The Math Blaster Blog

Turkeys is the iconic symbol of Thanksgiving. However, not all kids favor the healthiness and light taste of turkeys. With a little bit of seasoning and the festivity surrounding the holidays, find out how you can turn a delicious turkey recipe into a math learning tool for your kid!

Photo by tuchodi

Roast Turkey

Making a traditional and tasty roasted turkey requires a bit more time and effort than usual seasonal dishes. You will need a few ingredients to add some flavor to the meaty texture.

Ingredients

2 gallons of water

2 cups of apple juice

1½ cups of kosher salt

2 cups of brown sugar

5 cloves of garlic (crushed)

5 bay leaves

4 tablespoon of black peppercorns

2 table spoons of dried rosemary

3 oranges (peeled, white pith removed, skill roughly chopped)

1 fresh turkey (20 pounds)

1½ sticks of butter (softened)

3 tablespoon of fresh rosemary leaves (minced)

3 tablespoons of orange zest (chopped)

Directions

You will need to start the preparation process at least a day in advance to ensure that the turkey is properly seasoned and ready to be roasted on the day of the celebration.

1. Mix the water, apple juice, bay leaves, garlic, sugar, salt, peppercorns, orange peel, and dried rosemary in a large pot, and boil it. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat off immediately, allow it to cool to room temperature, and settle it in the fridge.
2. Remove the turkey from its packaging and rinse it thoroughly under cool water.
3. Place the turkey in a plastic brining bag or large pot, and pour the cool mixture you previously created over the top. Add extra cold water if you need more mixture to complete cover the turkey. Seal the bag or cover the pot, and place the turkey in the refrigerator for 16 to 24 hours before roasting.
4. The next day, rinse the turkey thoroughly under cold water before you start roasting it. Be sure to soak the turkey in fresh water for 15 to 20 minutes to prevent the gravy from becoming too salty).
5. Preheat the over to 275°F
6. Cover the turkey with heavy-duty foil and place it breast-side up on the rack in a roasting pan. A 20 pound turkey will roast for about 3½ hours.
7. Remove the turkey and increase the temperature to 375°F.
8. Remove the alumni foil. Mix the softened butter with the fresh rosemary and orange peel, and rub it all over the skin of the turkey.
9. Place a meat thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint, and place the turkey back into the over.
10. Basting the turkey with butter every 30 minutes until the meat thermometer shows 170°F and the juice are no longer pink.
11. Cover the turkey with foil until you are ready to carve and serve.
12. Reserve the pan juice to make gravy.

Photo by Glory Foods

To make your own gravy, ladle off the excess fat from the juice with a gravy spoon. Then, using just enough water to dissolve ¼ cup of corn starch. Beat until there’s no lumps, and slowly and stirring constantly, add the corn starch to the juice. Note: You may not use up all the cornstarch mixture. Just add until you get your desired thickness. Finish off by adding seasonings.

Math Integration

Since making a turkey dinner requires a lot of steps, effort, and time, you can definitely plan a few learning exercises. Here are a few math activities you can incorporate in the whole preparation process:

• Learning units by measuring the ingredients
• Learning temperature and conversion by setting up the oven and reading the measurement on the thermometer
• Learning time by measuring the time needed to brine and roast the turkey

Have a wonderful time learning about math and preparing for Thanksgiving with your Blaster!

Filed under: Current Events, Family Activities, Family Fun, holidays, Just for Fun, Newsletter, Parents and Kids | Tagged: Blaster, Math, Math Blaster, Recipes, Roasted Turkey, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner, Thanksgiving Preparation, Thanksgiving Recipe, Turkey Dinner, Turkey Recipe | Leave a comment »