Trussing a Turkey

As kids, most of us must have seen our mom tying the legs and wings of a turkey roasting. This very process is known as trussing and most of us are aware of it. However, if you are a novice at cooking a large bird yourself, at home, you might be looking for easy method to truss a turkey. Let us take a look.

What is Trussing

Trussing chicken or turkey is carried out in several parts of the world. Those following it since long time swear by it. Trussing helps in preventing the wings and the legs of the birds from burning. At the same time, tying the bird firmly also helps in keeping the stuffing at place. However, some chefs are against trussing. According to them, when a turkey is trussed, it takes a longer time for cooking, and there are also chances that the tied part may remain uncooked. However, trussing a turkey is an easy, simple and effective method for roasting it perfectly. Let us take a look at the easiest method of trussing the bird in detail.

How to Truss a Turkey

A turkey is trussed with a thread which you should remember to remove after roasting. Now let us take a look at the process of trussing in detail.

• You will require an 8 inch trussing needle and an 24 inch piece of cotton twine. Place the bird such that the breast side is facing upwards.
• Sew such that the tail of the turkey should be tucked up and under and then closing it. This will help in sewing the cavity of the stuffed turkey.
• Now thread the needle with an 48 inch twine. You need to take a longer thread so that it can be tied off in the end. Push this thread through the lower thigh and bring it out from the other side.
• Now turn the bird over and insert the needle through one wing, neck and take it out from the opposite wing.
• Next, the center of the leg should be trussed to the opposite thigh.
• Put the thread through the thigh and under the breast. Take it out from the point where you had started.
• Lastly, pull the two loose ends and tie firmly. Check if the legs and the wings of the bird are properly tied.

How to Roast a Turkey

Now, that you have trussed the bird, you might be looking for recipe on roasting a turkey. The following is an easy method on roasting a turkey at home.

Ingredients

• 12- 14lb. of turkey
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Your favorite stuffing

Method of Preparation

• The oven should be preheated to 325 degrees F
• Wash the turkey inside out. Next, stuff it with your favorite stuffing.
• Truss the turkey using above mentioned method.
• Rub olive oil on the outer side of the turkey and sprinkle salt and pepper over it to taste.
• Place the turkey in the roasting rack in the over and roast for 3 hours.
• After the prescribed time, you can insert the thermometer in the thigh of the turkey. If it shows 175-180 degrees F temperature, note that the turkey is roasted fully.
• Take it out, remove the thread used for trussing and serve!

I hope this guide will help you know how to truss a turkey at home in an easy way. Good luck!