Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-09
CLEANING AND TRUSTING TUR-
KEY

If you are near a good market where |
your Thanksgiving turkey can be |
dressed and sent to you almost ready for |
the oven you may neF0r have stopped to
ask how the dressing Is accomplished
Let lis suppose that some kind friend
sends you in as gift'a turkey that has
been picked but not dressed tthe con-
dition most poultry now reaches the
marlse) and then you need knowledge
and need It badly indeed.
hold 1t to be the duty of everyone to
be prepared for just such emergencies
and so will try and tell you how to
clean and truss your holiday bird.
To'bcgin first pull out carefully all the
pin feathers and slnge the bird over
piece of lighted paper turning 1t on ev-
cry side so as to remove all the hairs
With cleaver or large knife cut off
the head and with smaller instrument
carefully remove the oil sack. II the
drumsticks are to be roasted the sinews
and tendons should be removed and this
can be done by drawing them out by
means of hook after the skin has been
| cut around just below the joint.
The leg may be unjointed but 1t is
| better to break the bone just below the
| JOINT anu IHuS sever Tie lool HUM tiiS
| leg. When the bird is roasted 1t Is easy
| to remove this piece of bone and leave
| on the turkey clean white joint.
| Cut slit in the loose skin of the neck,
4 loosen the windpipe and crop and re-
\ move with a steady pull, being care
/ full not to break the crop. Next cut n
two-inch slit just above the vent. insert
the fingers, loosen the membrane as
| fra, 10 walls M he
cavity, grasp firmly the largest object
you can feel, which will be the gizzard,
and draw steadily out. With a little
practice you will find that you will thus
remove the intestinal mass intact. Draw
all clear of the body and with knife
cut around the vent and remove 1t with
the large intestine.
When you have made 'e that the
cavity is clear wipe the Ire interior
with two soft cloths the f wet in cold
water, the last dry. This much better
| than washing as you do not in this way
injure the flavor.
The bird is now ready for stuffina
which should be used to fill the cavity
and SO made as to keep the meat moist
Do not crowd it in as good stuffint
always swells in cooking. Remember al
SO that turkey should be well larded
With trussing needle and twine, frs
sew up the slits, sewing carpet fashion
then give the legs and wings your at
tention. These can be kept in place il
several ways, but prefer to still us
. the trussng needle which now must b.
a long one. Turn the tips of the wing
under the upper joints; run the needl
through wings and body to the oppo
site side then back again half or three
, quarters Of an inch from the first stitch
/, draw up the two ends Of the twine an
tie firmly.
i The thighs should be pressed well u
on the side of the body and then treate
in the same way as the wings and tn
end of the drumsticks then stitched to
! gether. The advantage of this style c
I trussing is the ease with which tn
/ strings may be removed by simply cut
/ ting them on the opposite side fror
( which they are tied and pulling thei
I through by the knots.
Brush over the bird with melted bu
: ter and dust with salt and pepper bt
! fore putting in the oven. The owe
!. should be very hot when the turkey
! first nut in and should be kept in this
e condition for at least the first fiftee
G n inutes, then the oven may be slowe
!. Careful basting is essential to succe!
: in cooking turkey.
!" LOUIS ROLE.