>>>
back now at 8:12. this morning on "today's" holiday kitchen,
bobby flay
helps us create the ultimate
thanksgiving day
feast. first, how to get the
golden brown
turkey
. good morning, happy thanksgiving.
>>
so glad to be here. my favorite day of the year.
>>
i know you are basically cook cooking all day.
>>
i'm actually cooking this meal that i will show you today.
>>
the
turkey
. goes without saying, if you haven't thawed it by now, it's too late.
>>
you should buy a fresh
turkey
anyway. people talk about brining a
turkey
, not brining. i'm not a briner. i don't think it's necessary. brining is good for people who overcook the
turkey
. cook it correctly and you'll be fine.
>>
how do we do it to cook this
turkey
.
>>
here we are what i do, i brush this with butter. some softened butter, and you want to put
chicken stock
in the bottom.
>>
why is this so important? you are big on this.
>>
it will create -- when it starts to heat up in the oven it will create steam and make the
turkey
nice and moist. going to create steamy liquid and the butter melts down into the liquid.
>>
a little salt on there.
>>
and pepper, lots of pepper.
salt and pepper
. and vegetables right in the cavity. this just gives it some aromatic flavorer.
>>
how long do you put this guy in the oven?
>>
this is a 16- or 17-pound
turkey
. this will take about two hours, maybe a little more, maybe a little less. check itxd with a
meat thermometer
. put it right between the leg and the breast.
>>
stuff it down in there.
>>
well, you don't have to jam it in. just kind of like -- it will go in nice and easily. when it gets to 165 degrees, take it out. 165, and then you want to let it rest close to an hour.
>>
what about basting? a lot of people love to baste. opening the door, the heat gets out.
>>
that's okay. you take your baster, go into the delicious liquid.
chicken stock
and butter and baste it for like two minutes, not even two minutes. 20 seconds and close the oven. i baste every
20 minutes
after the first 45 minutes.
>>
i know we'll talk about the glades you put on this later, but we want to carve as well.
>>
everybody has uncle harry who comes out once a year he hits the table and messes up your
turkey
. we don't want to do that. what i like to do, i like to take the whole breast off, both sides of the breast let's say. what i do, make an incision like this.
>>
how long did you rest this? i forgot.
>>
close to an hour. a very, very
big bird
. i will follow the bone right down, take the entire breast right off the
turkey
. see how juicy that is? amazing.
>>
yeah.
>>
okay. there we go. and put it on the
cutting board
. now, we're going to make nice slices, trying to keep the breast in its same shape.
>>
you're doing like chunks, not slivers.
>>
not chunks, but very thick slices.
>>
okay. everybody gets a piece of the skin. so beautiful this way.
>>
what about the dark meat? did you put that back in the pan?
>>
here's the deal. the breast cooks faster. the dark meat has to keep cooking in my opinion. i take the leg and thigh off, and put it back into the same juices in the pan.
>>
all right.
>>
and i cover it, and i braiz it in the oven, just cook it about 350 degrees for like another half an hour.
>>
wow. okay.
>>
pull it like
pulled pork
, pull the dark meat and serve that on the side.
>>
bobby, thank you so much. even i understood this lesson.
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