The Daily

Talking Turkey: A Holiday Special Edition

Nov 23, 2022

Join food experts Kim Severson and J. Kenji López-Alt as they dive into the culinary chaos of Thanksgiving turkey preparation. Kim shares quirky historical cooking techniques and the pressure of 'turkey fear.' J. Kenji debunks myths with his foolproof roasting methods, emphasizing the secrets hidden in your fridge. From the deep-fried turkey legacy to the rise of spatchcocking, they explore how cooking styles reflect personal identities. Together, they make turkey cooking approachable and fun, just in time for the holiday!

27:27

Creator website

Episode guests

J. Kenji López Alt

Kim Severson

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Unpacking Thanksgiving Turkey Myths

7min

The Rise of Deep Fried Turkey and Butterball's Legacy

4min

Redefining Turkey Preparation: From Cheesecloth to Identity

2min

Simplifying Thanksgiving: The Quest for the Perfect Turkey

3min

Mastering Turkey Preparation: Spatchcocking and Beyond

11min

Being tasked with the turkey on Thanksgiving can be a high-pressure, high-stakes job. Two Times writers share what they’ve learned.

Kim Severson takes listeners on a journey through some of the turkey-cooking gimmicks that have been recommended to Americans over the decades, and J. Kenji López-Alt talks about his foolproof method for roasting a bird.

Guest: Kim Severson, a food correspondent for The New York Times; and J. Kenji López-Alt, a food columnist for The Times.

Background reading:

From brining to bagging to clothing the bird in cotton, every year brings a fresh cooking trick that promises perfection. Here are the oddest and most memorable.
The secret to great Thanksgiving turkey is already in your fridge, according to J. Kenji López-Alt.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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