In Canada, we celebrated Thanksgiving the second Monday of October, a tradition that began in 1957. For those of you living in the United States, Thanksgiving is still to come. And, what better way to enjoy Turkey Day than to bake your bird in one of our Antique Cook’s Delight ranges.
Loaded with state-of-the-art features to make your culinary experience more enjoyable, the Antique range includes a full-size, self-cleaning oven and a choice of cooktops. 45” models also come with a “stay hot” food warmer, to keep your side dishes hot while you’re finishing off the rest of your meal.
Preparing a turkey for the first time can be a daunting task. You definitely don’t want your turkey to take on an unwelcoming “blackened” taste. To make the job easier, cook your turkey to perfection with the Cook’s Delight range’s “Feather Touch” electric control panel. Conveniently located at eye-level in the upper cabinet, the touch screen allows temperatures to be easily controlled. The indicator lights on the panel and cooking surface let you know which function is being used. The cooktop lights and exhaust fan are also controlled from this location.
Unless you are an expert chef like Rachel Ray, stick to the basics when it comes to cooking your turkey. The cook time depends on the how big your bird is. The rule of thumb for poultry is 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees, plus an addition 10-20 minutes of roasting time. Be sure to let your turkey rest for 10-15 minutes before carving, this will help keep the meat moist, and scrumptious. It’s also suggested to stuff your turkey with stuffing prior to baking for extra flavor.
When it comes to your side dishes, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner typically includes green bean casserole accented with crispy onions; sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows; mashed potatoes and gravy; and fresh cranberry sauce. With this many dishes, you will need to plan accordingly.
Luckily, Elmira Stove Works’ Antique ranges come with a 30-inch or 45-inch cooktop. The 30-inch cooktop comprises four burners; the 45-inch cooktop houses six burners. This gives you plenty of room to prepare your side dishes all at the same time. Sealed gas burners, “Ultra Temp” cast elements or smooth-top electric burners, and even combinations are available, giving you plenty of options to choose from.
Our Antique ranges are accessible in a multitude of colors to complement your kitchen’s design scheme: Black, White, Bisque, Cayenne Pepper Red, Liberty Blue, Jewel Green, Black / White combination, or Black / Bisque combination. Additionally, other decorative metal trim accents are available; including a Victorian trivet, decorative shelf, door frames, leg and front skirt trim – all in Nickel, Antique Copper or Antique Brass.
With all the available options offered with our Antique ranges, preparing your Thanksgiving meal won’t cause stress or headaches; instead it has the potential to renew your passion for cooking.
“Talking Turkey: Non-Traditional Ideas for Your Traditional Range”
Rather than go with the traditional cooking directions for turkey, consider these ideas from a post on amazingribs.com:
- DON’T set your bird down inside the roasting pan, which results in the top of the bird being overcooked by the time the bottom is cooked. Instead, set a rack across the top of the pan and set the bird on the rack. This will create even degree heat all around the bird. Put a cup of water into the bottom of the pan to keep the bird even moister.
- DON’T cook your bird to 180 degrees. Instead, remove the bird at 160 degrees – it will rise to 165 degrees while you’re carving it. (The USDA changed their guidelines for turkey from 180 degrees to 165 degrees back in 2006. Most recipes are out of date.) At 165 degrees, you’ll have a safe bird that is much moister.
- DON’T stuff the turkey. By the time the stuffing is safely heated to 165 degrees, the white meat will be overcooked. Instead, leave the cavity empty, allowing the bird to roast evenly from the inside and out. Bake your stuffing in muffin pans for a tasty, crispy treat. Rub the cavity with the same seasoning you’re using on the outside, and place a cheesecloth packet loaded with aromatics (parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme – sing along if you wish!) in the cavity.
- DON’T set the oven at 350 degrees. Instead, go with 325 degrees. This will allow for much more even heating and, with the cavity empty, your bird will cook quite quickly, so you’ll actually be reducing your overall cooking time.
- DON’T rely on the clock. Instead, rely on a good thermometer. Yes, we know you want to know roughly how long it will take – for an unstuffed bird, allow about 2 to 2-1/2 hours for a 12-14 pound bird. Add a half hour for every additional four pounds.
- DON’T tent your turkey with foil or let it stand. Doing so allows the skin to soften and lose that wonderful crispness you worked so hard to get. Instead, carve the bird as soon as you take it out of the oven.
- DON’T carve the breasts while they’re on the bird. Instead, use your knife to scoop the breasts off of the bird. Then carve them across the grain so that everyone gets a piece of breast meat with a nice crispy bit of skin attached to it.
- To learn more about Elmira Stove Works’ collection of Antique ranges, visit our website at www.elmirastoveworks.com.