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  • in Recipes

    6 Ways to Decorate Cookies with Royal Icing

    Ready to take your cookies to the next level with royal icing? Go beyond basic piping and flooding, and explore these advanced techniques for making bakery-worthy decorated cookies. Try flocking, layering, adding candies, and more!

    Once you start decorating cookies with royal icing, it gets super addictive! And I’m not just talking eating all those pretty cookies. You can do a ton of decorating using just the technique of piping and flooding, but here are a few more techniques that you can use to create beautiful and unique cookies.
    WHAT IS ROYAL ICING?
    Royal icing is a decorative hard white icing made with egg whites, powdered sugar, and some flavoring and coloring used to decorate cookies.
    If you’ve never worked with royal icing before, check out our recipe for step-by-step instructions on how to make it as well as basic piping and flooding techniques:

    PIPING
    Piping is a basic technique used in conjunction with flooding, but you can also create intricate outlines and patterns just using the piping technique. Pick a smaller round tip (#1 or #2) if you want to do detailed work. Or work with a basic #3 tip if you are looking to do more organic shapes.
    Consider making patterns as well as outlines and drawings using piping. Checkerboards, concentric circles or shapes, or even just simple “drawings” on a cookie have an elegance all their own.

    FLOODING
    Flooding means covering larger areas of a cookie with icing. Start by piping an outline with icing, then flood the area with a thinner icing. The outline serves as a barrier to hold in the “flooded” area.
    You can pipe and flood in the same color to create a solid color area, or you can use different colors. Do this if you want to create a watercolor bleeding effect from the edge of the area to the center.
    Also consider piping a pattern (like checkerboard or diamonds) on to a cookie, then use the flooding icing to fill in every other square to make a more graphic look. You can also draw a picture and use flooding to fill in the spaces.

    BLEEDING
    Bleeding is when you add an additional colored icing on top of a still-wet flooded area. Instead of having a crisp sharp line, your colors will bleed into each other and look more organic.
    You can use bleeding to create some beautiful effects. Pipe and flood an area with one color, then immediately pipe another color over that area:
    If you pipe a line of color, you can then use a toothpick to drag the color back and forth to create a chevron pattern.
    If you pipe dots onto the wet flood area, you can use a toothpick to draw “hearts” by dragging the toothpick through the icing dot in one direction.
    Pipe different colors right next to each other to get a dramatic watercolor, marbled, or swirled effect. Draw lines back and forth by dragging a toothpick through the icing to move the colors around.

    FLOCKING
    Flocking involves sprinkling sparkling or sanding sugar over the piped icing or flooded areas. The icing acts like “glue” and the sugar sticks to it. This results in a sparkling line or pattern.
    Just place the cookie on a shallow baking pan or plate with a rim. Pipe the pattern that you want on the cookie, then immediately sprinkle the cookie all over with the sugar. Let the icing set for about a minute or two before picking up the cookie and shaking any loose sugar back into the pan or plate.
    You can also flock flooded areas by shaking sparkling sugar over the top of a flooded area. If the flood icing is very thin, let the cookie sit with the sugar on top to dry a bit before picking it up and shaking off the loose sugar. Usually this only takes five to 10 minutes or so, but it depends on the thickness of your icing and humidity in your kitchen. Test it first by lifting up the cookie and tilting it. If you see the icing start to move, set it back down quickly and let it dry longer.
    I recommend getting sparkling sugar, which has larger crystals and creates a more dramatic look. It comes in a variety of colors. Look for it in the baking aisle of your grocery store, at a craft stores, or online. But you can also use regular granulated sugar.
    A variant of flocking is to sprinkle non-pareils, sprinkles, or jimmies over the piped icing and then shake the sprinkles off. You can create fun and whimsical looks with rainbow sprinkles!
    You can pour the leftover sugar back into the sugar container and reuse it. A funnel comes in handy if you have a small container of sugar and want to pour the leftovers back into it.

