Question about Turkey recipe, of course

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JustJoel

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I watched an episode of “America’s Test Kitchen” last week, and really loved their roast turkey recipe. I have been tasked with making the turkey and gravy for, guess who, my husband’s family. I asked for the honor, and am happy to do it! I’d like to use the ATK recipe, but I’d like to add an onion, a lemon, an apple and some sprigs of herbs in the cavity. And I’m also wondering if if using butter along with the salt and sugar under the skin would be a good idea.

If you’re subscribed to America’s Test Kitchen or any of the affiliate sites, you can take a look at the recipe here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/9243-easier-roast-turkey-and-gravy?incode=MASAT00L0&ref=new_search_experience_1. I don’t want to anything to screw this recipe up, but I really would like to punch up the flavor and moistness a bit. Your suggestions are not only welcomed, I’m begging for them, lol! Thanks, all you chefs!

BTW, I would have asked these questions on ATC’s website, but they claim that they won’t answer questions about recipe substitutions, enhancements or any other stuff about their recipes. Basically, do it their way, or don’t, and suffer the consequences.
 
Oh, and gravy.

My MIL has suddenly developed an intolerance for gluten, apparently. Can I use gluten-free flour to make the roux for the gravy?
 
My MIL has suddenly developed an intolerance for gluten, apparently. Can I use gluten-free flour to make the roux for the gravy?

Don't make a roux, just thicken the gravy with a corn starch slurry. If you want too add additional colour to the gravy, add a tsp or two of Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet.
 
My MIL has suddenly developed an intolerance for gluten, apparently. Can I use gluten-free flour to make the roux for the gravy?

I would use corn starch. Same bang for your buck, but not as gluten heavy.

Ask if she has celiac desease, or a gluten 'intolerance' and if so, if it isn't just a diet. A number of people have jumped on the idea of gluten free, based on that damned wheat brain book. It makes it harder for people that actually have celiac syndrome and requre no gluten to find food, as many have jumped on the 'gluten free' bandwagon.
 
I’d like to add an onion, a lemon, an apple and some sprigs of herbs in the cavity. And I’m also wondering if if using butter along with the salt and sugar under the skin would be a good idea.

ATC is a good place for recipies. I have done a turkey like you want to. Are you doing a seperate stuffing? I would only recommend doing a stuffing in the Turkey if you have a really great oven.

I would stuff your turkey with onions, lemons apples and spices. For the baste, if you have duck fat, use it, or buy a duck, cook it and reserve the fat, it is my best thing to baste a turkey for.

Yes to baste a turkey I use an injector and a basting syringe. I make in a saucepan a mix of some sugar, butter or fat, and spices as a basting fluid. I try not to add salt. So a cup of butter, with herbs, some sugar (I use maple syrup), and lots of pepper. To start out with this should be massaged under the skin, I use a basting syringe to push as much as possible.

As the turkey cooks, you start from the pot basting, eveuntually you will have enough drippings you can just baste from the drippings in the pan.

I baste every 15 minutes. I am weird. Half hour is also acceptable, but if you take the time to set up a basting fluid on the range, and have it under the skin when you first start cooking. You also should stab the turkey a bunch to get it in the meat, or inject it with an injector.

Good luck, sir, God Speed.
 
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I would use corn starch. Same bang for your buck, but not as gluten heavy.

Ask if she has celiac desease, or a gluten 'intolerance' and if so, if it isn't just a diet. A number of people have jumped on the idea of gluten free, based on that damned wheat brain book. It makes it harder for people that actually have celiac syndrome and requre no gluten to find food, as many have jumped on the 'gluten free' bandwagon.

Cornstarch is not "not gluten heavy." It contains no gluten at all.

I'm not sure a holiday is the best time to question one's MIL about her dietary choices ;)
 
No problem with adding stuff to the cavity. I always put our stuffing in there, because we love stuffing :heart:

I've been persuaded by a chef friend to put butter, salt and fresh herbs under the skin, as a sort of flavorful dry brining. I'm essentially following this recipe: The Quick and Dirty Guide to Brining Chicken or Turkey

I never baste, for two reasons:

1) Opening the oven frequently lets the heat out, so the roasting takes longer.

2) In order to brown and get crispy, the skin needs to be dry. Constantly wetting it doesn't do anything good for it. Salting the meat and the fat rendering under the skin will keep it moist.
 
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Stuffing out of the bird, because I can't get it to 160 degrees inside without drying Mr. Turkey out.

Basting it, because I open the oven door, and let out the moisture. I am not a crispy skin folk on my turkey, not my end game. So I baste a bit, I actually, and this is horror, usually discard the skin.

My usefull thing for skin is it keeps the flavor in until I get rid of it.

