By Compiled by JANET K. KEELER from staff and wire reports
Published November 21, 2004
We're not kidding: Jennie-O's oven-ready turkey could change the way we cook Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey goes from freezer to oven in a roasting bag. No thawing, no pulling out bags of organs, no seasoning, no trussing, no basting, no plucking tiny pin feathers and no touching raw turkey.
And the bonus is the turkey tastes good. Our test revealed generally moist and flavorful meat, and there were drippings enough to make gravy.
The bird browned beautifully. We're guessing the secret is in the "proprietary oven roasting bag." Jennie-O, a division of Hormel, is not giving away that secret.
The four-step instructions come with illustrations to make them even easier to follow.
The biggest challenge was finding the turkeys, which come whole 11 to 13 pounds or 17 to 19 pounds and half 5 to 7 pounds. There are two flavors, homestyle and butter, garlic and herb. We went to three stores and finally found a homestyle variety at Albertsons. Cost is about $1.85 a pound, a good buck more than conventional turkeys.
Still, the price of convenience is worth it in this case, especially for novice cooks or others who are nervous about preparing the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving dinner.
An easy start
Take a cue from author Ina Garten: Skip the heavy hors d'oeuvres, she says in November Food & Wine. Instead, set out bowls of cashews with Veuve Clicquot.
SHOPPING: START EARLY
You'll have plenty of perishables to haul home. Don't be one of those pitiful last-minute shoppers with a cart piled higher than your head, with the bread on the bottom. Before the rush, check your supplies and stock up on the following:
* Foil, plastic wrap, plastic bags, paper towels, trash bags, containers for leftovers (buy extras to send food home with guests).
* Pantry staples: sugar, salt, pepper, butter, flour, sage. Replace any spices that are past their prime, such as cinnamon and sage.
* Think about stocking up now on heavy canned goods such as pumpkin pie filling and chicken stock.
Logistics
You should have your lists - guest, food, beverage, etc. - almost done. This will give you time to add the items you forgot, without panic.
Today: Give your kitchen the once-over. Toss any old leftovers in the fridge and clean the containers. Make sure you have something for the family to eat while you're dealing with the Thanksgiving meal.
Wednesday night: Wash anything that's dirty, then empty the dishwasher. Take out the trash. Clean the oven, if you haven't already.
Line baking dishes with heavy-duty foil.
Check the butter dish, salt and pepper shakers and sugar bowl; fill if necessary. Set up the coffeemaker. Set the table.
