Norbest Turkey Tips & Recipes

Serves 10-12

4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb. Norbest turkey sausage
2 yellow onions, diced
3 large leeks
3 garlic cloves, minced
7 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 t. chopped thyme
1 1/2 t. rubbed sage
Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 c. dry cooking sherry
1 c. peeled and roasted chestnuts, halved
1 lb. Italian Focaccia bread (dried)
2 T chopped fresh Italian Parsley
3-4 c. warmed chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 3-qt baking dish with 1 t. butter. in a large fry pan over medium high heat, crumble and cook sausage until light brown. Cool on plate. In the same pan over medium heat, melt 3 T. butter. Saute onions and leeks 10-12 minutes or until transparent. Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme, sage, 2 t. salt and pepper, cook 12 minutes. Stir in cooking sherry.

In a very large bowl, combine sausage, vegetables, chestnuts, focaccia bread and parsley. Stir in stock 1/2 cup at a time, be sure bread croutons absorb it completely. Transfer to baking dish. Cover with foil, bake 20 minutes. Uncover bake 25-30 minutes.

MORONI, Utah, Nov. 6, 2012 – Preparing a 12-pound turkey for Thanksgiving guests may be an intimidating, once-a year experience for some families. That’s why Norbest, Inc., the marketing cooperative of 43 independent Utah turkey farmers, is once again activating its toll-free turkey tips hotline to answer questions and dispel the myths surrounding how to prepare a moist, tender turkey for the holidays. Utahns may call 1-800-453-5327 Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in November and December 2012. Norbest also offers a treasure trove of preparation tips and recipes at www.norbest.com, that can be accessed 24/7. Many of the recipes come from Utah’s turkey grower families.

“Preparing a turkey for roasting is really very simple and can be done in just ten minutes,” says Ricky Christensen, Norbest marketing manager. “Our turkey experts have broken down the process into five easy steps that result in a tender, moist turkey every time.”

1) Start with a refrigerated or thawed locally-raised and produced all-natural, pre-basted Norbest turkey. Remove the outer bag, rinse and set aside as a quick reference for roasting times and instructions.

2) Unlock legs from clamp and clear body cavities of neck and giblets.

3) Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with paper towel. Season.

4) Optional – loosely pack with stuffing and reset legs in oven-safe clamp.

5) Place the turkey in a large roasting pan with Tender Timer® gauge unobstructed. Cover with a lid or create a loose foil tent over the bird. Roast at 325 degrees until Tender Timer® pops up and indicates the turkey is done at 165 degrees. (Allow 15 minutes per pound roasting time for unstuffed turkey. Stuffed turkey requires one-half to one hour additional cooking time.)

“Whether your turkey is frozen or refrigerated or a Tom or a hen, it makes little difference in the flavor, moisture or texture of the meat,” adds Christensen. “And, there is no need for basting. Norbest turkeys will always be moist because they are pre-basted with an all-natural solution of seasoned turkey broth.”

There are many myths surrounding turkey preparation which stem back to the days when all turkeys were sold “New York Dressed” with the head, feet and viscera still intact, and there were no uniform federal U.S. standards to assure the age and quality of the turkeys. This resulted in tales about lengthy preparation and the notorious “dryness.” Norbest’s predecessor, Northwestern Turkey Growers Association was among the first to adopt federal grading standards. Today, all Norbest branded whole birds are USDA Grade A, the highest standard available. That means that Norbest turkeys are young, tender birds, harvested at the peak time to assure maximum flavor and tenderness.

Norbest was the first to offer Tender Timer® turkeys, pre-basted turkeys, bone-in breasts, boneless roasts and other products for the consumer and for the food-service industry.

For more information on how to select, thaw, stuff, store, cook, carve and serve turkey, visit
www.norbest.com. The site contains a large amount of recipes, many perfected by the families of Utah’s own turkey farmers.

“Whether you want to grill, roast, use the rotisserie, convection oven, deep fryer or slow cooker, we can help,” adds Christensen. “We sincerely hope that Utahns will support our turkey growers and their families this Thanksgiving by buying a locally-grown Norbest turkey. And, and we’ll do our best to provide tips and advice to make their holiday turkey preparation worry free.”

About Norbest
Norbest® is a federated marketing cooperative, headquartered in Moroni, Utah. The company deals exclusively with turkeys and value-added turkey products. It is the oldest cooperative organization of its type in the world, and is one of the top turkey marketing firms in the United States. Norbest’s cooperative members include 43 independent turkey growers in San Pete and Juab County, Utah. Norbest offers a full line of products including whole birds, bone-in breasts and boneless roasts for both retail and foodservice; ground turkey; turkey steaks; cooked, roasted, and smoked deli breasts; turkey ham; and a host of other fine products. The Norbest® brand is one of the world’s best known and respected brands and Norbest products are sold all over the world.