    ADDING CANDIES, PEARL BALLS, AND DRAGÉES
    You can also use the icing as a “glue” to attach candies, pearl balls, and dragées, which are silver candy balls. Just add a dot of icing to the cookie, and then place the candy. You might want to use tweezers if the dragée or candy is very small or especially delicate. Or just sprinkle them over a flooded area while it’s still wet.
    Here are a few suggestions for other edible items to add to your royal icing decorated cookie:
    Edible flowers, candied or fresh (if fresh, eat the cookie within 24 hours)
    Small candies like mini M&Ms, cinnamon red hots, or Nerds
    Silver dragées or colored candied pearls
    Non pareils, sprinkles, or jimmies
    Swedish pearl sugar
    If you start looking online and at craft or party supply shops, you’ll find that sprinkles, jimmies, non-pareils, and colored sugars come in all sizes and shapes. You’ll find everything from stars to large balls to snowflake shapes to confetti sprinkles all in a myriad of shapes and colors.
    LAYERING
    You can combine all the techniques above as well as layer the techniques! Just allow the royal icing to completely dry between layers. I usually allot at least two hours under a gentle fan to make sure the first layer is dry before piping and adding an additional layer.
    You can also just let the cookies dry and set overnight before adding more decorations to them.
    One of my favorite combinations is to flood a cookie shape completely with one color, then let it dry and add a flocked, piped decoration in a contrasting color on top. The sparkling sugar with the piping on the contrasting color background really pops, and the piping of the frosting gives the flock a dimension.

    OTHER WAYS TO DECORATE ROYAL ICING COOKIES
    Try any of these other techniques:
    Edible color markers are available at craft shops and are an easy way to decorate cookies. Just pipe and flood a large area with white or light pastel colored icing, let dry completely, then go crazy with the color markers!
    Edible luster dust is also available at craft shops. Luster dust is exactly what is sounds like, edible glitter in dust form. Mix a little bit of vodka (a couple of drops at first) with some luster dust and then paint it onto your cookie in the areas where you want it to sparkle!
    Edible gold or silver leaf is also available if you want an extra special touch! Just wait for the icing to be completely dry before adding any metal leaf to your cookie.
    HOW TO STORE THE FINAL COOKIES
    Once you’re done decorating the cookies, let them dry completely before storing them in an airtight container. Layer them between sheets of parchment or wax paper. Store them at room temperature on your counter or kitchen table for up to five days.
    Have fun, and remember that your imagination is your only limit when it comes to decorating with royal icing!
    TRY DECORATING THESE COOKIES! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Southern Cornbread

    This classic, savory Southern cornbread is just begging for a bowl of chili or a plate of ribs. Made with all cornmeal, straight buttermilk, and no added sugar (like it should be!) in a cast iron skillet, this cornbread is an easy dinner side dish.

    Anytime you put the words “Southern” in front of a dish, it’s likely to stir up controversy, and cornbread is no exception. It seems like every person I’ve ever known from the South has their favorite way of making homemade cornbread, and every way is different.

    What Makes a Southern Cornbread
    The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.
    Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

    A Cornbread Experiment
    With this cornbread recipe, we experimented both with all cornmeal, and with just three-quarters cornmeal and one-quarter flour. We also experimented with including or leaving out an egg.
    Result: Either way works! Though the version with some of the cornmeal swapped out with flour, and including an egg, holds together better and is a little more tender.

    About this Cornbread Recipe
    If you are new to making southern cornbread, take note of the following:
    Sugar is optional
    Whether to include sugar or not in a southern cornbread recipe is an issue for debate. We’ve included as an option a tablespoon which just intensifies the flavor of the cornmeal; it doesn’t make the cornbread sweet.
    The choice is yours as to whether or not to include it. (See this excellent article from Serious Eats on why traditional southern cornbread does not include sugar.)
    “All cornmeal” versus “cornmeal and flour”
    You can either use all cornmeal or a combination of cornmeal and flour to make this cornbread. If you go the all cornmeal route, note that the result will likely be very, very crumbly. That’s just how the Southern cornbread crumbles. If you would like cornbread with a little more structure, I recommend using a combination of cornmeal and flour.
    Why use bacon drippings and butter
    You’ll notice there are both bacon drippings and butter in this cornbread recipe. The butter adds needed richness to the bread itself, and the bacon drippings help brown the crust, keep it from sticking to the skillet, and add a lovely bacon flavor to the bread.
    Make cornbread in a cast iron skillet
    Finally, the method that works best with using a well-seasoned cast iron skillet is to preheat the skillet with the fat and then add the batter to the hot skillet. This helps brown the crust and with the pan already hot, the cornbread cooks more quickly.
    Need to season your cast iron pan? Check out this guide to seasoning cast iron.
    To our fine readers from our Southern states, how do you like your cornbread? Please let us know in the comments.

