Take it Easy, Turkey!

American culture has a special place of honor for the beloved turkey. Specifically, the Thanksgiving Turkey: the glorified, regal presentation of a whole roasted bird, exquisitely dressed and decorated to feed a crowd. Family, gratitude, homecoming, and togetherness are all represented in this traditional national holiday. In its origin, long before commercialism, Thanksgiving was meant to be a seudat hoda’ah, a meal expressing thanks and appreciation for survival after hardship and struggle while settling an untamed wilderness. The foundations of America prioritized developing an “attitude of gratitude” way before gratitude journaling was ever a thing! For this reason, I have always respected this particular American holiday, in addition to all the yummy pies and fall favorites of course! That said, there certainly is a lot of hype surrounding the preparations leading up to this festive meal. It may feel anticlimactic for many observant Jews, as we essentially make a Thanksgiving feast every week for Shabbos, and we manage to do so without planning guides and weeks of build-up.

When choosing which recipes to include in my cookbook, I made the tough decision to pass over one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes, a recipe for Cider-Roasted Whole Turkey. It was the real deal: crispy skin, thickened homemade cider-gravy, all the best of what Thanksgiving “food comas” are made of. But in the end, I questioned the practicality of encouraging people to commit their oven space for 4-5 hours (I myself do not do it that often). Roasting a whole turkey also requires plenty of advanced planning to thaw a bird, plus time to clean, season, and roast it properly without drying out the white meat (which cooks faster than the dark meat). In more recent years, I have opted towards a simpler option: choosing the turkey cut that works for my family. For example, a white meat turkey roast (the breast) vs. a few turkey legs. While I still use a meat thermometer to ensure it is cooked properly, this is still a more manageable approach and less involved in terms of time and prep. According to the USDA, the turkey is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Even so, don’t forget that once the turkey is out of the oven, the internal temperature will continue to rise an additional 5-10 degrees while resting, bringing you to a final cooked temp of 180 degrees F, which might result in dried out white meat. To ensure a juicy turkey, I tend to remove it 5-6 degrees lower than 165 degrees, allowing for that “carry-over” cooking time to keep things food safe but still maintaining its moistness. Allow at least 15-20 minutes resting time in order to allow juices to settle back and reabsorb into the meat before slicing (turkey will stay hot while resting for up to 40 minutes, tented with foil). Carving immediately will let the juices run out…and they won’t go back in!

Enjoy this recipe for a simple holiday turkey roast with no mess and no fuss. Now that’s something to be thankful for!

Basic spices enhance this roasted turkey breast. Use a meat thermometer to cook it to the right internal temperature for best results.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 (2 1/2-3-pound) white meat turkey roast (boneless breast with skin)

2 tablespoons white wine

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place turkey roast in a medium roasting pan skin-side up. Combine all remaining ingredients in a small bowl, whisking until well blended. Rub mixture evenly all over roast to coat. Roast uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F. Loosely cover with foil. Continue to roast until turkey’s internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (about 45-50 minutes depending on size). Remove from oven, allowing turkey to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. To serve, remove any netting, slice and platter turkey. Drizzle the pan juices over sliced turkey.

Cook’s Note: The internal temperature will continue to rise by 5-8 degrees after being removed from the oven. This is called “carry-over cooking.” Enjoy! n

Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer based in Woodmere, NY.  She teaches classes throughout the country and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration.  Her first cookbook, The Giving Table, was released in December 2022.  Follow her at @naomirosscooks on Instagram/FB/TikTok or visit her website: www.naomirosscooks.com.