions and millions and of people before you have done it. Cooking a turkey will soon become second nature to you and you will be a pro before you know it.