split the gizzard and take out inside and inner lining (throw
liver, heart, and gizzard into water, wash well, and lay aside to
be cooked and used for gravy); wash the fowl thoroughly in
several waters (some wipe carefully without washing), hang up to
drain and it is ready to be stuffed, skewered, and placed to roast.
To make it look plump, before stuffing, flatten the breast-bone
by placing several thicknesses of cloth over it and pounding it,
being careful not to break the skin, and rub the inside well with
salt and pepper. Stuff the breast first, but not too full or it will
burst in cooking; stuff the body rather fuller than the breast,
sew up both openings with strong thread, and sew the neck over
upon the back or down upon the breast (these threads must be
carefully removed before sending to the table). Lay the points
of the wings under the back, and fasten in that position with a
skewer run through both wings and held in place with a twine;
press the legs as closely towards the breast and side bones as pos-
sible, and fasten with a skewer run through the body and both
thighs. Rub over thoroughly with pepper and salt, place in a
pan and lay on slices of pork, or fat taken out of the fowl, and
dredge well with flour, and place to roast in an oven rather hot
at first, and then graduate the heat to moderate until done, to
test which insert a fork between the thigh and body; if the juice
is watery and not bloody it is done. If not served at once, the
fowl may be kept hot without drying up, by placing over a skillet
full of boiling water set on top of stove or range), and inverting
a dripping-pan over it. In roasting a turkey, allow fifteen min-
utes' time for every pound. Some steam turkey before roasting,
and a turkey steamer may be easily improvised by placing the
dripping-pan containing the turkey, on top of two or three pieces
of wood laid in the bottom of a wash boiler, with just enough
water to cover the wood; put on the lid, which should fit tightly
on the boiler, and as the water boils away, add more. Add the
liquor in the dripping-pan to the turkey when placed in the oven
to roast (do not use the water from the boiler). Boil the giblets
until tender in a separate dish, and add them, well chopped, to-
gether with water in which they were cooked, to the gravy.
The garnishes for turkey and chicken are parsley, slices of
lemon, fried sausages and force-meat balls.
POULTRY. 61
ROAST TURKEY.
Prepare as directed above. For dressing, see page 49; or,
mince a dozen oysters and stir into the dressing, and if you are
partial to the taste, wet the bread crumbs with the oyster liquor.
The effect upon the turkey meat, particularly that of the breast,
is very pleasant. In stuffing the turkey be sure to leave room
enough for the dressing to swell. After you have filled the tur-
key, sew it up with strong thread. This and the neck string are
removed when the fowl is dished. In roasting, if the fire is
brisk, allow about ten minutes to a pound, but it will depend
very much upon the turkey's age whether this rule holds good.
Rub the turkey with salt and pepper, and spit it; baste often
with the drippings and flour, and occasionally with butter, fif-
teen minutes before dishing baste with butter, and dredge on a
little flour; this will give it a frothy appearance.✪ Roast Turkey
Page 35 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1887. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
split the gizzard and take out inside and inner lining (throw liver, heart, and gizzard into water, wash well, and lay aside to be cooked and used for gravy); wash the fowl thoroughly in several waters (some wipe carefully without washing), hang up to drain and it is ready to be stuffed, skewered, and placed to roast. To make it look plump, before stuffing, flatten the breast-bone by placing several thicknesses of cloth over it and pounding it, being careful not to break the skin, and rub the inside well with salt and pepper. Stuff the breast first, but not too full or it will burst in cooking; stuff the body rather fuller than the breast, sew up both openings with strong thread, and sew the neck over upon the back or down upon the breast (these threads must be carefully removed before sending to the table). Lay the points of the wings under the back, and fasten in that position with a skewer run through both wings and held in place with a twine; press the legs as closely towards the breast and side bones as possible, and fasten with a skewer run through the body and both thighs. Rub over thoroughly with pepper and salt, place in a pan and lay on slices of pork, or fat taken out of the fowl, and dredge well with flour, and place to roast in an oven rather hot at first, and then graduate the heat to moderate until done, to test which insert a fork between the thigh and body; if the juice is watery and not bloody it is done. If not served at once, the fowl may be kept hot without drying up, by placing over a skillet full of boiling water set on top of stove or range), and inverting a dripping-pan over it. In roasting a turkey, allow fifteen minutes' time for every pound. Some steam turkey before roasting, and a turkey steamer may be easily improvised by placing the dripping-pan containing the turkey, on top of two or three pieces of wood laid in the bottom of a wash boiler, with just enough water to cover the wood; put on the lid, which should fit tightly on the boiler, and as the water boils away, add more. Add the liquor in the dripping-pan to the turkey when placed in the oven to roast (do not use the water from the boiler). Boil the giblets until tender in a separate dish, and add them, well chopped, together with water in which they were cooked, to the gravy.
The garnishes for turkey and chicken are parsley, slices of lemon, fried sausages and force-meat balls.
ROAST TURKEY.
Prepare as directed above. For dressing, see page 49; or, mince a dozen oysters and stir into the dressing, and if you are partial to the taste, wet the bread crumbs with the oyster liquor. The effect upon the turkey meat, particularly that of the breast, is very pleasant. In stuffing the turkey be sure to leave room enough for the dressing to swell. After you have filled the turkey, sew it up with strong thread. This and the neck string are removed when the fowl is dished. In roasting, if the fire is brisk, allow about ten minutes to a pound, but it will depend very much upon the turkey's age whether this rule holds good. Rub the turkey with salt and pepper, and spit it; baste often with the drippings and flour, and occasionally with butter, fifteen minutes before dishing baste with butter, and dredge on a little flour; this will give it a frothy appearance.
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Roast Turkey