Cooking a Turkey

[Mark The Homer]

Four pages already? Sheesh.

I always do mine in the smoker, but the same technique will work in the oven. Here's what I do:

Stuff bird with choppped apples and onions, as much as you can fit in there. Tie up skin with wire to try to make it air tight. Tie legs together so they hug the body. Coat skin with olive oil. Sprinkle pepper and ground garlic. Place a little rosemary in your palm and crush it up, then rub your hands together over the turkey and let it sprinkle on.

Place in oven at 250, yes 250. Place large foil tent over bird. Because I smoke my bird, I don't tuck the foil, I just lay a couple big pieces on top and let them sort of envelope it in a rounded shape, but loosely. Give the leg a real quick little twist just for good luck. Feel the firmness.

Outside it takes about 25 mins per pound to cook. In the oven it might be different. So check it starting at like 15 mins per pound and keep checking periodically. You can baste periodically if you want, just to keep the skin moist. Keep an eye on it. You should be able to guage how it's coming along, and then coordinate with all the other stuff you're cooking. Grab a leg and twist. If the leg is trying to come loose and the turkey smells really good, it's cooked. Don't over cook. I don't bother with a thermometer. If you're not confident, you could slice into the thigh joint if you wanted, since you're going to be doing that anyway. Eyeball the meat and the juices. If you see no pink in the meat and the juices are clear, it's cooked. You'll know. Don't worry.

Remove. Cover loosely with foil and let it rest while you do the last minute Thanksgiving prep. It won't get cold. It'll actually keep cooking while it's resting.

My turkeys are always perfect - flavorful and so moist the juice squirts out like an orange with every bite.

Next you're going to need to know how to carve that puppy. There are several techniques. I'll let somebody else comment on that.

[Pwyl]

http://www.chow.com/recipes/11130

"Bacon up that turkey, boy!"

[Koolblue13]

Like putting some rosemary or thyme sprigs under the skin?

Here is what I do (and I was previously a fine dining chef)

Puree butter, with herbs like thyme, oregano and marjoram. Make a paste out of it. One time I used Duck Bacon with it also (that may be thee tastiest thing on the planet).

Take the paste and rub it on the flesh, under the skin, leaving little bits here and there.

Cover the turkey for most of the cooking, but for the last hour, uncover it.

Covering it for most of the cooking time, will take care of the basting and the skin will become crisp with the butter and herbs flavor, as does the meat that has been basting in herb butter/bacon.

Never use an injector, never use a pop out timer (it's just a hole for the wonderfully delicious juices to run out of), use an actual thermometer.

Also, never put the stuffing in the bird.

[Skinsfan1311]

Like putting some rosemary or thyme sprigs under the skin?

Kind of. I'd stick the sprigs in the cavity of the bird, and used crushed, or rubbed herbs under, and over the skin.

I'd skip the rosemary altogether, as it's over-powering.

If you want to use sprigs of herbs, I'd tie together some sprigs of sage and thyme, (with butcher string), and stick it in the cavity of the bird, along with several cloves of peeled garlic.

Damn thread is making me hungry!

[Drop]

My wife may be cooking up our first actual Thanksgiving Day meal this year as opposed to going to both sets of parents' houses. I may have to refer her to this thread.

[Skinsfan1311]

Puree butter, with herbs like thyme, oregano and marjoram. Make a paste out of it. One time I used Duck Bacon with it also (that may be thee tastiest thing on the planet).

Take the paste and rub it on the flesh, under the skin, leaving little bits here and there.

Cover the turkey for most of the cooking, but for the last hour, uncover it.

Covering it for most of the cooking time, will take care of the basting and the skin will become crisp with the butter and herbs flavor, as does the meat that has been basting in herb butter/bacon.

Never use an injector, never use a pop out timer (it's just a hole for the wonderfully delicious juices to run out of), use an actual thermometer.

Also, never put the stuffing in the bird.

Damn...that sounds great! What is this Duck Bacon that you speak of?

I agree about the pop-up thermometer.

When injecting, you only inject the bird in a couple of places, (breast and thighs), the trick is to slowly pull the injector up, and move it around in different directions as you inject. When you pull it out, (cue the laughter), pinch and massage the hole. It will shut and leaking juices won't be an issue.

[sleazye]

Zoony, I know you said you didn't want to fry- but you can probably deduce from the posts about frying that you might want to reconsider. My family always did a roasted turkey until one year we decided to try the deep fryer. Since then, we eat turkey at every possible special occasion just so we can break out the fried turkey again.

It is simple, and safe if you do it outside. use peanut oil and lower the bird in slowly and just hang out next to the fryer for an hour or so enjoying a few adult beverages. Take the turkey out when it's done and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. The skin is crispy and flavorful, and the meat is the juiciest. In fact I might just deep fry a bird at the game this week.

[zoony]

When injecting, you only inject the bird in a couple of places, (breast and thighs), the trick is to slowly pull the injector up, and move it around in different directions as you inject. When you pull it out, (cue the laughter), pinch and massage the hole. It will shut and leaking juices won't be an issue.

:rotflmao:

Seriously though thanks everyone

[zoony]

frying a turkey is pretty unhealthy, isn't it?

[BigMike619]

isnt it cannibalism for you to be cooking and eating a turkey zoony?

[sleazye]

frying a turkey is pretty unhealthy, isn't it?

Not any more unhealthy than your standard turkey. The meat doesn't absorb any of the oil. The delicious skin isn't the most healthy thing, but as long as you let it sit, a lot of the oil will run off.