    From the editors of Simply Recipes

    Leftover Cornbread
    Cornbread will keep at room temperature for a day or two. After that, it tastes stale.
    Can you freeze cornbread? Yes, for up to two months if you wrap it well, though because it’s very crumbly, it’s best to freeze it only if you plan to use it as crumbs, or in cornbread dressing.
    Speaking of, leftover cornbread is excellent in cornbread stuffing.
    Try These Other Cornbread Recipes, Too!

    Updated November 6, 2020 : Some readers were noticing a metallic flavor in the cornbread, so we tinkered with the amount of baking soda to make sure this recipe was perfect. Updated ingredient amounts are reflected in the recipe.

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    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    One Simply Terrific Thing: A Container That Keeps Brown Sugar Soft!

    Hard brown sugar, be gone! This magic brown sugar keeper ensures you’ll have soft, pliable brown sugar whenever your baking requires it.

    Welcome to One Simply Terrific Thing, our ongoing series highlighting the small tools and kitchen goods that make life better!

    It would only be a slight exaggeration to say that brown sugar and butter are two of my favorite food groups. Brown sugar is a must for my favorite holiday cookies, but it also finds it way into winter squash, stir fries, glazes for vegetables and salmon, and best of all, candied bacon!
    There’s only one problem: I am usually fighting a hard brick of sugar, and that adds about 10 minutes to my projected cooking time, not to mention a boatful of aggravation.
    But one day I found a brown sugar keeper that solved all those problems.
    HOW TO SOFTEN BROWN SUGAR: OTHER WAYS
    Before I had a designated brown sugar keeper, I tried the trick of adding apple slices to my brown sugar and enclosing it in a plastic bag. That yielded unappetizing and shriveled apples, and the sugar was still mostly hard.
    Next I tried microwaving those brown sugar bricks with a damp paper towel, to mixed results. I was still doing battle with more than a few hard clumps and dealing with melted, gooey sugar. And the same irritation of having to wrestle with a bag of sugar!

    Progressive International’s Brown Sugar Keeper 
    I’m not a big fan of single-purpose tools or gadgets, but one day, out shopping in my favorite discount store, I saw this brown sugar container by Progressive International ($13 from Amazon).

    (Discount stores have a strange effect on my brain. My resolve to stay focused and on budget usually melts with the first shiny object on the shelf that catches my eye. For a cook, a shiny object could be a brown sugar keeper. We have small but important desires.)
    Could such a purchase—we’re not talking about breaking the bank here, friends—make a difference in my life? The short answer is: yes!
    I’ve had this keeper for about eight months, and I can tell you, when I need a tablespoon of brown sugar for a marinade or stir-fry, I no longer have to scrape the top off a block of brown sugar cement.
    It’s not rocket science to understand how the brown sugar keeper works; it’s just a very efficient way of using the apple trick. A terra cotta disk soaked in water attaches to the lid of an attractive plastic container and helps keep the brown sugar from drying out. The airtight lid closes with a satisfying snap and the container can be stored at room temperature.
    It’s like having a stone in your shoe, and suddenly, the stone is gone. You didn’t even notice how much it bothered you until you started to enjoy your walk without the nuisance of that pesky little stone. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Creamed Corn

    Make the most of sweet corn season by serving up this creamed corn at your next backyard BBQ. This dish also freezes beautiful and can be made with frozen corn (hello, Thanksgiving side dish!).

