jakeseacrest
Well-known member
Does anyone here have a foolproof recipe for a juicy turkey? This year I'm doing the bird at my house and in my 40 years I've never cooked a whole turkey just individual parts. My bird is 12 pounds
Cooking a Turkey
- Thread starter jakeseacrest
- Start date
Help Support AutomaticWasher.org:
turquoisedude
Well-known member
I've never gone wrong roasting in an open pan but at around 325 degrees. I baste often and I start checking the bird for doneness after it has been cooking for 3 hours. I do count on extra roasting time if the turkey is stuffed, though.
One of my really old cookbooks suggested roasting a 10-12 pound turkey in 'fast oven' for 7 to 9 hours... EESH! They must have wanted to take it on a long sea voyage after that!!
One of my really old cookbooks suggested roasting a 10-12 pound turkey in 'fast oven' for 7 to 9 hours... EESH! They must have wanted to take it on a long sea voyage after that!!
Brine only turkeys that haven't already been injected with a saline solution; you'll probably find most have been. If it says "flavor-injected," "self-basting" or "injected with up to 8% saline solution" the brining has been done for you. Brining an injected bird makes for an extremely salty dining experience.
🍽[this post was last edited: 11/18/2015-18:28]
🍽[this post was last edited: 11/18/2015-18:28]abcomatic
Well-known member
I like to roast it upside down in a cooking bag, bastes itself and not a lot of mess to clean up.
Ditto
on the cooking bag. Always comes out moist and tender, doesn't splatter all over the oven and roasts faster too. We don't eat the skin anyway, so the fact that the skin isn't crisp is no problem. The pan is a whole lot easier to clean too. Since the drippings don't get as brown I use a little Kitchen Bouquet in the gravy to boost the flavor and give a richer color.[this post was last edited: 11/18/2015-20:39]
on the cooking bag. Always comes out moist and tender, doesn't splatter all over the oven and roasts faster too. We don't eat the skin anyway, so the fact that the skin isn't crisp is no problem. The pan is a whole lot easier to clean too. Since the drippings don't get as brown I use a little Kitchen Bouquet in the gravy to boost the flavor and give a richer color.[this post was last edited: 11/18/2015-20:39]
michaelman2
Well-known member
Oven bag is great. Also a stick of butter inside the cavity and pats of butter under the skin all over make for a wonderful taste.
jakeseacrest
Well-known member
Roasting bag is sounding like a good idea
I just recently jotted this down from an old Thanksgiving thread the Late Great Kelly Beard had posted:
Breast down, un-stuffed, not trussed, 18 - 20 minutes per pound at 375. I think this could be adapted for a stuffed bird, maybe longer and lower?
Breast down, un-stuffed, not trussed, 18 - 20 minutes per pound at 375. I think this could be adapted for a stuffed bird, maybe longer and lower?
I do the breast down method but flip at the half way point to crisp the skin.
xraytech
Well-known member
I don't eat turkey, so I can't say what this tastes like, but this is the recipe I've used several times.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/champagne-basted-turkey
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/champagne-basted-turkey
whirlcool
Well-known member
Stufing a Turkey
Several years ago I read an article that said it's best not to stuff a turkey with stuffing. Why? The internal temp of the stuffing and the turkey may not reach a safe temperature for doneness and bacteria may thrive. It's probably much better to put the stuffing in a separate container which can then be cooked in the same oven as the turkey.
Always use a meat thermometer. The one we use has a magnetic back on it and a probe with about 30 inches of wire. You insert the probe into the turkey and then connect it to the thermometer and place that outside the oven. You can then set the thermometer to alarm when the desired temperature is reached.
http://https//www.yahoo.com/food/turkey-stuffing-to-stuff-or-not-102373195224.html
Several years ago I read an article that said it's best not to stuff a turkey with stuffing. Why? The internal temp of the stuffing and the turkey may not reach a safe temperature for doneness and bacteria may thrive. It's probably much better to put the stuffing in a separate container which can then be cooked in the same oven as the turkey.
Always use a meat thermometer. The one we use has a magnetic back on it and a probe with about 30 inches of wire. You insert the probe into the turkey and then connect it to the thermometer and place that outside the oven. You can then set the thermometer to alarm when the desired temperature is reached.
http://https//www.yahoo.com/food/turkey-stuffing-to-stuff-or-not-102373195224.html
Well I have to disagree. I can think of little food worse that a turkey done in a bag. That to me to is just a steamed turkey. I've done turkeys for decades now and tried many differing methods. My recent success is in a convection oven set at 325. A 12lb turkey should be done in a couple of hours that way.
