It’s time to loosen the belt and waistband, as Turkey Day is only days away. According to the National Turkey Federation, 94 percent of Americans plan to celebrate the holiday, and the star of the dinner show is the big bird, the turkey. There is a bit of science to cooking a Thanksgiving turkey. Basting with butter and roasting a turkey for hours is the traditional method. But some other unconventional methods have been taking center stage at the dinner table in recent years.
LHS teacher Justin Rysz likes to smoke his turkey and use multiple seasonings. He’s among the ten percent of Americans who prefer the added smokey flavor (National Turkey Federation).
“I think it tastes better. I grew up with just the traditional dry-as-can-be roasted turkey in the oven. Turkey is pretty important. It’s probably the most important single dish. I spatchcock the turkey by removing the spine, break the breastbone down and then put it in the smoker until it gets to the nice temp,” he said.
Yes, Rysz said spatchcock. This is the process of splitting the bird to lay it flat. The concept allows for the turkey to cook faster than keeping the bird intact. In a New York Times article, Katherine Lewin, the author of “Big Night: Dinners, Parties & Dinner Parties,” said people should stop with the spatchcocking.
“Does spatchcocking give you the most technically perfect turkey meat? Probably. But it will also give you a flat bird. What is the fun in a flat bird?” she said.
For those who like to live life dangerously, deep-frying the turkey is a popular method. According to Butterball.com, learning how to deep-fry a turkey is the quickest way to turn out an irresistibly tender and juicy turkey. Deep-frying uses a lot of hot oil and can be accomplished with either an indoor or outdoor fryer. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving injuries triple the average number of cooking injuries on a normal basis, and using deep fryers can be dangerous, so use caution.
LHS assistant principal Josh Kinnard said he deep-fries his turkey and uses multiple seasonings.
“So the process is basically you brine the turkey and let it sit overnight. You inject it with a liquid-based butter and some spices, but you gotta be careful that you don’t get anything too bulky or thick into what you’re going to inject because the syringe will get clogged. I’ve had that before. You gotta be careful; there’s an art to it,” he said.
Kinnard said that the success of the turkey is a matter of finesse and self-pride.
“You have to make sure you get the turkey right and that it’s done to a degree where it’s presentable and tastes really good because it could make or break your meal if it’s a failure, at least in my eyes,” he said.
Still, there will be families that forgo the fowl and go rogue with no bird at all on the table. In an Eye of the Gale survey, LHS 9th grader Angelina Zeidler said that her family prepares a ham baked in Pepsi. LHS teacher Mr. Goss said he and his family don’t do a traditional Thanksgiving turkey.
“Okay, so we always made turkey. My father-in-law made it. He passed away this year. None of us really like turkey, so it’s time to revamp the tradition and go with something different. We’re gonna have baby-back ribs and maybe steaks,” he said.
LHS Student Services Secretary Jacinda LeForce summed up the importance of the holiday meal.
“I feel that if, in any dish, you always need to tuck lots of care and love into it, and if you do that no matter what, it will always turn out perfect. There has to be meaning and purpose in the preparation—you’re preparing something for the people you love,” she said.