    Photography Credit: Sally Vargas

    Creamed corn is summer’s comfort food.
    The starchy residue that lies beneath the kernels thickens the corn, and in this version, cream seals the deal. Even summer has its cool and rainy days, but a warm bowl of these sweet golden kernels can cheer you while you wait for the sun to come out.
    VIDEO! How to Make Creamed Corn

    FRESH VS. FROZEN CORN
    In corn season, fresh corn is always optimal, and it really is the sweetest, most irresistible choice. You can also extract corn milk, a sweet starchy liquid, from the cobs of fresh corn. Corn that is fresh off the cob has a creamy, succulent quality that announces summer is here!
    Having said that, you could substitute frozen corn, especially if you want to make this for a fall holiday (hello, Thanksgiving!) when corn is not in season.
    Unfortunately, you can’t extract corn milk from frozen kernels. To mimic the creaminess of corn milk using frozen corn, try pureeing a small amount (about 1/3 cup of the kernels) in a blender to release some of the starch, and stir it into the corn.

    MAKE-AHEAD CREAMED CORN
    Once made, creamed corn can be stored in the refrigerator for at least three days. It can also be frozen for up to three months.
    HOW TO SERVE THIS SIDE DISH
    When corn is abundant, you could serve creamed corn with any warm weather meal as a side dish, but it’s not just for summer.
    It would also be a good addition to your Thanksgiving table, especially since it can be made ahead of time with frozen corn.
    By itself it is pure heaven, but you could vary it by adding some spicy jalapeños or chopped poblano peppers; other additions that come to mind are chopped basil, sliced cherry tomatoes, and cooked bacon crumbles.
    For a creamed corn casserole, add a little extra liquid (cream or water,) sprinkle a little cheddar or Parmesan on top, and bake in a 375ºF oven until brown and bubbly.
    NEED MORE CORN RECIPES?

    Updated November 5, 2020 : We added a video and gave this recipe an overhaul to make it even more amazing. Apologies to those of you who loved the original, but we think you’ll like this updated version even better. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

    Creamed Corn Recipe

    Ingredients
    6 ears corn, shucked (4 to 5 cups)
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or yellow onions
    3/8 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1 cup half and half
    Chopped fresh parsley, chives, or tarragon (for garnish)

    Method

    1 Remove the corn kernels: Set an ear of corn on a cutting board, and working from the thick to the narrow end, cut off 2 rows of kernels. Turn and cut off 2 or 3 more rows. Continue in this way until all the kernels are off all the cobs.
    Alternatively, use a corn scraper. Set the cobs on a rimmed baking sheet to keep the kernels from flying all over the place when you remove the kernels.

    2 Scrape the cob to release the creamy milk: After you have removed the kernels, hold one cob over the pile of corn on the cutting board or baking sheet, and use the back of the knife to rub across it, going back and forth, to release the pulpy corn milk. Repeat with all the ears. The starchy liquid of the corn milk adds creaminess to the kernels.

    3 Cook the corn: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots or onions and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shallots soften but are not brown. Add the corn, corn milk, salt, pepper, and half and half.
    Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the kernels are tender and the corn looks creamy and slightly thickened. If it seems dry, stir in more cream or water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

    4 Serve the corn: Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot, garnished with chopped herbs.

    Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

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    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Roasted Parsnips

    What is a Parsnip?
    Parsnips look like funny white carrots, which makes sense–they’re members of the carrot family. They have a sweet, mild, earthy flavor that’s all their own. You can actually eat them raw, but cooking improves their taste and texture.
    How to Pick the Best Parsnips
    Look for parsnips that are small, rather than beefy. Large parsnips can be fibrous, while smaller ones are more tender and have a better flavor. The larger the parsnip, the larger its woody core—a part that’s best removed, rather than cooked.
    Avoid parsnips that are shriveled, spotted, or floppy. Parsnips are best in the cold weather months, fall to winter.
    How to Prep Parsnips for Cooking
    Peel parsnips as you would carrots. Cut off the narrow end of the parsnip first. Then quarter the wide end lengthwise so you can cut out and remove the fibrous core, if needed. Sometimes the core isn’t very hard or developed, and you don’t need to remove it.
    Parsnips will discolor if cut and stored over an hour or two. To minimize browning of cut parsnips, refrigerate in water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
    Love Parsnips? Try These Recipes! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    5 Memorable Recipes for a Small Scale Thanksgiving

