make-ahead stress-free turkey directions
I once had to feed a CROWD of relatives with one small oven. I knew I had to come up with a plan....so I roasted my 2 turkeys the day before. It was THE BEST, STRESS-FREE, BEST-TASTING Thanksgiving turkey EVER!! Been doing it this way ever since!! The oven was open and free for ALL my (pre-prepared) sides, the turkey MESS and carcass was all gone, my kitchen was clean, I got to spend time with my company, and even got to catch quite a lot of the football games blasting on 3 TV's!!! NO MORE of all that chaos and last minute losing my mind frustration of trying to carve a 15 lb. turkey while kids are fussing, babies crying, Uncles drunk rolling in the front yard, MIL tapping her watch smiling knowing dinner is already 30 minutes late due to lack of oven space, and me, in the kitchen weilding a still running electric carving knife over my head running in place cartoon-style because the turkey drippings ran over the carving board, down the kitchen cabinets and pooled onto the floor in a greasy MESS. If this sounds like your house too, this idea is for YOU! Breathe in...breathe out...help is here!!! ;)
Ingredients For make-ahead stress-free turkey directions
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roasted turkey(s)
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1-2boxes chicken broth
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1-2sticks butter, not margarine
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1-2 crock pots
How To Make make-ahead stress-free turkey directions
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1The day before Thanksgiving, roast your turkey(s) as you normally do. Let rest. Have 1-2 (depending on how much meat you will have or if you want to seperate the white meat from the dark), crock pots next to your carving board. Por a little chicken (or turkey) broth onto bottom(s) of crock pot(s). Start carving the turkey and laying the slices on the bottom. When you have a double layer, dot with butter and add broth to just cover. Repeat until all meat has been carved from the turkey(s). *If using just one crock pot, be sure to mix the meat as you go so the light and dark will be easy to get to. (*Don't forget to keep adding pats of butter and broth as you go.) Now put the lid(s) on and refrigerate or put in the garage if it's cold enough out there. About 3 hours before dinner is to be served, turn crocks on to high to get them started, then after about 45 minutes to an hour, turn to low. It will take at least 3 hours to heat through. (You can bring the crocks to a kitchen counter an hour before turning on, too, to help further in heating up.) One hour will not kill anyone and it will still be cold. If serving casually, just leave in the crock pots. If serving formally, go into the kitchen, turn the electric knife on and off for awhile while sipping your drink, splatter a tiny bit of juice onto your apron or blouse, lift pieces of meat onto pretty platter and emerge from the kitchen as though you just carved it. No one will be the wiser! ;) The turkey will all be hot, juicy, buttery and tender as tender can be! Hope this helps! It sure has helped me... (Photo is by me of my turkey. Ain't he purdy?!)
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