Question: How does one keep a turkey warm if it cooks before other dishes?
OK, the two main things for a turkey that is cooked ahead of other things are to keep the bird moist and warm. The turkey does not have to be hot, and it is juicier if it rests for half an hour. Beyond that, keep the oven on warm or anything under 250 degrees and stick it back in 20-30 minutes before serving.
As for juiciness, brining and basting will promote moist meat. Salt one or two gallons of water (depending on bird and receptacle size with 1/4 to 1/2 cup salt. Use a covered container like a bucket or huge pot. Luckily, it's cold now, so you can leave it outside overnight. Just make sure nothing or no one can disturb it overnight. You can add a cut-up onion, garlic, pepper or spices, but it isn't necessary. Avoid vinegar or other acidic foods. The next day, presumably Thanksgiving, drain the brining liquid and let the bird rest one hour. Rinse bird if you will be adding any salt. Drain again, season and put in the oven as usual. Every hour while cooking, baste the turkey with the juices that have collected.
One other note: If the turkey will be out on the table for several hours, make sure it's more than 135 degrees the whole time before serving for food safety reasons. Tent it with foil to keep it warm, then put it back in the oven a few minutes to crisp the skin back up if it has gotten soggy.
Question: What's a good green bean recipe?
Here's an easy green bean recipe for you, Carmelia. You can use salt or a Maggi cube instead of chicken broth, and use peanuts if cashews are hard to come by. Some advice for a crowd: bring the nuts with you and see if someone has a major allergy. Then, sprinkle them on before serving.
Happy cooking!
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