Kind of New England thing, we boil everything, fry nothing.

TBS
 
Yes, the horror, in my best Marlon Brando voice. Save the skin to use when you cook the carcass to make soup stock.
--

" I'd like to add an onion, a lemon, an apple and some sprigs of herbs in the cavity. And I’m also wondering if if using butter along with the salt and sugar under the skin would be a good idea:"

This is how we choose to “stuff” a turkey too. Peel the apple so more juice/ flavor is released during roasting. Cut the lemon in cross ways sections or you can use an orange Chunk up the apple and onion. You don’t need to fill the cavity to the brim. S/P the cavity, lay in some herbs, then the fruit. Shove a few more herbs on top, I think stem ends go in easier once the cavity has stuff in it. Do the same with the neck end, actually first, with smaller pieces and skewer it closed.

If you are going to put butter under the skin, I suggest make a compound butter with herbs mixed in. You can youtube up some how to vids.

Not sure your intended purpose for including sugar? I see one comment above, so it works. The only comparison I can think of is making a rub for bbq which I do include sugar. Not all sugars are equal. Here’s a website for comparisons. I use Turbinado sugar almost exclusively and seldom white sugar for anything. Personally, we slather the bird liberally with cooking oil and baste frequently (q/ 30 minutes or so. It will get brown. Get out your trusty instant read thermometer.

https://www.thekitchn.com/a-complete-visual-guide-to-sugar-ingredient-intelligence-213715

Gluten free flours: Dx, bless her heart, was gluten free for about a year, although she wasn’t rigid about it. The brand of flour she used was Namaste, avail at Costco, on line, and health food stores. Namaste has a terrible recipe for gravy in their "Sides" recipes section. Otherwise it works like regular flour, as far as I could tell.

Namaste Foods

Good luck T's giving.
 
Stuffing out of the bird, because I can't get it to 160 degrees inside without drying Mr. Turkey out.

That's what the dry brining is for.

Basting it, because I open the oven door, and let out the moisture. I am not a crispy skin folk on my turkey, not my end game. So I baste a bit, I actually, and this is horror, usually discard the skin.

I am well and truly horrified :ohmy:

My usefull thing for skin is it keeps the flavor in until I get rid of it.

Kind of New England thing, we boil everything, fry nothing.

TBS

We are pretty much the opposite here in the south ;) Boiling is only good for making deviled eggs :LOL:
 
That's what the dry brining is for.

I am well and truly horrified :ohmy:

We are pretty much the opposite here in the south ;) Boiling is only good for making deviled eggs :LOL:

Yeah, and I did live in Oklahoma for a while...

Got to say GotGarlic, my friend, Skin is not a thing, and I know a crispy skin is the best and right thing of a poultry is what you go for.

I broil poultry, donn't fry it, and don't favor a crackling skin.

Understand that you cook a turkey and hit it with high heat to cook the skin up, and carmelize it. It does sound tasty, to be honest.

Low and slow is what we do. might not hit a crackling skin, but moist lovely meat.

Best and brightest,

TBS
 
No, actually I cook it low and slow, too. The keys to getting crispy skin are letting the fat underneath render out during cooking and keeping the skin dry by not basting. But if it's not your preference, no problem [emoji2]
 
Well we do want to respond to the OP with a good way to cook her turkey.

It is nice to see you GG, you know I really like you, and often say you are wrong on low slow roasting.

I want as do you to bring up those onions we packed the cavity with, the lemons, all those succulents, I want it at 350 for a long time, and I don't crisp the skin. I want the entire bird to get up to about 180.

TBS
 
I watched an episode of “America’s Test Kitchen” last week, and really loved their roast turkey recipe. I have been tasked with making the turkey and gravy for, guess who, my husband’s family. I asked for the honor, and am happy to do it! I’d like to use the ATK recipe, but I’d like to add an onion, a lemon, an apple and some sprigs of herbs in the cavity. And I’m also wondering if if using butter along with the salt and sugar under the skin would be a good idea.

If you’re subscribed to America’s Test Kitchen or any of the affiliate sites, you can take a look at the recipe here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/9243-easier-roast-turkey-and-gravy?incode=MASAT00L0&ref=new_search_experience_1. I don’t want to anything to screw this recipe up, but I really would like to punch up the flavor and moistness a bit. Your suggestions are not only welcomed, I’m begging for them, lol! Thanks, all you chefs!

BTW, I would have asked these questions on ATC’s website, but they claim that they won’t answer questions about recipe substitutions, enhancements or any other stuff about their recipes. Basically, do it their way, or don’t, and suffer the consequences.


