How do you make your turkey?

[Kathleen]

I had one grandmother who was a devotee of dry roasting and the other who thought it was best to cook the turkey in a 1/4 water bath. My father liked fried turkey.

I usually use the method of the second grandmother. It makes a great turkey, but the turkey is not usually presentation pretty even after browning.

I simply want my turkey cooked but juicy, BUT presentation would be nice. What's your secret to making the best turkey?

 

[Andy M.]

I use the Good Eats Thanksgiving turkey recipe for the bird, my mom's recipe for the stuffing.

 

[jennyema]

I use the Good Eats Thanksgiving turkey recipe for the bird, my mom's recipe for the stuffing.

+1. But I adjust the brine to a more neutral flavor and stuff with aromatics.

Stuffing in a casserole pan

 

[MrsLMB]

It's always basic here. Melt butter, smear on bird, salt lightly and cook. Always nice a brown and always moist and tender. Also makes the most excellent pan drippings.

 

[CharlieD]

This year I bought the turkey deep fryer. Will see what happens. Usually I simply put it in the oven and periodically based with turkey or chicken soup.

 

[LindaZ]

After stuffing I rub canola oil over the skin, be sure to get the bottom of the legs, wings and breast. I cover my turkey with foil and baste every now and then with the pan juices. When the turkey is done, I take off the foil and let the skin crisp in the oven before serving. Give it a try.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Roast on a bed of onions and celery. Baste occasionally, sliced onions, celery and lemons in the cavity.

Dressing in a casserole.

 

[shells4]

Salt, pepper, and then cover with melted butter soaked cheese cloth. Always very moist, juiced, and beautifully browned with no basting. Very simple and yummy!

 

[GLC]

I do a different roast recipe each year. This year, I'm doing the Herb-Roated Turkey with Hominy, Oyster and Sausage Dressing from Saveur.

Herb-Roasted Turkey with Hominy, Oyster, and Sausage Dressing Recipe - Saveur.com

 

[Kathleen]

Thanks!

I'm a casserole for the dressing person too. I use my grandmother's dressing recipe which is cornbread-based.

Links to recipes?

The hominy/oyster/sausage recipe sounds intriguing.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My dressing recipe is in my Mom's head and I absorbed it in a symbiotic relationship...

 

[Janet H]

I use a covered roasting pan and loosely stuff the turkey with herbs, S & P, a little celery and onion and a chopped up apple. Usually I also stuff the neck cavity with herb/bread stuffing and tack it closed. The rest of the stuffing gets cooked in a casserole dish or more commonly a couple of loaf pans (makes slicing for sandwiches a snap)

I truss the turkey and then add some white wine to the pan (about 1/2 Cup) The turkey bakes with the cover on at about 325 until it's about 3/4 cooked and then I take the lid off, brush the top with butter and let it brown.

This has proved to be fairly easy to do and results in a moist and pretty decent looking turkey.

I'm totally with you on presentation. I know it's easier to cut the bird in the kitchen and serve a platter of slices and parts but bringing a beautiful bird to the table on a gorgeous plate is worth the carving nightmare at the table.

Some thoughts about roasting pans.... if you don't have one you should consider getting one off ebay or at the local thrift store. These old 3 piece roasters are awesome and pretty cheap. They have a built in cradle to help lift the bird and were made by a number of companies

 

[Kathleen]

Nice eBay find! I have a roaster that seems to be exactly the wrong size. It's too big for chicken......too small for turkey....odd, really.

 

[97guns]

i bake it unstuffed at 475 with a brown paper bag over the top

 

[CWS4322]

There are a number of threads related to this. I'm surprised the links haven't been posted.

I roast turkey about once a month between the months of October and April. I have been toying with the idea of marinating next month's turkey in buttermilk like I do with chicken every now and again--have a roaster oven that I could set low enough to emulate the temp of a crockpot...has anyone tried that or, I could roast in the oven--hmmm--thoughts? (Marinate in 2-3 qt buttermilk for 24-48 hours in a LARGE ziplock, flipping it 1x per day--with chicken, the chicken stays very moist and the gravy is excellent.)

 

[geosek]

I will be making my brined and lightly smoked beer can turkey.

 

[the.ancient.one]

I like brimming my Turkey 1/2 cup salt and 1 cup sugar add your spices and herbs but do not use garlic i tried it the whole smelled like a dead skunk. But in a pot of boiling water let cool until cold. Get a clean bucket you need one that food cane in put Turkey in bucket pour fixture over Turkey cover Turkey put plate over Turkey put brick on plate to hold Turkey down leave in bucket for 24 hrs wash Turkey off it you do not you will end up with a salty Turkey here is a recipe: Or you can use this one

Best Turkey Ever!! (Brined)
Ingredients

• 15 lbs turkey (not self Basting or kosher)
• 2 cups table salt (do not substitute equal amounts of kosher salt)
• 2 gallons icy cold water (*)
• 4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dried rosemary leaves
• 1/2 cup dried thyme, leaves
• 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 carrot, peeled & cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• as needed fresh fruit (to garnish)

http://www.food.com/recipe/best-turkey-ever-brined-142563

 

[CraigC]

It depends on what mood we're in. If it goes in the oven, we make a compound herb butter that goes under the skin. Fresh herbs in the cavity. It starts out breast side down and later flipped. Basted throughout the cooking process.

If we decide on a smoked bird, it will get brined first. Low and slow @ 225 in the pit or on the egg. I'll make up a basting mop and at the end a honey/herb glaze. Always a beautiful mahogany color, very moist and tasty.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

In the oven, or over divided banks of charcoal on the Webber, with a drip pan underneath, brush with butter, add herbal compound butter under the skin, place in a 425 degree oven or place on the Webber, cook for 12 mintues per pound, then start checking the meat thermometer (that stays in the bird while it's cooking). Remove when thermometer reads 165' F. No basting, no fussing with it once its roasting.

Let rest for 20 minutes. Carve by removing whole breasts, legs, wings, and carving the meat off of the back. Slice breasts against the grain so everyone gets skin, and beautiful slices.

This technique gives me outstanding results with crispy skin, great color, succulent and tender, rediculously juicy, great flavor. Downside, get asked to make this for, friends, pot-lucks, and a couple weddings.

With the Webber Kettle, I also place a combination of apple, birch, and maple on the charcoal, both to protect the bird from direct radiant heat, and to create wonderful smoke.

Sometimes, I put the carved bird into the roasting pan, and pour that juices from the drip pan over the meat. Let it sit in the fridge overnight, and heat to 145' F. before the meal. It cause that smokey flavor from the juices in the drip pan to permeate all of the meat. The meat is also saturated with the juices, making it so that flavor explodes in your mouth with every bit. People rave about that.

The carcass is always made into turkey soup.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[PeterD]

After using several methods over the years, I have settled on using my rotisserie on the barbeque. I brush the bird with olive oil periodically and only use the infra red back burner. I position a pan under the bird to catch drippings. I use no flavorings or enhancements. I have had more positive comments with this method than all the other methods combined. Make sure you have a heavy enough spit rod and motor to handle the job. Enjoy!!