The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-12-16
preparing the Holiday Fowl.

l did. And to conquer the beast
erature and evolved this system
which ! have used often with good
success. 1t will work with any kind
of fowl
l. Young birds are most tender
Select turkey weighing about eight
to ten poonds. The larger it is, the
smaller the proportion of bone to
meat, and the more economical the
buy. 4 young turkey has smooth
black legs and feet. The tip of its
breast bone is soft 1t will not have as
many long hairs as an old bird.
2. If the butcher removed the en-
trails for you, cuts off the head and
legs, be sure to have him remove the
tendons from the legs also. He will
not do this unless you especially ask
him. If the tendons are removed, the
dlumsticks will be tender instead of
hard and tough. If you buy the tur-
key with the legs on you can remove
the tendons yourself by cutting thru
the skin at the lower joint and pull
ing each tendon out separately with a
skewer or a strong fork or knife.
You will need some skewers for
trusting the turkey. 1t is not always
possible to buy the long steel ones,
but the butcher will give you as many
long wooden ones as you wish.
3. So much for buying the fowl.
When you have him at home, pull
out all the pinfeathers. A strawberry
huller or a small pointed knife are the
best weapons. Then SINCE the turkey.
Be certain that all the entrails are
removed. Very ofen the butcher will
miss the lungs ore "the electric lights"
as someone's expression is. They are
bright red and spongy and lie high
up along the back. Look for the kid
neys, darker red, lower down along
the back, and remove them. Cut off
the little oil bag on top of the tail.
Wash the bird we'll in clear water,
using soap on the outside if the skin
is especially dirty. Do not let the tur-
key soak in the water, which draws
out its good flavor, but let the water
run through it. 1t the inside of the
turkey does not smell sweet wash it
with strong soda water, and rub soda
underneath the wings
Draw the skin around the neck
down, and cut off the wing tips,
These pieces do not have very much
meat on them, and can be stewed with
elhlets separately for the gravy. To
remove them makes better looking
fowl
4. Our bird is ready for his stuff
ing Below are variations for poul-
try stuffing. My favorite one is COM
bination with celery, parsley, nuts and
raisins, and it will take double the
recipe for a good sized bird. Use
bread from the inside of the loaf, and
do not add too much liquid. A goot
stuffing should be erun5ly when taken
from the fowl.
Salt the inside of the fowl we'll.
Pack stuffing in the cavity where the
crop was, below the neck. The butch
er usually Sits it there to take out the
crop. And then fill the inside of the
bird with stutfing. Do not pack it in
too tightly because it swells. The
two openings may be closed by pinning
with poultry pins, or by sewing with a
darnlng needle and string. But most
satisfactory for me is to lace the OPEN
lngs closed with toothpicks and string.
which can be very quickly done, and
which are easily removed after the
bird is baked without spelling its ap
.pearance.
b. The bird is trussed in this way
with long string, tie its legs tight
down to its tail. Leave the long ends
OF ne string loose. Run long skewer
through the middle joint of its leg,
through the body and out on the 9TH
er side through the other wing. This
holds the wings and legs close to the
body so that they will not dry out
through the long baking, and also
gives the bird good appearance when
it is brought to the table.
Pm the neck skin back with tooth
pick.
To make the bird even more COM
pact and solid, bring the lower ends
OF the string tied around the legs, UP
around the ends Of the skewer which
is through the legs, cross the string
on the back of the turkey, bring it
around the ends of the skewer through
he wings and tie it tight behind the
shoulder blade of the bird. Of course,
the string could be wound around the
turkey, but the other way will not
mark up the breast.
6. Stuffing and trusting may be
done the day before the feast, and the
fowl left in cool place before roast
ing. To roast, place in rooster, or
shallow pan. Since the fat and richest
juices of the turkey lie along the white
meat will be rich and moist. However,
IT you are more particular about ap-
pearance than flavor. put it breast
side up and lay over it strips of bacon
or salt pork. Or spread on paste of
equal amounts of flour and butter.
This will help to keep in the moisture
and give brown crust.
At first don OF use the cover to the
rooster. Scar and brown the turkey
in hot oven-450 degrees-for about
half an hour, then reduce the temper
ature to moderate-350 degrees-to
finish the baking. The turkey should
be sailed on the last part of the bak-
ng, and the lid of the rooster can he