Source: Food Network Magazine November 2021
Cultural Traditions
Turkeys are traditionally eaten as the main course of Thanksgiving dinner feasts in the United States and Canada, and at Christmas dinner feasts in much of the rest of the world (often as stuffed turkey).
Turkey meat has been eaten by indigenous peoples from Mexico, Central America, and the southern tier of the United States since antiquity. In the 15th century, Spanish conquistadores took Aztec turkeys back to Europe.
Turkey in England
Turkey was eaten as early as the 16th century in England. Before the 20th century, pork ribs were the most common food for the North American holidays, as the animals were usually slaughtered in November. Turkeys were once so abundant in the wild that they were eaten throughout the year, the food considered commonplace, whereas pork ribs were rarely available outside of the Thanksgiving–New Year season. While the tradition of turkey at Christmas spread throughout Britain in the 17th century, among the working classes, it became common to serve goose, which remained the predominant roast until the Victorian era.
Mexico
Turkey with mole is regarded as Mexico’s “national dish”.
Turkey rice is regarded as one of Taiwan’s national dishes
Because the turkey is a New World bird, questions about its kosher status have been discussed for many years. However, the great majority of authorities and a long history of Jewish usage have regarded it as kosher, as other related fowl such as chicken, partridge, and pheasant are.
Ingredients
One 8-10 pound turkey
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 head garlic, halved
one onion, medium, quartered
1 lemon, halved
handful of herb sprigs, parsley, sage, rosemary, and/or thyme
2 bay leaves
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Directions
To begin with, preheat the oven to 325 degrees in order to make this herb-stuffed roasted turkey.
Firstly, remove the turkey parts from the neck and breast cavities and set them aside for gravy. Next, ensure that the turkey is thoroughly dried with paper towels, both inside and out. After that, generously season the inside of the breast cavity with salt and pepper. Additionally, stuff the cavity with garlic, lemon, onion, herb sprigs, and bay leaves to enhance the flavor.
Set the turkey breast side up on a roaster with a rack. Brush generously with half of the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tent with aluminum foil. Roast the turkey for 2 hours. Remove the foil and baste with the remaining butter. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees and continue to roast until the thigh registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes more.
Allow the turkey to rest for 15 minutes before carving, as a result, the juices remain in the turkey.
Also, try: Cornbread Dressing