Turkey and other birds done right!

[Alix]

Well I don't know about portions but I do know that when I buy a turkey I plan about 1 lb - 1.5lbs per person attending the meal. The variation is for whether I'm serving seniors or teens. So a 12lb turkey would serve up to 12 people. The actual servings are much smaller but this accounts for bones etc. Works for me when I'm planning.

Our turkey is still in the brine, the sides are prepped and I'm going to get up and make the stuffing shortly. Om nom nom!

 

[CWS4322]

Actually, my turkey is 13.77 lb (I'm calling it 14 lb). I'm using my roaster oven to cook it--cooks in about 1/2 the time and leaves the oven free for other things.

 

[Alix]

13.92lbs here - 6.33kgs. Gotta love the 99¢ sales!

 

[CWS4322]

13.92lbs here - 6.33kgs. Gotta love the 99¢ sales!

We snagged ours for 88 cents/lb. I have six more in the freezer--but I only stuff the turkeys on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

[taxlady]

OMG, you guys are cracking me up. I have tears rolling down my cheeks and I have been hooting out loud.

 

[taxlady]

I agree with there is no right way or wrong way. Some people like well done steak and some people like rare. So, why can't a turkey, or anything else for that matter be the same way? I like a brown, crispy skin with a nice toasted crust on the protruding stuffing. As we all know the browner the turkey gets, the tastier the gravy will likely be. Dry white meat? That's what gravy and cranberries(and turkey sandwiches with mayonnaise) are for.

People definitely like their food cooked to different levels of doneness.

I helped my MIL cook a Thanksgiving turkey one year. I did it 1/3 of the time on one side, 1/3 of the time on the other side, and the last 1/3 of the time breast up to crisp the skin. The white meat was lovely moist. Everyone loved it except my BIL. He complained that the white meat wasn't dry enough.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I agree with there is no right way or wrong way. Some people like well done steak and some people like rare. So, why can't a turkey, or anything else for that matter be the same way? I like a brown, crispy skin with a nice toasted crust on the protruding stuffing. As we all know the browner the turkey gets, the tastier the gravy will likely be. Dry white meat? That's what gravy and cranberries(and turkey sandwiches with mayonnaise) are for.

I agree with your description of the perfect turkey!

I am a little concerned about these Canadian portions though, I won't need to pack my fat pants if I come up for dinner!

 

[Alix]

I agree with your description of the perfect turkey!

I am a little concerned about these Canadian portions though, I won't need to pack my fat pants if I come up for dinner!

Oh Aunt Bea, trust me on packing the fat pants! There's always LOTS of food. There's usually much groaning after dinner as well!

 

[Rocklobster]

I agree with your description of the perfect turkey!

I am a little concerned about these Canadian portions though, I won't need to pack my fat pants if I come up for dinner!

My portions are small. I just get up for a few more of them. We don't use fat pants. We just walk around with our belts and buttons undone.

 

[Andy M.]

I have thought that the perfect scenario is to eat Thanksgiving dinner with no pants on (or sweat pants with a LOOSE elastic waistband).

 

[Rocklobster]

Yeah. I always have to loosen the belt on my housecoat.

 

[CWS4322]

I wear Big Dog lounge pants (drawstring waist) or scrub pants for fat pants...that way, I can just loosen the drawstring as the meal continues...my idea of a progressive dinner.

 

[kadesma]

All of you have made my day. Laughter is so soothing. I'm having turkey we bought 2 breasts and I'm not telling how I plan to cook them, nor how much I plan to ingest But no fat pants for me I'm now down to size 4's so I plan to filler up oh yes there is HAM in our Thanksgiving day as well. Another daughter is whinning for prime rib no way for that.

kades

 

[CWS4322]

I can confirm that a serving is NOT equivalent to a portion. I weighed 2.5 oz. of breast meat. It was one slice, minus a bit, off the breast closest to the bone. The tenderloin was over 2.5 oz. I ate 6 oz. of turkey, didn't eat my potatoes, but I ate all my b'sprouts and veggie casserole. Only had 1/2 of a Parkerhouse roll (2/3 ww 1/3 AP). It was very good. My piece of Gingerbread awaits me. The verdict is that it is not as moist or dense as the DH's gra ndma's. Too cakelike. It was good, but not like his grandma made. He did take all except one piece back to his house...he can deal with figuring out which pants are his fat pants!

FWIW, the turkey was very moist, tender, and the gravy was excellent. I know that there is poutine in my future soon made with turkey gravy and freshly dug potatoes.

The artichoke mini-bites were very good. I made pastry rather than use won ton wrappers and only made 12. I left out the black olives (didn't have any in the house). I used this recipe (minus the wrappers and the black olives).

http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/recipesearch/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=12544

 

[annethoma]

perfect.. Just in time for Thanksgiving! My family will defantely love this one this year.

 

[Cindercat]

FWIW, the turkey was very moist, tender, and the gravy was excellent. I know that there is poutine in my future soon made with turkey gravy and freshly dug potatoes.

Oh, shoot! I forgot what a poutine is!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

We snagged ours for 88 cents/lb. I have six more in the freezer--but I only stuff the turkeys on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I had to purchase another $25 worth of groceries to get it, but turkey at 49 cents per pound if I did. I did. At another local store, I had to purchace $10 worth of groceries for a turkey at 89 cents a pound. But, I had enough store points saved up to get one for free. I got the free one. Two turkeys in the freezer for a grand total of $6 plus change. Now that's a deal.

I'm going to barbecue one and share it with Sprout, P.A.G. and their families for Thanksgiving. Good times-a-comin'! I get to see 5 great ladies (DW, two DD's, and two DGD;s), and a couple of great SIL's, and maybe go turkey hunting next weekend (after Thanksgiving). Does life get any better than that? No it doesn't.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North