If you just have a regular oven then salt and season it overnight, pat it dry, rub some olive oil on it and put it in a turkey rack, the V shaped kind, breast up with the legs tied and wings tucked. Add some water and vegetables to the pan to flavour the juice and baste it after the first 45 minutes. USE A MEAT THERMOMETER! I take it out when the dark meat of the thigh reaches 160, then let it stand covered with foil for about half an hour for the juices to flow through the meat and to finish cooking a bit.
As for brining, I've had very good success with that method, but you must have either a fresh turkey or one that has not been injected with water. I used brown sugar and some bourbon along with the salt - great flavor.
If you just have a regular oven then salt and season it overnight, pat it dry, rub some olive oil on it and put it in a turkey rack, the V shaped kind, breast up with the legs tied and wings tucked. Add some water and vegetables to the pan to flavour the juice and baste it after the first 45 minutes. USE A MEAT THERMOMETER! I take it out when the dark meat of the thigh reaches 160, then let it stand covered with foil for about half an hour for the juices to flow through the meat and to finish cooking a bit.
As for brining, I've had very good success with that method, but you must have either a fresh turkey or one that has not been injected with water. I used brown sugar and some bourbon along with the salt - great flavor.
kevin313
Well-known member
I'm also a fan of the cooking bags. I believe the slightly decrease cooking times, help keep the bird moist, and best of all, clean up is easy-breezy! And the inside of your oven is not spattered with turkey fat.
Convection all the way!
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">A lady never reveals her age so I won't say how many decades I've cooked turkeys but I'll say every one I have done in a convection oven has been outstanding. They don't take as long and they are just as juicy as a Bag cooked turkey IMHO. When you pierce the side of the turkey the juice just pours out.</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Having said that the times I didn't have a convection oven available I did use the Bag and they do cook a pretty good turkey but towards the end you have to open it up and let the turkey brown because a turkey without crispy skin is, well, a very unappealing turkey. </span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I have had turkey cooked in roasters and the meat really does fall off the bone but if I don't have that crispy skin I don't feel like it's Thanksgiving. Did I mention I like the skin nice and crispy?</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">When we were younger my older sister and I used to fight over the skin. I know that's frowned upon by the "too much Fat" Gods but it's only one day a year. Live a little!!</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">A lady never reveals her age so I won't say how many decades I've cooked turkeys but I'll say every one I have done in a convection oven has been outstanding. They don't take as long and they are just as juicy as a Bag cooked turkey IMHO. When you pierce the side of the turkey the juice just pours out.</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Having said that the times I didn't have a convection oven available I did use the Bag and they do cook a pretty good turkey but towards the end you have to open it up and let the turkey brown because a turkey without crispy skin is, well, a very unappealing turkey. </span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I have had turkey cooked in roasters and the meat really does fall off the bone but if I don't have that crispy skin I don't feel like it's Thanksgiving. Did I mention I like the skin nice and crispy?</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">When we were younger my older sister and I used to fight over the skin. I know that's frowned upon by the "too much Fat" Gods but it's only one day a year. Live a little!!</span>
hoovermatic
Well-known member
Fanny has the solution to a dry bird
If you can get through it without laughing!
http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1fIj6_lDZ8
If you can get through it without laughing!
http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1fIj6_lDZ8
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
May sound contrary to tradition
You can also poach a turkey, if you have a pot big enough. Just build you a broth around him with onions, celery, carrots, chicken broth works. and boil gently like you would a whole chicken when making chicken and noodles.
Your skin won't be crisp, but the meat will be moist and tender.
I know some of the soup kitchens that don't have oven capacity do their Thanksgiving Turkeys this way.
You can also poach a turkey, if you have a pot big enough. Just build you a broth around him with onions, celery, carrots, chicken broth works. and boil gently like you would a whole chicken when making chicken and noodles.
Your skin won't be crisp, but the meat will be moist and tender.
I know some of the soup kitchens that don't have oven capacity do their Thanksgiving Turkeys this way.
whirlcool
Well-known member
When I was growing up my grandmother used to put cheesecloth over the turkey breast while the turkey was baking. She'd baste the turkey right through the cheesecloth.
