My weight is healthy and I have maintained it for many years (I have been vegan for 10 years). But I cook with a lot of oil. I recently analyzed my diet and found that a large percentage of calories were coming from fat. Is this unhealthy? How much fat is too much fat?

If you are maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough exercise, and don’t have any trouble with high cholesterol or heart disease, I don’t think you need to worry about it. You are probably still consuming far less fat than most people.

I have never made a turkey and I want to make one for Christmas. I want to buy a 17-22 lb frozen turkey and make it.

What do I need to purchase (like how large of a roastig pan (and ideas where to purchase it) how long do I thaw it out in ice, do I cover it with Tinfoil?
What do I pour on it and at what point in the process do I put butter or whatever on it?

Any help is much appreciated.

Start 5 to 5 1/2 hours before you want to serve the cooked turkey. Set the oven temperature at 325ºF. It is much better that the turkey be done 30 minutes before mealtime than to rush and serve an undercooked turkey. Remove the wrapping from the turkey and put the turkey on a rack on a pan that has been covered with foil to make cleaning easy (Fig. 1). You can also cook the turkey in a covered roasting pan if you have one.

Put the turkey in the oven (Fig. 2). Do not worry about the bag with the heart, liver, etc. in the neck cavity or the neck in the center of the turkey. They can be removed during cooking, after the turkey thaws. There will be Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter jejuni on the turkey. However, because it is frozen, there is no drip, and transfer to hands or counter is not a significant risk.

Cooking the turkey on a shallow pan on a rack assures even cooking. Cooking in a pan with sides shields the bottom of the turkey from heat, and the cooking on the bottom will be non-uniform.

In the first 2 to 2 1/2 hours, the legs and thighs get up to approximately 100ºF. The breast, about 1 inch into the flesh, is still at the soft ice point, about 25ºF. At this point, begin to monitor breast temperature with a tip-sensitive digital thermometer as it thaws. You may also use a dial roast thermometer. Insert it into the breast, because it is the slowest cooking part.

After about 3 1/2 hours, the legs and thighs will be around 150 to 160ºF, and the breast, about 40 to 50ºF. The bag of heart, liver, etc. and the neck can be removed at this time, to be made into stock, if desired (Fig. 3).

This is an excellent way to cook turkey. Actually, cooking a turkey from the frozen state has benefits over cooking a thawed turkey. Cooking can be done in a roasting pan, but it is unnecessary. If one thaws a turkey in a home refrigerator, there is a significant risk of raw juice with pathogens at high levels getting on refrigerator surfaces, other foods in the refrigerator, countertops, and sink, thus creating a hazard and a need for extensive cleaning and sanitizing.

The second benefit is that, because the breast has greater mass, it takes longer to thaw. Therefore, the thigh and leg are well cooked and tender, while the breast is not overcooked and dried out. The breast will cook to a juicy 160-to-165ºF endpoint without difficulty.

Hey! I am doing a ham dinner for the first time tonight. I bought a 7 pound hillshire farms honey cured spiral cut ham. It is the kind that is already cooked. It says to wrap it in foil and cook for 13-15 minutes per pound. Is it really that easy and it will be delicious? Any additional tips?

I just cooked my 10lb one last night. I use a Reynolds cooking bag. You will be soooo happy if you use one. Just put 1 TBS flour in bag. Shake bag. Place ham cut side down. Secure bag. Cook @ 275 for 10 minutes per lb. Which should be 70 minutes for your ham. Then take out of oven. Mix the sugar glaze that comes in ham. Cut open bag. Cover with sugar glaze and put in 450 degree oven for 5 minutes. Our ham was juicy and yummy! Enjoy!

I have a Cast iron GRILL pan and want to know how to cook a steak on it! I dont want it to burn or the spices, so im wondering how to do this, i have no clue! I have an electric stove so not sure how high to turn this up and how long to cook steak when to season, basiallly everything! please!

This is how to make a good steak.

Start with a decent piece of meat, A rib eye is pretty good.

Season the meat with salt and pepper. The very most you should put on it is a Montreal type steak seasoning. I like to stick mine back in the fridge for a bit.

Then remove from the fridge about 30 min before you cook it. YES, it is safe. This allows the meat to come to room temp so you don’t shock the meat as much when you put it on the hot surface. Shocking the meat to much may make it tough.

From here you have a couple of options:

1. Heat a skillet up good and hot then add some fat. Oil, butter (is okay), or even bacon fat. Put the steak down and do not touch it. The meat is pretty cool. It will release from the pan when it has a nice golden brown color to it. Then flip. Brown it up on the second and side and reduce the heat if you want it cooked further.

2. Brown on both sides as stated above but then slide into the broiler if you skillet if oven safe use that, if not then put it in a broiler pan. And finish under the broiler.

3. Grill over a medium-ish hot indirect heat.

Remember a few more tips:

1. NEVER overcook a steak. Anything over medium is over cooking your steak and even medium is pushing the limits a bit. A weel done steak is a ruined steak and you may as well just toss your money in the trash.

2. Let the steak rest so that the stea will still be juicy from the first bite to the last bite.

3. Don’t forget about carry over cooking, as the steak rests. Due to residual heat in the meatthe steak will cook a bit more as it rests.

I know that someone will say that you shouldn;t add salt before cooking bacuase it will dry it out. That is not true. I have always salted my steak and roasts before cooking and never had anything dry. Adding salt before cooking does Not dry it out but rather gives good flavor.