Another way to roast a Turkey

[choclatechef]

I am thinking of using for the first time, my big clay roaster for the Thanksgiving bird.

I have used my smaller roasters before with excellent results, but not this huge sucker. It weighs a ton. What do you guys think?

I am considering brining the bird, then roasting it in the clay roaster.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Should give you a great steamed turkey. It will be juicy, tender, and full of flavor, if not overcooked. But it will be steamed.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[choclatechef]

Tender, juicy, and full of flavor......that would be ok to me!

 

[jennyema]

Since it'll be steamed, and not cooked with dry heat, you have less of a need for the brine. Also, the skin will be soft and not crispy.

But if you like the moist, flavorful meat that comes out of a clay roaster, you might do it that way, carve the bird up in the kitchen and serve the meat at the table, rather than the whole bird (a clay roasted bird does not make for that beautiful of a table presentation....).

I clay roast chickens sometimes, but generally like a browner, crispy bird. A turkey would not fit in my roaster, that's for sure.

 

[choclatechef]

I was thinking after the bird is almost done, I could remove the lid and brown the bird. Won't this work?

 

[jennyema]

I am not sure... good question. I would imagine you'd have to take the bird totally out of the roaster and put on roasting rack so that air could circulate and the skin could crisp up some.