Remember, when you roast the turkey you are using a lot of butter, so the frying of the skin isn't any worse for you. You can even use the remaining peanut oil over and over again since the turkey absorbs so little of it.

Oh and don't forget to brine the turkey in salt water overnight. Still a much easier process than the roast.

[Koolblue13]

Damn...that sounds great! What is this Duck Bacon that you speak of?

I agree about the pop-up thermometer.

When injecting, you only inject the bird in a couple of places, (breast and thighs), the trick is to slowly pull the injector up, and move it around in different directions as you inject. When you pull it out, (cue the laughter), pinch and massage the hole. It will shut and leaking juices won't be an issue.

Sliced Duck Breast, the same way they slice pig gut to make bacon. It's absolutely incredible. Duck fat over hog fat and that's saying something.

Forget the injector and whatever sick **** you are doing to that bird. There is no way to stop the juices from getting out.

Brine a natural bird in a saline solution for 12 to 24 hours. Put herbs and garlic and whatever flavors you want into the brine and soak that bird, while leaving no holes.

You have to be sure to get on from a small butcher and not the grocery store, because those disgusting water balls are full of nasty artificial juices, that take a bland piece of sad excuse for an animal and turn it into a fake barely edible hunk of palate insulting meat.

[Koolblue13]

frying a turkey is pretty unhealthy, isn't it?

IMO, fried turkey is only for those who can't successfully roast a turkey.

Way over rated IMO.

And smoked turkey, like the legs you see at carnivals, just tastes like second rate ham.

[NavyDave]

Last year I rotisseried, Deep Fried and used a 22 quart slow cooker to prepare 3 turkeys 45 mins,39 mins, a little under 3 hours.

I make cornbread stuffing (jiffy cornbread mix, chicken breasts, onions, celery) and I don't stuff the turkey

[motorhead]

Is stuffing the Turkey vastly overrated?

Yes. Balls are much better!

I like to inject bird with garlic and herb. Now that's some good dead bird right there.

[Skinsfan1311]

Sliced Duck Breast, the same way they slice pig gut to make bacon. It's absolutely incredible. Duck fat over hog fat and that's saying something.

Forget the injector and whatever sick **** you are doing to that bird. There is no way to stop the juices from getting out.

Brine a natural bird in a saline solution for 12 to 24 hours. Put herbs and garlic and whatever flavors you want into the brine and soak that bird, while leaving no holes.

You have to be sure to get on from a small butcher and not the grocery store, because those disgusting water balls are full of nasty artificial juices, that take a bland piece of sad excuse for an animal and turn it into a fake barely edible hunk of palate insulting meat.

Thanks! I'll have to try the duck bacon.

I've brined a few birds and that's a great method to help infuse flavor. Thanks for the tips!

[joeknows]

you absolutely CAN put the stuffing in the bird....... safe eating temperature of poultry is 180 f ........... so long as the stuffing reaches that temp it is safe to eat

cook the turkey breast down as the juices fall to the breast...

flip for the last hour to bronze the skin

[Kosher Ham]

you absolutely CAN put the stuffing in the bird....... safe eating temperature of poultry is 180 f ........... so long as the stuffing reaches that temp it is safe to eat

cook the turkey breast down as the juices fall to the breast...

flip for the last hour to bronze the skin

180 ? Where did you get that from ?

[SnyderShrugged]

Zoony, As others have said, Frying it is definietly the most delicious method that I've used, and i've made our Turkey every year since I was 16.

It's easy too!

Normally, I will inject it with some form of marinade (Garlic Herb, lemmon pepper, etc) about 24 hrs before cooking. I also rub adobo seasoning liberally on the whole outside.

Then we use peanut oil (which is safest and most tasty too)

Fry it about 10 min per lb

You will be the hero for the day and everyone will have multiple helpings!

You can get an inexpensive fryer at Walmart for under $40. Though, my dad uses an electric version that has a thermostat which is a little easier, but a tad more expensive.

Please trust me on this! You cant go wrong this way and it will make dinner much easier and better tasting than the traditional baking method

[HighOnHendrix]

My mother accidentally discovered one year that if you cook it "upside" down, it makes the white meat very juicy instead of all dried up like usual. Makes sense. If you put the breast down, the juices run into it on their way down. It's really good.

[Koolblue13]

you absolutely CAN put the stuffing in the bird....... safe eating temperature of poultry is 180 f ........... so long as the stuffing reaches that temp it is safe to eat

cook the turkey breast down as the juices fall to the breast...

flip for the last hour to bronze the skin

If you cook the stuffing inside of the bird to 180, the meat will be like the Turkey in Christmas Vacation.

Cooking a turkey upside down isn't as good, either. Braised turkey will taste off.

[Skinsfan1311]

the meat will be like the Turkey in Christmas Vacation.

:rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao:

[zoony]

I'm on a quest for a roasting pan. Just ordered one off amazon.com but had to cancel b/c they couldn't ship in time . Of course they couldn't tell me that until AFTER I placed the order :jerk:

Any advice on a roasting pan? They seem to range from $29.99 to $199.99 for the All-Clad

[sleazye]

safe eating temperature of poultry is 180 f ........... so long as the stuffing reaches that temp it is safe to eat

If you were to follow this advice... wait for it

You'd be the turkey

:chestram:

[China]

If you've never deep fried a turkey before, make sure you don't do something stupid like overfilling the fryer, or sticking in a frozen bird:

(go to the 2:50 mark)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA71ZEmOQko&feature=related