    This post is written in partnership with Sanderson Farms. 
    Thanksgiving is on the horizon, and while it may look different this year than years past, it’s still possible to celebrate with all your favorite traditional recipes and desserts.
    If you’ve got a smaller gathering than usual, why not roast a chicken instead of a turkey? Call us crazy but that tender, juicy whole chicken rivals a larger turkey any day of the week.
    In addition to being a healthy part of the holiday table, chicken is also an affordable choice this holiday – why buy a large turkey when your guest list doesn’t warrant it?
    So this year we’re opting for Sanderson Farms whole chickens or Roasters because it just makes sense. They’re 100% natural, minimally processed with no added hormones, preservatives or artificial ingredients and they’re always fresh, never frozen.
    Whether you’re dry brining your bird or trying our popular feta brined recipe (which you must!), you’ll want to make sure you’ve got all the traditional fixings and sides, too. Just enough – and not too much – for your gathering this year! LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Cranberry Sweet Potatoes

    A simple yet festive holiday side dish that’s sure to wow thanks to the addition of dried cranberries, cranberry juice and cranberry sauce!

    This post is written in partnership with Ocean Spray®
    Give your sweet potatoes a new spin this holiday with a triple infusion of cranberries!
    While sweet potatoes are a classic for many families, this is a great year to mix things up. Since they’re naturally sweet, these root veggies don’t need much in the sugar department. Instead, the crisp taste of cranberry juice and cranberry sauce join forces to make a glaze with cinnamon, cloves, and the fresh zing of orange rind.
    Just a hint of brown sugar and plumped dried cranberries for garnish and you’re well on your way to a memorable holiday meal.
    VIDEO! How to Make Cranberry Sweet Potatoes

    How Do I Prepare the Sweet Potatoes?
    Do you love to peel potatoes? We didn’t think so.
    These spuds are boiled in their jackets, and the skin practically falls off with just a little coaxing.
    To cut down on cooking time, cut them in half, and they should be done after about twenty minutes, depending on their size. They should be just tender but still a little firm, since they’ll go back into the oven with the glaze.

    Can I Make Cranberry Sweet Potatoes in Advance?
    The benefit of boiling the potatoes is that you can assemble everything up to one or two days ahead of time.
    Cook, peel, and slice the potatoes, spoon on the glaze, and put them in a pretty baking dish. When dinnertime nears, they’ll be ready to pull out of the fridge and pop right into the oven.

    Cut Down on Dishes This Year!
    Making a big meal can be stressful. There’s timing to consider and, of course, you want to serve everything warm (oh the struggle!)
    And this is one of the reasons we love this recipe: you make it directly in the dish you’ll bake and serve it in.
    So go ahead and change it up with a truly scrumptious and low-maintenance side dish this year!

    Cranberry Sweet Potatoes Recipe

    Ingredients
    For the potatoes
    5 large sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), unpeeled and halved crosswise
    2 1/8 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
    3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail
    1/2 cup Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    1 tablespoon brown sugar
    Finely grated zest of 1 orange
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
    For the cranberry topping
    1/3 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries
    1/4 cup cranberry juice

    Method

    1 Boil the sweet potatoes: In a large pot, cover the unpeeled sweet potatoes with cold water. Add the 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender but still firm when pierced with the tip of a knife (Exact time depends on the size of your potatoes.)

    Drain potatoes and transfer to a cutting board to cool. Once cool enough to handle, pull off the skins and cut potatoes into 3/4-inch-thick rounds.
    2 Preheat the oven to 425ºF.  Generously butter a 9 X 13-inch baking dish or equivalent.
    3 Make the cranberry syrup/glaze: In a small pot over medium-high heat, whisk the cranberry juice cocktail, jellied cranberry sauce, butter, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt until the syrup boils and the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes.

    4 Assemble and bake the potatoes: Layer the potato slices in the prepared baking dish and pour the cranberry syrup over them.
    Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the syrup bubbles and the potatoes brown at the edges.
     
    5 Soften the cranberries: While the potatoes are baking, in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, heat the Craisins® Dried Cranberries and cranberry juice cocktail for 30 to 45 seconds, or until warm. Let them soak for 20 minutes to soften and plump. Drain.