I've never seen or heard of that done that way before.
I've never seen or heard of that done that way before.
norgeway
Well-known member
RE Poaching/boiling
My Grandmother Craig boiled her turkeys back before stoves had large ovens, My Aunts said she boiled them in a blue enamel canner.
My Grandmother Craig boiled her turkeys back before stoves had large ovens, My Aunts said she boiled them in a blue enamel canner.
sudsmaster
Well-known member
Here's a method I found works very well.
Usually I rotisserie a 14lb or less bird out on the patio. But if using an oven:
Get a V shaped roasting rack. Preheat the oven to 475F.
Rinse and dry the bird off thoroughly, Make sure it's totally thawed. Bend the wings back, putting the tips under the upper part of the limb. Tie the legs together. Do not stuff; but you can put an herb mix in the body cavity.
Using a pastry brush, coat the entire bird with a good quality vegetable oil. I use organic virgin olive oil. .Peanut oil is good, too.
Set the bird breast down in the V-shaped rack in a shallow roasting pan. The reason for this is that the fattier parts are on the back, and in this position it tends to self-baste. The other reason is that the breast side needs less heat to cook to a lower final temp than the back/legs. It will get less such heat if kept facing down. Pop into 475 oven, and leave for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 325 and roast as long as it takes for the breast meat to get to 165F, and/or dark meat to 175F. For the last 30 minutes. turn the bird breast up so it gets browned. Do NOT baste. Basting only helps to dry out turkey. The initial oil rub is all the basting it really needs.
The idea here is that the high 457F heat sears the outside of the bird, locking in the juices. The relatively low roasting temp (325) helps to insure the bird is cooked through wihout getting tough and dry. Prolonged high heat will denature proteins and make them more like leather than succulent morsels.
This oven method has given me good results over the years. I prefer the rotisserie method, though because the side heat and constant turning helps to lock in the juices and brown the outside evenly. I use a similar method with the rotisserie: high (475+) heat for about 15 minutes followed by a low roast temp.
OH, and I've tried deep frying a turkey, using a Butterball electric turkey fryer. What a mess. Never again, esp since I returned the fryer to Costco for a refund. And that oil cost more than the turkey!
Usually I rotisserie a 14lb or less bird out on the patio. But if using an oven:
Get a V shaped roasting rack. Preheat the oven to 475F.
Rinse and dry the bird off thoroughly, Make sure it's totally thawed. Bend the wings back, putting the tips under the upper part of the limb. Tie the legs together. Do not stuff; but you can put an herb mix in the body cavity.
Using a pastry brush, coat the entire bird with a good quality vegetable oil. I use organic virgin olive oil. .Peanut oil is good, too.
Set the bird breast down in the V-shaped rack in a shallow roasting pan. The reason for this is that the fattier parts are on the back, and in this position it tends to self-baste. The other reason is that the breast side needs less heat to cook to a lower final temp than the back/legs. It will get less such heat if kept facing down. Pop into 475 oven, and leave for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 325 and roast as long as it takes for the breast meat to get to 165F, and/or dark meat to 175F. For the last 30 minutes. turn the bird breast up so it gets browned. Do NOT baste. Basting only helps to dry out turkey. The initial oil rub is all the basting it really needs.
The idea here is that the high 457F heat sears the outside of the bird, locking in the juices. The relatively low roasting temp (325) helps to insure the bird is cooked through wihout getting tough and dry. Prolonged high heat will denature proteins and make them more like leather than succulent morsels.
This oven method has given me good results over the years. I prefer the rotisserie method, though because the side heat and constant turning helps to lock in the juices and brown the outside evenly. I use a similar method with the rotisserie: high (475+) heat for about 15 minutes followed by a low roast temp.
OH, and I've tried deep frying a turkey, using a Butterball electric turkey fryer. What a mess. Never again, esp since I returned the fryer to Costco for a refund. And that oil cost more than the turkey!
That video of Fanny
Talk about cross contamination! Yikes
Talk about cross contamination! Yikes
Morton Thompson turkey
Extremely labor intensive and at one point, it looks like it's burned black, but I've heard this the best Turkey in the world. I have yet to try out.
http://www.europeancuisines.com/Chr...Famous-Black-Turkey-Recipe-Of-Morton-Thompson
Extremely labor intensive and at one point, it looks like it's burned black, but I've heard this the best Turkey in the world. I have yet to try out.
http://www.europeancuisines.com/Chr...Famous-Black-Turkey-Recipe-Of-Morton-Thompson
Whirlcool - I've done the cheese cloth method a few times, it seems to work - as well as any other method I've tried.
