Old-World Twists For New Turkey Tastes This Thanksgiving

CHICAGO, Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For more than 30 years, Peapod's Tony Stallone has been the chef du jour for his family's Thanksgiving celebration. While Stallone, vice president of Fresh Markets for Peapod, normally espouses the merits of all things produce, here he shares his best ideas for your holiday bird.

"More than 95 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving, and there are hundreds of ways to prepare your festive bird. I've got four foolproof tips for an incredibly moist and distinctively flavored turkey," said Stallone, who comes from a long line of Italian cooks. "And don't forget to pour a little love into your holiday dishes!"

Tony's Turkey Tip #1
The single, most important turkey tip: brine your bird overnight, to prevent it from drying out during cooking. There are many brining solutions, but I like to keep it simple: 1 cup of kosher salt and ½ cup of brown sugar per gallon of water. Remember, the turkey needs to stay refrigerated at 40°F or below the entire time it is in the brine.

Tony's Turkey Tip #2
My grandmother advises that you rinse the turkey, inside and out, after removing it from the brine. Poultry can contain a lot of bacteria and a thorough washing is a must. Pat the turkey dry and then massage the bird with balsamic vinegar. The vinegar, which is an acid, helps remove any remaining bacteria, lends a sharpness to the final flavor, and gives the bird a beautiful deep, rich color when cooked.