    6 Serve the potatoes: Sprinkle the softened cranberries over and around the potatoes and serve.

    Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!

    This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Mom’s Roast Turkey

    1 Defrost the turkey several days ahead: If you are starting with a frozen turkey, you will need to allow several days to defrost the turkey. You’ll want to defrost it in the refrigerator so that the turkey stays chilled during this process.
    Put the wrapped frozen turkey in a pan to prevent leaks and then place it in the refrigerator. It will take about 5 hours of defrosting time for every pound of turkey. So if you have a 15 pound turkey, it should take about 75 hours, or 3 days, to defrost.
    If you need to defrost it more quickly than that, you can place it in a large tub of cool water, and keep changing the water to keep it cold, until the turkey is defrosted.
    2 Bring the turkey to room temp before roasting: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 2 to 5 hours (depending on the size of the bird) before cooking to allow it to come closer to room temperature. The turkey will cook more quickly and more evenly that way.
    3 Remove giblets and rinse: When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from its package. Usually turkeys come packaged with the neck and giblets (heart, gizzard, liver) in the main cavity or the neck opening (make sure to check both!)
    Pull the giblets out; they are often wrapped in a small paper package.
    If you want, you can chop up the heart and gizzard to make stock for the stuffing or dressing (put the chopped heart and gizzard into a small saucepan, cover with water, add salt, bring to simmer for an hour or so.)
    You can either cook the neck alongside the turkey, or use it to make turkey stock. You can also use all of the giblets for making giblet gravy.
    Rinse the turkey inside and out with water. If you see stray turkey feathers, pluck them out. Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry.
    Many turkeys come with a plastic tie holding the drumsticks together. Check the instructions on the turkey package; it is likely that you will not need to remove the tie unless you are cooking the turkey at a very high temperature.

    3 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
    4 Add the aromatics and truss the turkey: Slather the inside of the cavity with a tablespoon or so of lemon juice. Take a couple teaspoons of salt and rub all over the inside of the turkey. (Skip salt if you are using a brined turkey.)
    Put half an onion, cut into wedges, several sprigs of parsley, a chopped carrot or two, and some leafy celery tops into the main cavity of the turkey. These are aromatics that will flavor the turkey from the inside as it cooks.
    Cover the entrance to the main cavity with aluminum foil, or close it with metal skewers or kitchen string (not nylon string!), so that the aromatics don’t fall out while you are roasting the turkey.
    Put a few sprigs of parsley into the neck opening, cover the opening with the surrounding turkey skin, and close the opening with skewers or string.
    By the way, we don’t cook stuffing (or dressing as it is known in many parts of the country) in the turkey anymore. Stuffing the turkey adds to the overall cooking time, and not packing the turkey with stuffing will allow the turkey to cook more evenly. We do make our stuffing with stock made from the turkey giblets so the stuffing has plenty of turkey flavor.
    We truss our turkey, though some people choose not too. The point of trussing is to keep the legs and wings close to the body so they don’t spread out while cooking.
    To truss, make sure that the turkey’s legs are tied together, held close to the body, and tie a string around the turkey body to hold the wings in close. (Here’s a good video on trussing: how to truss a turkey.)

    5 Season the outside of the turkey: Rub either softened butter or extra virgin olive oil all over the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle salt generously on all sides of the outside of the turkey (do not add salt if you are using a brined turkey). Sprinkle pepper over the turkey as well.
    6 Place turkey breast-side down on the rack: Place the turkey BREAST DOWN on a rack over a sturdy roasting pan big enough to catch all the drippings.
    How do you know the turkey is breast side down? The wings are up and the legs are down.
    Note that you can also place the turkey directly on an oven rack with a large roasting pan to catch the drippings on the rack below. That method helps create a convection-like environment, helping the heat circulate more evenly around the turkey.
    Add several sprigs of fresh (if possible) thyme, sage, and/or rosemary to the outside of the turkey or tucked under the wings.
    Note that if you are using a remote thermometer (or two) to gauge the temperature of the turkey while it cooks, it’s easiest to find the right place to insert the probe when the turkey is breast-side UP. So eyeball where you think the thermometer probe(s) should go first, before placing the turkey breast-side down in the pan. Once the turkey is breast-side down in the pan, insert the probes into the thickest and coldest parts of the breast and/or thighs, making sure the probe(s) is not touching the metal rack or pan. If you only have one remote thermometer, put it in the breast.

