Turducken: I have several questions.

[jstallman]

Hey, I'm James, I just joined the forum. I have several questions for for my Bird(s).

I have made the last several turkeys in my family and they have all been pretty good, but I really want to go above and beyond this year.

I'm doing the Turducken. I know what to do and I have everything I need, though I do have a couple obscure questions I can't find answers to.

1.I don't stuff my turkeys, We cook the stuffing separate. All turducken recipes involve stuffing, is there anything I need to consider when I don't use a stuffing? (Temperature, dryness, anything)

2. I'm laying a Bacon Weave over it, good thick bacon. When should I put it on, the turducken will be cooking at about a temperature of 200 to 250. How long do I wait before I late the bacon over it?

3. Is there any way to make the bacon somewhat crispy by the end of it, or is it just going to be soft, wet bacon?

4. Do I need to remove the skin of the duck or chicken for any reason?

5. Any tips or suggests beyond basic cooking instructions.

I searched all turkey threads for the past year just to cover my bases. I'm new here, mainly for this Thanksgiving meal, but I can see myself hanging out here after cause I like to cook all kinds of things. Thanks for the help.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

You have several questions, while I have but one: Isn't there any way you could find to get a ham and a prime rib roast in there also?

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

I have Galantined a few turkeys in my time, the principle is the same the stuffing is for shape, I use a sausage meat stuffing and have put skinned whole pheasant and duck breasts in layers within the stuffing.
The bones from the birds will make a good gravy. Cooking times, you have a solid mass so I would time it like a pork joint.
I would leave the bacon out as you have a lot of flavor without it.

 

[Andy M.]

A turducken without stuffings isn't a turducken.

I wouldn't cook it at 200º F. That's too low to be safe. I'd go with at least 250º F.

I think I'd take the skin off the chicken and duck. Otherwise it will just be limp soggy, fatty skin.

The bacon will not crisp at low temps as you plan to use.

 

[snickerdoodle]

I'll try to answer your bacon question. At some point perhaps you will be cooking the bird(s) at a higher temp (400-ish) to get a crispy skin. If not, you might want to consider it. I'm thinking the same rules apply; start at high heat for 20 mins to half hour then reduce heat. If it's a thick cut of bacon I think it can withstand cooking for the duration as long as you keep an eye on it. If the skin/bacon starts getting too crispy before the cooking is done you could cover it with foil. I would think you would want the bacon on there as long as possible so it lends some flavor to the meat. I'm not speaking from experience but this is my educated guess. Good luck!

 

[jstallman]

You have several questions, while I have but one: Isn't there any way you could find to get a ham and a prime rib roast in there also?

In due time. That's a plan for next year.

I use a sausage meat stuffing and have put skinned whole pheasant and duck breasts in layers within the stuffing.
The bones from the birds will make a good gravy. Cooking times, you have a solid mass so I would time it like a pork joint.
I would leave the bacon out as you have a lot of flavor without it.

I wanted to do either sausage or ham as stuffing, are you talking pure sausage or is there a starch involved, cause i don't really like having bread and stuff in there. What kind of sausage and how finely cut?

A turducken without stuffings isn't a turducken.

I wouldn't cook it at 200º F. That's too low to be safe. I'd go with at least 250º F.

I think I'd take the skin off the chicken and duck. Otherwise it will just be limp soggy, fatty skin.

The bacon will not crisp at low temps as you plan to use.

Well, the stuffing I'm using is just the duck and the chicken, no filler starch or anything. That is my plan, a lot of my family don't like the stuffing cooked in the turkey, and I agree.

Yeah, 200 is on the low end, I was thinking 250, and then depending on how it progresses lower it if I feel it's cooking the outside to much or something, but 250 will probably be what it stays on.

Suggestions on how to cook bacon over it but then get the bacon crispy? I was thinking cooking it over the turkey for the last several hours, then taking it off, cooking it on high heat, and then lay it back on near the end, but that seems like a lot of trouble.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[jstallman]

At some point perhaps you will be cooking the bird(s) at a higher temp (400-ish) to get a crispy skin. If not, you might want to consider it. I'm thinking the same rules apply; start at high heat for 20 mins to half hour then reduce heat. If it's a thick cut of bacon I think it can withstand cooking for the duration as long as you keep an eye on it. If the skin/bacon starts getting too crispy before the cooking is done you could cover it with foil. I would think you would want the bacon on there as long as possible so it lends some flavor to the meat.

Yeah, that sounds like it could work, thanks. So high heat at the beginning, then low heat for most of the duration, then high at around 400 near the end to crisp it all up? I think that could work.

 

[CWS4322]

Hey, I'm James, I just joined the forum. I have several questions for for my Bird(s).

I have made the last several turkeys in my family and they have all been pretty good, but I really want to go above and beyond this year.

I'm doing the Turducken. I know what to do and I have everything I need, though I do have a couple obscure questions I can't find answers to.

1.I don't stuff my turkeys, We cook the stuffing separate. All turducken recipes involve stuffing, is there anything I need to consider when I don't use a stuffing? (Temperature, dryness, anything)

2. I'm laying a Bacon Weave over it, good thick bacon. When should I put it on, the turducken will be cooking at about a temperature of 200 to 250. How long do I wait before I late the bacon over it?

3. Is there any way to make the bacon somewhat crispy by the end of it, or is it just going to be soft, wet bacon?

4. Do I need to remove the skin of the duck or chicken for any reason?

5. Any tips or suggests beyond basic cooking instructions.

I searched all turkey threads for the past year just to cover my bases. I'm new here, mainly for this Thanksgiving meal, but I can see myself hanging out here after cause I like to cook all kinds of things. Thanks for the help.

Could I have directions to your house and what time should I be there? I'd be happy to bring dessert...oh--turducken....YUM~~~you are so much braver than I am...I can bring a side as well.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

JST the stuffings I make for turk/chick over here is not really as bread based as yours.
The basic mix I use is some very good quality herby raw pork sausages that you skin and mix with some fresh breadcrumbs, chopped shallot, garlic and eggs to bind. It is up to you how you flavor it.I would use the livers if they came with the birds if not I would add a lot of lemon zest and some whole prunes.

 

[jstallman]

Could I have directions to your house and what time should I be there? I'd be happy to bring dessert...oh--turducken....YUM~~~you are so much braver than I am...I can bring a side as well.

Ha thanks. Yeah, the scary part is deboning a turkey without peircing the skin so it looks like a whole turkey afterwards. I practiced on sveral whole chickens the last couple months so I know I got that part down, the rest is not so bad. Just time consuming.

JST the stuffings I make for turk/chick over here is not really as bread based as yours.
The basic mix I use is some very good quality herby raw pork sausages that you skin and mix with some fresh breadcrumbs, chopped shallot, garlic and eggs to bind. It is up to you how you flavor it.I would use the livers if they came with the birds if not I would add a lot of lemon zest and some whole prunes.

That's good, I'm just not into cooking bread inside meat like that. There's blood in there and I don't want those 2 mixing. If I can do a herb/meat blend of stuffing to add on top of the duck and chicken, I'll be good to go.