Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-26
Serving a Turkey

As turkey IS the center Of attraction at
the Thanksgiving feast, the housewife
should give TO it the most careful stten.
| ton OF any part of the meal Selecting
| cooking and carving this big bird is no
| small matter, however, but when properly
done there is not meat in all ChrIstendom
that compares with II In juiciness and rich
| flavor.
Pick out the turkey two or three days
| before ii Is required and IL possible have
| II hen turkey. Gobblers have heavier
| frames and consequently more expen-
sive The breast OF the turkey should be
broad and plump. the flesh and skin white
/ and the feet black. The shorter the neck
the better. When the end of the breast
| bone is comparatively soft, the turkey Is
sure to be young. If housewife trades
regularly with butcher lie will keep the
| turkey in his ice box until the day before
! Thanksgiving. Then II the man who does
| the meat cutting is given holiday tip
| he will prepare IL ready for stuffing by tho
| directions given below. Otherwise II can
| be done at home with no great amount or
| trouble.
If the biggest part OF the feathers have
been removed. run the turkey through the
flame OF an alcohol lamp or hold it over
the blaze from a lighted newspaper which
has been twisted and placed in an iron sink
or kettle This is done to SINCE off any pin
feathers that remain on the skin. Now
drop the turkey in pan of cold water and
use the end OF the fingers TO wash the
skin thoroughly
Next chop off the head. leaving the neck
on the turkey The feet are removed by
cutting the skin at the side of the ankle
bone between the two bones. Bend the leg
IDrnc ara
in sight Run a fork under these. and.
holding the drumstIck tight pull each OF
the five tendons out from the flesh with
out breaking or tearing the skin.
Both legs having been taken Off turn
the turkey onto its breast and cut the skin
at the back of the neck down to the bone
and remove all the cartilage. Lay ASIDE
the skin and loosen the crop. which snoula
be cut where II Is attached to the ihtestines.
Take out with the hand and be very care
full not to break it, Return the turkey 10
its back and cut a hole from the breast
bone to the rump. Insert two myers anS
loosen the heart and lungs. With two fine
gers and thumb at the breastbone opening
take out gizzard and intestines all tosethers
being careful not to break them With &
sharp knife cut out the large intestine ana
after removing the oil sack from the runp
wipe the inside of the walls with WEI
cloth BY no means drop the turkey into
cold water after the inteStines nave Deeh
removed II the latter should break clean
the flesh Immediately with damp cloth.
The best authorities say that turkey
has more delicious flavor If not stuffed.
Here however, are two excellent recipes
for dressing:
Liver Stuffing-Fry half pound OF calf's
liver with four ounces of fat bacon and r
little chopped onion for ten minutes sea
son with salt and pepper and chop very
fine Mosten three ounces of bread crumbs
with some boiling milk. Place II in a small
saucepan and stir over the lire until q
81 ( formed q
sertspoonful of butter, some salt, pepper
and a little mace, then the chopped liver
and bacon and a raw egg. Cool before US
ing.
Chestnut stufing-Roast quart and
half of largo chestnuts until they crack
open. Take out meats and mash. Season
with one tablespoonful OF melted butter;
salt pepper and dash of cayenne. Ada
one-fourth of a cup of grated bread crumbs
and mix all together with one tablespoonful
of sweet cream.
Fill the breast and body with either OF
these dressings and draw the skin together
with thread and needle.
To prepare the turkey FOR the roasting
pan. whether ii Is stuffed or not. fold the
skin of the ne ok over backward. The wings
are then pressed down over II and very
long darning or trusting needle threaded
with string run through the middle OF each
wing near its attachment. A bow knot ties
the ends of the strings together. Fold the
legs close to the turkeys body and insert
another needleful of string above the knee
joint. Next sew the two legs together at
the end of the drumstick and fasten them
to the rUmp. Rub all over the skin with 4
piece of fat bacon.
The turkey is now ready for the roasting
PAN and should be put into a really hot
oven until the skin becomes Drowned. Then
allow the oven to coal somewhat. place
several pieces of bacon at the bottom or
the roasting pan, and finish cooking the tur-
key, allowing fifteen Iainutes to each pound
Of meat. II the bird IS stuffed twenty min
utes to the pound is necessary. Every ten
minutes open the oven door and pour the
juices from the pan over the turkey. This
Blasting gives above all else n sweet juicy
flavor TO the meat, and should be no means
he neglected. Before the turkey is served.
remove all the strings. being careful not 10
tear the skin.
The platter should be placed on the table
with the breast OF the turkey In front OF
the left hand and the legs in front OF the
right hand of the carver. Plunge the carv-
ing fork deep into the meat at the Joint
where the breastbone is highest Now cut
off the outside second joint with leg al
tached by running the knife held IN the left
hand fork holding turkey steady with right
from the upper joint where the leg is
pressed to the body. straight around, feeling
for the socket. until the second joint and
leg drop on the platter. The wing on the
same side is severed next by making an
incision near the neck and drawing the
knife over and around to the right.
If the whole turkey Is 10 be eaten at one
meal. take off the leg and wing on the OPP
posite side. For this purpose the turkey is
tipped away from the carver by means of
the fork.
In case only portion of the bird is TO be
used, cut thin slices from the left side Of
the breast. The knife Is run from joint
below the high bone to point just past II.
Next take off the wishoone The upper half
of the carcass is then separated from the
lower by passing the knife through the
middle beginning a the head of the wish
bone and coming out above the rump. The
fork is now taken out for the first time.
and the lower and upper half OF the body
are divided into four pieces. Second joint
and drumsticks are separated. and the
turkey is ready to be served.
Many caryers prefer to remove all meat
from the bones in which case some dark
and come light mel is put on each nlata.