Roasted.—Clean, prepare, and truss a turkey as directed for poultry, and, if the turkey is not fat, the breast may be larded with salt pork. Place it on the spit before a sharp fire, basting often with melted butter at first, and then with the drippings. It may be enveloped in buttered paper and tied with twine before placing it on the spit; the paper is removed ten or fifteen minutes before taking from the fire; serve with the gravy, after having skimmed the fat off.
Some fresh water-cress is placed all around it, and on which you sprinkle vinegar or lemon-juice.
A turkey may be served in every way as a roasted chicken—with sauces, garnitures, and decorated with skewers.
Baked.—When cleaned, prepared, and trussed, put the turkey in a baking-pan, spread a little butter on it, put a little cold water in the pan, the depth of about two-eighths of an inch, sprinkle salt all over, place a piece of buttered paper on it, and put in a quick oven. Baste often and turn the bird over and round, if necessary. It takes from one hour and a half to two hours to cook a turkey, according to size, quality, and also according to the degree of heat.
It is served with the gravy only, after having removed the fat, or with sauces, garnitures, and decorations, described for roasted chicken.
Oyster-Sauce.—When roasted or baked as directed, serve warm with an oyster-sauce.
With Currant Jelly.—Roast or bake it, and then serve it with currant-jelly.
It is also served with a cranberry-sauce.
Stewed.—An old turkey is more tender stewed than cooked in any other way.
The fleshy parts may be larded with salt pork, if found too lean.