Tuesday 21 February 2012

Prepare a Turducken

Summary: spelling and punctuation


[[Image:Turducken0.JPG|630px|thumb|left|This one's for the birds. Photo by Angela Watercutter, Wired.com]]

If you've never heard of a "turducken" before, it can sound like some sort of omnivore urban legend: a chicken stuffed in a duck that's stuffed in a turkey. But, believe it or not, it's a real thing. And a pretty intense delicacy at that.

In all likelihood though, you've heard of turducken; each holiday season (and on the occasional episode of Glee) they're a fairly common punch line. And even though they sound like nearly impossible concoctions, they're not. Here's how to make a holiday bird that's three times better than your average turkey.

==What You'll Need==

* One 18-20 pound turkey, boned (except for the legs)
* One 4-5 pound duck, boned
* One 3-4 pound chicken, boned
* Kosher Salt
* Salt
* Black Pepper
* Garlic Powder
* Creole Seasoning
* Paprika
* Brown Sugar
* Water
* Turkey Baster
* Butcher's Twine
* Large Pan For Cooking
* Oven

==Bone Your Bird==

To make a turducken you're going to need a boned-out turkey (except for the legs), a boned-out duck, and a boned-out chicken. Boning out three different birds can be incredibly difficult. Unless you already have a lot of experience with it, we suggest having a butcher bone your birds (so you don't have to).

==Brine All the Time==

Brining puts tons of flavors in the skin of your turkey, duck and chicken. To make the brine, take about a gallon of water and add a cup of kosher salt and a cup of brown sugar. Once both are completely dissolved in the water, place each of the birds in plastic bags and fill with the bags with the liquid. Put the birds-in-bags in the refrigerator and let them sit overnight.

==Make the Right Stuff==

You're going to need some stuffing to put in between the layers of your turducken, so while you're waiting for the brine to finish, make some stuffing. If you have a recipe that you love that should do the trick. If not, any instant store-bought stuffing will suffice (Stove Top works just fine). After it's cooked up, set it aside in a large bowl.

==Stuff It==

Begin by preheating your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

We've got good news and bad news. The good news is that the arduous, time-consuming work is done. The bad news is that this is where the intricate, hard work starts. But it's the fun part too, so prepare for fowl play.

First, lay the turkey on a counter, skin-side down and sprinkle the top/insides with seasoning. We go for a little bit of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of Creole seasoning (for kicks). If you don't like spicy, skip the Creole. If you have another favorite spice for poultry, give it a whirl. A word of caution, though: Be careful not to put in too much seasoning. If you're not careful you'll end up with a turducken saltier than an ex on prom night.

[[Image:Turducken1.JPG|630px|thumb|left|Photo by Angela Watercutter, Wired.com]]

Next, cover the seasoned turkey with a quarter-inch layer of stuffing. Lay the duck, skin-down on top of the stuffing. Season the duck the same as the turkey and cover with another layer of stuffing. Place the chicken on top of that and add a final bit of seasoning and stuffing.

[[Image:Turducken2.JPG|630px|thumb|left|Photo by Angela Watercutter, Wired.com]]
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==Tie Her Up==

Once all the layers are placed, pull the turkey's skin up, folding all of the layers together. Truss the turkey up from the neck using butcher's twine (or turkey lacers). Grab the pan you'll cook the turducken in and flip the trussed-up beast into it. Tie together the legs the way you would a normally tie up a turkey for roasting.

[[Image:Turducken3.JPG|630px|thumb|left|Photo by Angela Watercutter, Wired.com]]
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==Get Cooking==

[[Image:Turducken4.JPG|630px|thumb|left|Photo by Angela Watercutter, Wired.com]]
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After the bird is safely in the pan, sprinkle the outer layer of skin with a bit of paprika and, if you like, one last sprinkle of Creole seasoning. Cook at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. Lower the heat to around 225 degrees and cook until the birds are done all the way through. Be sure to check on it and keep the skin moist by using a turkey baster every 45 minutes or so. It should take just over three hours to cook, and when you're done the temperature of the chicken in the very middle should be about 155 degrees Fahrenheit when tested with a meat thermometer.

Remove from the oven and let set for at least 20 minutes before serving. To serve, slice the birds long-ways so that each slice has a little bit of each kind of meat and the layers of stuffing. Use the pan juices to make gravy for on top of the meats (or on potatoes).

==The Day After==

No matter how many friends you have, it's nearly impossible to finish a turducken in one day. The good thing is that the leftovers make great sandwiches. Grab some nice artisan bread and a fancy cheese of your liking and go to town. Your lunchbox will be the envy of your cubicle-mates for weeks.

''Original article by Angela Watercutter, Wired.com. Recipe excerpted from [http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/turducken-recipe/index.html Paula Deen].''

[[Category:Food and Drink]]
[[Category:Holiday]]


Source: http://feeds.wired.com/~r/howtowiki/~3/JY4XPA5zvqk/Prepare_a_Turducken

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