    7 Roast the turkey: Before you put the turkey in the oven, do a rough calculation of how much overall time it should take to cook the turkey. Usually they say to assume 15 minutes for every pound of meat, but I have found in practice that it’s usually less than that, more like 13 minutes per pound.
    Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the turkey, how long it has been sitting at room temperature before cooking, and the shape and particulars of your specific oven. So come up with a rough estimate for the overall cooking time, and then make sure to check how the turkey is doing well before it is supposed to be done!
    Put the turkey in the oven at 400°F, uncovered. For the 15 lb turkey, start the cooking at 400°F for the first 20 minutes to brown it. Then reduce the heat to 325°F for the next 1 to 2 hours, until the internal temperature of breast reaches about 140°F to 145°F or so. Then reduce the heat further to 225°F until done, anywhere from a half hour to an hour or more.
    Note that the lower oven temperature at the end of cooking can help you time when you want the turkey to be done. If the turkey is cooking more quickly than you expect, lowering the oven temp can extend the cooking time. If the turkey isn’t cooking quickly enough and you’re ready to eat, don’t lower the temperature to 225°F, or if you already have, increase it again to 325°F.

    8 Brown the breast (optional): If you want the turkey skin of the breast to be browned, when the turkey is close to being done (about 150°F for the breast), you’ll need to turn the turkey over so that the breast is on top, and put it in a 500°F oven or under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes, just enough time to brown the breast.
    Note that by browning the breast you may end up over-cooking the turkey breast a little bit. We often don’t turn the turkey over. Turning the turkey over can be a hot, messy job, so if you do it, the best way is to use clean oven mitts or clean kitchen towels (just throw them in the laundry afterwards.)

    9 Check the turkey to be sure it’s done: Start taking temperature readings with a meat thermometer, inserted deep into the thickest part of the turkey breast and thigh, an hour and a half before the turkey should be done.
    You want a resulting temperature of 165°F for the white meat (breast) and 165°F to 170°F for the dark meat (thighs and legs). The temperature of the bird will continue to rise once you take it out of the oven, so take the turkey out of the oven when the temperature reading for the breast is 155°F to 160°F, and for the thigh is 160°F to 165°F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, spear the breast with a knife. The turkey juices should be clear, not pink.
    If the thighs reach their target temperature before the breast, turn the turkey over and let the turkey finish cooking breast side up.
    8 Rest the turkey and carve: Once you remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a cutting board, tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm, and let it rest for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the turkey. Turn the turkey breast side up to carve it. (See Serious Eats video on How to Carve a Turkey.)
    Making Turkey Gravy
    Make the gravy while the turkey is resting covered on the carving board. If you have used a thick metal roasting pan, you can often put it directly on the stovetop burner, if not, scrape off the drippings and put them into a skillet. If you are using the roasting pan, use a metal spatula to scrape loose any dripping that might be stuck to the bottom of the pan.
    1 Make a roux with the turkey fat: Use a metal spoon to ladle off some of the excess fat from the pan (leave about 4 Tbsp or so of fat and drippings in the pan) and reserve for another use.
    You can use either flour or cornstarch to make the gravy. (We find we get better results with flour, so usually make gravy with flour unless serving a guest who must eat gluten-free.)
    If using flour, heat the fat and drippings in the pan until they are bubbly. Sprinkle with 1/4 of flour all over the fat and drippings.
    Stir with a wire whisk to make a roux with the flour and fat. Let the flour brown a minute or so in the hot pan.
    2 Add liquid to make the gravy: Slowly add 3 cups of water, stock, or milk to the pan, whisking vigorously to get rid of any lumps. Let the gravy simmer and thicken.
    Add salt and pepper, ground sage, thyme or other seasonings to taste.
    See our gravy recipe for more detail and for instructions on making gravy using cornstarch.
    Save Bones for Stock
    When you are finished with your turkey, save the bones from the carcass to make a delicious turkey soup. LEGGI TUTTO