As I've posted in the past, my Eleoctrolux oven's "Perfect Turkey" option does create a perfect turkey. You just prep the turkey as you like, place it on a V shaped rack, insert the temp probe, and put the turkey in a COLD oven. It does the rest. I do baste from time to time, but I set the oven to stop cooking when the probe reaches 160 degrees and the turkey is great, evenly browned and nice and juicy.
As I've posted in the past, my Eleoctrolux oven's "Perfect Turkey" option does create a perfect turkey. You just prep the turkey as you like, place it on a V shaped rack, insert the temp probe, and put the turkey in a COLD oven. It does the rest. I do baste from time to time, but I set the oven to stop cooking when the probe reaches 160 degrees and the turkey is great, evenly browned and nice and juicy.
And now for something a little different....
... and more labor intensive...
How about a Turducken...
Or a BACON wrapped turkey??
YUM!!!
Kevin
... and more labor intensive...
How about a Turducken...
Or a BACON wrapped turkey??
YUM!!!
Kevin
lordkenmore
Well-known member
>That video of Fanny
>Talk about cross contamination!
I was, frankly, cringing. Although I'm very cautious/conservative when it comes to handling meat these days. Even compared to when I was young, I'm cautious/conservative. For example, if I whipped up a beef stew-type dish in 1990, I'd have probably just washed the equipment that touched meat. And that would be that. Now, the dishes get washed carefully, and are separate from other dishes. Anything that I might eat off (say a small bowl that I'd used to marinate a small handful of meat for a stir fry) will be sanitized, as well as the dishpan.
I dream of a dishwasher, and one reason I dream of a dishwasher is just to be able to sanitize things.
I'm not sure why or when I became so cautious. I never had any really bad incident I can recall (e.g., catching a bug that causes vomit to spew faster than an erupting volcano). Maybe it's just the effect of all those warnings about contamination.
Although it's helpful to remember a couple of things as far as old cooking shows are concerned. First, by nature, they had to cut corners where possible to save time. Areas of safety might not be the best place to cut a corner, but...where do you draw the line? At some point, one assumes that the viewer is or should be smart enough to understand and follow certain rules. Julia Child didn't have to warn people that burners were hot enough to burn a hand.
And secondly, issues with meat weren't as big a consideration once. Part of that might be "just not known." But I'm personally convinced that a large percentage of the trouble comes from modern factory farming practices, where no animal is probably remotely "healthy."
>Talk about cross contamination!
I was, frankly, cringing. Although I'm very cautious/conservative when it comes to handling meat these days. Even compared to when I was young, I'm cautious/conservative. For example, if I whipped up a beef stew-type dish in 1990, I'd have probably just washed the equipment that touched meat. And that would be that. Now, the dishes get washed carefully, and are separate from other dishes. Anything that I might eat off (say a small bowl that I'd used to marinate a small handful of meat for a stir fry) will be sanitized, as well as the dishpan.
I dream of a dishwasher, and one reason I dream of a dishwasher is just to be able to sanitize things.
I'm not sure why or when I became so cautious. I never had any really bad incident I can recall (e.g., catching a bug that causes vomit to spew faster than an erupting volcano). Maybe it's just the effect of all those warnings about contamination.
Although it's helpful to remember a couple of things as far as old cooking shows are concerned. First, by nature, they had to cut corners where possible to save time. Areas of safety might not be the best place to cut a corner, but...where do you draw the line? At some point, one assumes that the viewer is or should be smart enough to understand and follow certain rules. Julia Child didn't have to warn people that burners were hot enough to burn a hand.
And secondly, issues with meat weren't as big a consideration once. Part of that might be "just not known." But I'm personally convinced that a large percentage of the trouble comes from modern factory farming practices, where no animal is probably remotely "healthy."
Fanny
Stuck her fingers into a new jar of honey AFTER she'd handled the goose.
She contaminated the jar! For taping purposes the honey could have been pre pored into a dish that she worked out of.
Stuck her fingers into a new jar of honey AFTER she'd handled the goose.
She contaminated the jar! For taping purposes the honey could have been pre pored into a dish that she worked out of.
Similar threads
