Let's Talk Turkey

[Andy M.]

I'm intrigued by the idea. I think I'm going to try it later on this winter. I've done chicken this way but never turkey.

In addition to faster cooking, you get the added benefit of more room in the oven. When I cook a turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, it's so tall I can only have one shelf in the oven. With a spatchcocked turkey, I can add a shelf and do some other stuff at the same time as the turkey.

 

[blissful]

Regarding: the spatchcocked turkey, it's in the oven, on a roasting pan w/o the roasting rack. I put it on the middle oven rack, leaving the bottom oven rack free. I should have some results in 100 minutes. I took the back, the neck, herbs, and boiled it all in water last night, straining it when I was done, to use for gravy and stuffing.

 

[buckytom]

DW's turkey from yesterday. She wouldn't let me flip it so the breast was dry, but otherwise, it was very good.

 

[GotGarlic]

DW's turkey from yesterday. She wouldn't let me flip it so the breast was dry, but otherwise, it was very good.

Bucky, are those Pioneer Woman dishes? I just got a set myself recently. We got tired of the cracks and dings on our everyday dishes. I don't usually buy celebrity-branded stuff, but her dishes are really pretty.

 

[buckytom]

I will have to ask DW where she got them.

 

[blissful]

Spatchcocked turkey 15 lbs: Done at 90 minutes at 450 degrees F. Check the temperatures at 80 minutes. I covered it in foil after 1 hour. Skin was great, white meat tender and juicy, dark meat excellent too! I usually cook my turkey low and slow for hours and hours....this was a definite improvement, saved so much time, nothing had time to dry out. Gravy from pan drippings, excellent too. I'd do it this way again.

 

[Kayelle]

Bliss, good job with that bird! I love chickens done that way, and for them, a great pan to use is your broiler pan with the aromatics in the bottom.

I didn't want to deal with a whole bird, so we bought a 4lb. Butterball net wrapped boneless turkey roast, and four thighs. We did the roast in one cooking bag, and the thighs in another. It worked out great that I could remove the breast from the oven, and give the thighs a longer cooking time to 180. Those cooking bags certainly produce juicy turkey !

 

[dragnlaw]

Sorry for being obtuse, but I've only ever cooked a turkey on a rack. Only thing that I've ever sat in the pan and even then on a wire squiggly thing, is a roast! So I"m not really understanding your technique.

After having read all these posts about spatchcocking a turkey - don't think I've got a pan big enough for that! LOL those suckers open up pretty big! So it would be divide and conquer for me!

I still want to try a turkey breast rolled up with.... not sure yet. but I will one day!

 

[Andy M.]

Sorry for being obtuse, but I've only ever cooked a turkey on a rack. Only thing that I've ever sat in the pan and even then on a wire squiggly thing, is a roast! So I"m not really understanding your technique.

After having read all these posts about spatchcocking a turkey - don't think I've got a pan big enough for that! LOL those suckers open up pretty big! So it would be divide and conquer for me!

I still want to try a turkey breast rolled up with.... not sure yet. but I will one day!

For a spatchcocked turkey you need a half sheet pan (13"x18") an a rack to fit.

One year I boned a whole turkey, stuffed it, rolled it and tied it. It came out really good. Cooked fast, nice and juicy and easy to "carve".

 

[dragnlaw]

Andy sounds yummy! You'd best be prepared for the day I turn up on your doorstep. Knife and fork in hand!

Each of you have posted something that makes me drool and fall off my chair wanting to be your neighbour. Groan... my belly aches just thinking about half the stuff that is posted here.

Need to pack my bags and start a world trek to visit you all... I wish!

for starters, along with the turkeys...
just read one by GG - hmmm.. ginger, please save a few for me?

 

[erehweslefox]

I hear always about spatchcocking this and that. I always thought it was more a technique for bony small fowl, like guinea hens and pheasant?

And I can see also spatchcocking a chicken.

So the technique basically gives more surface area, and heats it up quicker.

I'd say this is a good solution to the problem with roasting a whole bird, without geting dry meat.

How to Cook a Spatchcocked Turkey: The Fastest, Easiest Thanksgiving Turkey | Serious Eats

I think that is one of the recipes I was considering for a spatchcock turkey? And good representative of them, not in particular but of general goals.

This year I had a big enough turkey, I don't think I could get it in the oven like that.

https://goo.gl/photos/b8W4MrakHCC5VD8z7

As it is, I lost a little meat on the drumsticks, to keep the breast meat moist, had after the first 30 minutes, foil on that.

Got a crispy skin, it took me forever to get the temperature up internal. and had to hold the temp down on the breast with a foil shield.

I am glad I didn't stuff the turkey, I would have lost control over the heating, and ended up with a dry bird, and undone stuffing, worst possible scenario.

Ended up losely stuffing the bird with aromatics, lemons, herbs and garlic, very loose.

Result was a crispy skin, and good moist white and dark meat.

Was a lot of effort, with a smaller bird, it would not be worth it, and I'd say, 10-15 pound bird, spatchcock is the way to go. Get larger than that, and you have to roast it I think.

Agree or disagree?

Interested to hear your ideas.

TBS

 

[dragnlaw]

My friend had a huge bird, over 24 lbs. I told her I had spatchcocked a chicken and a duck but never a turkey. She wanted to try it with this monster.
She was pleased to have the backbone to cook along with the neck, etc. She also took off the wing tips. Trouble was, spread out it was far too big for any pan.
I suggested she split it down the middle of the chest and use two pans and two oven shelves. It worked! I also suggested she rotate them from shelf to shelf to ensure even cooking. I have not heard back to hear what the end result was but during the process I was told so far it looked and smelled wonderful. - I have no worries! I think I would have heard had it been a disaster

 

[Cheryl J]

.............I didn't want to deal with a whole bird, so we bought a 4lb. Butterball net wrapped boneless turkey roast, and four thighs. We did the roast in one cooking bag, and the thighs in another. It worked out great that I could remove the breast from the oven, and give the thighs a longer cooking time to 180. Those cooking bags certainly produce juicy turkey !

That's what I'm going to do next Thanksgiving, Kay - just buy a few 'parts'. Certainly would be a lot easier for me these days than wrestling with a whole bird, plus leftover storage and all, even after I give a good part of it away.

I agree with you about the cooking bags. I've had no trouble getting a nicely browned crust on the birds by using the bags, either.

 

[Kayelle]

That's what I'm going to do next Thanksgiving, Kay - just buy a few 'parts'. Certainly would be a lot easier for me these days than wrestling with a whole bird, plus leftover storage and all, even after I give a good part of it away.

I agree with you about the cooking bags. I've had no trouble getting a nicely browned crust on the birds by using the bags, either.

Thanks Cheryl, we were really pleased with the results, with both the parts being cooked to the perfect temp. I learned here a long time ago (Andy) that the luscious thigh meat is a much better texture when cooked to 180 degrees, rather than "just safe" at 165. I'll sure do it again.

 

[erehweslefox]

Mine was 19#, and I would have had to do it in parts if I spatchcocked it. I agree it sounds like a reasonable solution.

We only had four people at our meal, myself, Beloved Rachel, Mom, and Father in Law.

Today's effort is in using all the leftovers. Worked hard Friday and Saturday, taking the time today to step back, make a stock from the carcass, do some canning, that kind of thing.

Hoping for a nice Turkey pot pie tonight, can the rest of the meat leftovers with stock in quart jars, and hoping for a bunch of jars of stock.

TBS