Joel, I saw this last year and thought about trying it, but I'm hooked on Ted Allen's Deconstructed Turkey and Gravy recipe/method.
I'm sure you already know that ATC's method of dry brining is perfectly fine and I can't see a reason why you couldn't stuff the cavity with aromatics and some BUTTER! Which of course makes everything better!

As to your MIL being Gluten intolerant, if you're going to follow this recipe for the gravy as well, using AP GF Flour would work just fine for your roux, which this recipe calls for.... and to honest with you Joel, I do like gravy made from a roux so much better than a slurry or even my Mother's "cheat way" of making gravy with Wondra.

Pace yourself, don't stress out, read and re-read the recipe as you go along and most of all have fun. Food always tastes much more delicious when done with lots of love, that secret ingredient :)
 
Boiling works for shrimp too! Well not exactly boiling; I bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the shrimp, cover the pot and remove it from the heat, and let it sit for exactly 13 minutes, then shock the little buggers in an ice bath. Perfect shrimp every time!
 
Joel, I saw this last year and thought about trying it, but I'm hooked on Ted Allen's Deconstructed Turkey and Gravy recipe/method.
I'm sure you already know that ATC's method of dry brining is perfectly fine and I can't see a reason why you couldn't stuff the cavity with aromatics and some BUTTER! Which of course makes everything better!

As to your MIL being Gluten intolerant, if you're going to follow this recipe for the gravy as well, using AP GF Flour would work just fine for your roux, which this recipe calls for.... and to honest with you Joel, I do like gravy made from a roux so much better than a slurry or even my Mother's "cheat way" of making gravy with Wondra.

Pace yourself, don't stress out, read and re-read the recipe as you go along and most of all have fun. Food always tastes much more delicious when done with lots of love, that secret ingredient :)
You are so kind! Honestly, I don’t know if my MIL is gluten intolerant; she goes to this quack doctor who put her on a gluten-free, sugar-free diet, and she claims she lost 15 pounds in 10 days. That doesn’t sound healthy to me at all, and gluten isn’t really associated with weight gain.

I acknowledge and sympathize with people suffering from CD or gluten intolerance, and will always accommodate those people with pleasure when I plan my menus. Same goes for those with allergies, and even those who just don’t like something. But I don’t get this gluten-free craze that has taken over our nation! Gluten is good! It gives texture and chewiness to bread. It’s not bad for you, unless it is. And it doesn’t make you fat; that’s the flour, eggs, butter, and sugar. So if you’re trying to lose weight, stop eating bread! Right?

Lordy, sorry for the rant! And thank you again for kind reply. Aloha, and Mele Kalikimaka (a little early, and I don’t know how to say happy thanksgiving in Hawai’ian)
 
Cornstarch is not "not gluten heavy." It contains no gluten at all.

I'm not sure a holiday is the best time to question one's MIL about her dietary choices ;)
Oh my, I’m not questioning her dietary choices at all! I’m going out of my way, with pleasure, to accommodate them! I just want to get the tastiest result to put a smile on her face! That’s why I don’t wanna use corn starch, because I think it should be used as thickening in Chinese food (in China, they just call it food), and even then, sparingly.
 
Boiling works for shrimp too! Well not exactly boiling; I bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add the shrimp, cover the pot and remove it from the heat, and let it sit for exactly 13 minutes, then shock the little buggers in an ice bath. Perfect shrimp every time!

If I'm going for cocktail style shrimp or spiny lobster, I prefer to steam them using Old Bay, kosher salt, equal parts vinegar and water. A court bouillon is also good for "boiling" them. I have also had them done in a Cajun style boil, as they would for crawfish, once. I'll stick to the crawfish! Nothing bugs me more than over cooked seafood, especially if I paid for it!
 
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If I'm going for cocktail style shrimp or spiny lobster, I prefer to steam them using Old Bay, kosher salt, equal parts vinegar and water. A court bouillon is also good for "boiling" them. I have also had them done in a Cajun style boil, as they would for crawfish, once. I'll stick to the crawfish! Nothing bugs me more than over cooked seafood, especially if I paid for it!
I do usually add some Old Bay, or some Creole or Cajun seasoning, depending on what I’m using the shrimp for. Never added any vinegar to the cooking liquid though. A little dry vermouth or some white wine, maybe. What does the vinegar add? Wine vinegar? Cider vinegar? Balsamic? I’m curious to try it!

I do marinate my cooked shrimp in the pickling liquid from a jar of pickled jalapeños, along with a bunch of cilantro, some of the jalapeños, lime juice, and, if the occasion merits, a couple tablespoons of tequila. When I make this, though, I have to undercook the shrimp, as the pickling liquid and lime juice (and tequila) “cook” the shrimp like ceviche, and they can get chewy and dry.
 
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