Celebrating Holidays

My Favorite Turkey Thanksgiving Receipes

I roasted a turkey for the first time ever, almost 30 years ago. It was so dried, almost like tree barks, that I never want to try cooking it again, ever! Each year, we just bought the whole turkey dinner from the supper market, heated it up and served for the holiday. Although the turkeys were not as dry as the one I roasted, but there was not a whole lot of flavor to it either. Some year my sister would buy a fresh birdie and fry it, it’s still not quite as tasteful. But we still have it any way, just because it’s a Thanksgiving tradition. Until about 2 years ago, a dear friend invited me over to her thanksgiving dinner, and of course, she served turkey. I wasn’t going to expect it would taste a whole lot different. But boy, was I wrong! The turkey was so moist and delicious that I had to whip out a pen and paper and ask her for the recipe. Last Thanksgiving, I roasted my second turkey and everyone in my family loved it so much there was no left over. I now have the official title: “the turkey lady” and the job – cooking the turkey from now on !

Want to peek at my mama’s recipe? Here it is:

Cooking time:

• 8-12 pound turkey, cook time is 4 to4.5 hours
• 12-16 pound turkey, cook time is 4.5 to 5.5 hours

Preparing the juice for marinate and injection:

• Seasoned salt
• Poultry seasoning
• Five Spice seasoning (from Chinese grocery store)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Chicken Powder
• 2 cups of water

Mix all the above ingredients, use injection needle and inject the juice into the turkey breast and legs, the meaty parts. Sprinkle seasoned salt on turkey. Cover with foil, keep in refrigerator for a few hours.

Stuffing Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups of sushi rice
• Chicken broth (enough to cover rice)
• Minced garlic, onion, ginger (a tea spoon each, less on the ginger if you don’t like it too spicy)
• 2-3 Chinese sausage cut into small pieces
• 5-6 Chinese dry black mushroom, diced
• 1/2 cup dried shrimps (pre-soak in water, drained)

Stuffing Preparation:

• Heat up a table spoon of vegetable oil, stir in the garlic, onion, ginger, sausage, mushroom and the dried shrimp for a couple minutes.
• Mix in the rice and cover with chicken broth (just above the rice)
• Cover and cook like you normally with rice.

Roasting The Big Bird

In a pan, heat 1 table spoon of cooking oil, pour in the garlic, onion, ginger, sausage, mushroom and the dried shrimp, stir fry for about 2 minutes, mix in with the rice, pour in the chicken broth, mix well then stuff inside the turkey, sew it up.

Basting: Chop up some celery, carrot, onion, mushroom then use a blender, puree. Brush the puree onto the turkey.

Roasting: in the roasting pan, pour in 2 cups of water, put the turkey on the turkey rack baking at 375 degree the first hour. 350 the 2nd hour, basting with the juice every 1/2 hour. 325 degree the 3rd hour onward, basting every 20 minutes. At the last 45 minute of the cooking time, take off aluminum foil, baste every 15 minutes. Take the turkey out of the oven immediately when done.

Let it cool down before cutting.

Enjoy!  Yummm!