Turkey Time! Making The Big Bird In Advance!

[kevin313]

Here's my process for making Thanksgiving turkey. I got into this habit when I used to cater a lot of chruch dinners that required my roasting 15+ birds to feed the crowds. So now, on a smaller scale, I do the same method at home. Growing up, my mom didn't "present" the turkey at the table - it got carved up in the kitchen and the meat was brought out on a big platter. If you like to show the turkey at the table, then this won't work for you. But if you want to free up your oven and spend Thanksgiving morning fussing with your other delicious dishes, you may want to give this a try!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Process, recipe and more at link:

http://cavalcadeoffood.blogspot.com/2011/11/turkey-time-make-it-now-serve-it-later.html

 

[mattl]

Interesting.

 

Odds are there are almost as many ways to do turkey as there are turkeys!  I recently adjusted my method.  I've been brining my turkey for years, only fresh turkeys work for this method.  I use salt, sugar and some booze, the original recipe I used called for Wild Turkey in the brine, but I quickly abandoned that in favor of a cheap bourbon.  I brine it for 3 days.

 

I adjusted my cooking method when I updated to my Electrolux oven with the prefect turkey button.  Their method, and it really does work, is to put the turkey into a cold oven, and place the probe in the deepest part of the turkey, I use the breast, they suggest the thigh.  The process uses convection cooking and the turkey comes out amazingly moist and perfectly browned, and work the same for a nice chicken.  I set the temp to 160, I HATE over cooked turkey.

 

[perc-o-prince]

I can see why that would be a popular way to feed a crowd, Kevin!!! I couldn't imagine doing 15 birds at once the "traditional" way!

We don't present the bird at the table, but I love having the smell permeate the house on T-Day as it's cooking, and to have a nice-looking bird come out of the oven. Also, we like the crispy skin (I season under the skin then the skin itself). Gives those in the kitchen who are "helping" (by picking off pieces of skin and bits of bird as I carve) something to do too!

I rub the bird with butter, season inside, under the skin, and on top with pepper, granulated garlic, poultry seasoning and onion powder, then stuff the cavity with onion, garlic cloves, apple, orange and herb sprigs. Always some more aromatics in the pan with the turkey to further flavor the drippin's for gravy! I sometimes mash some seasoning into butter to make it easier to distribute it under the skin if I'm not using things like whole sage leaves.

Chuck

 

[kevin313]

Chuck,

Mmmmmm....I can smell that turkey now! The aroma of roasting turkey, bread baking and onions being fried in butter make me feel instantly and warmly loved. If I'm lucky, I get to experience all of those wonderful scents at some point during Thanksgiving, which is why I think it's one of my favorite days of the year.

 

[perc-o-prince]

I'll take the yummy, yeasty smell of bread baking ANY time! I never really got into making it, though. Probably just as well since I'd have to test it with real butter each time it came out of the oven! I make foccacia (with different things like roasted garlic, or rosemary and thyme) and that's bad enough.

That said, do you have a fairly easy, foolproof bread recipe? Other than using a bread machine?

Chuck

 

[lordkenmore]

It's doubtful that I'll be roasting a turkey this year.

But I must say I really like this idea. I got stuck helping prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner at least twice. (Probably many more times, but these 2+ times were times I was very heavily involved.) And I hated how much last minute work was necessary. Moving the turkey to earlier in the week would have made life so much easier.

Although early prep of the turkey would have been hard. These Thanksgivings were not under my control, and other's desires had to be humored. Otherwise it would be: "This is not the way we do it!" or some such theme.

 

[tlee618]

Kevin, thanks once again for taking the time to make this video.  What a great way to fix a turkey and have all of that out of the way when the big day arrives.  I am going to give this a try the next time I have to cook a turkey.  

 

Terry

 

[norgeway]

This is a GREAT idea!

I love to cook thanksgiving dinner!! I fix my turkey the way my Aunt Mable did, One of my Dads older sisters always had Thanksgiving andChristmas at her house, I use a covered roaster, After washing and trimming the bird ,I put it on the lifting rack that came with the old WearEver roaster, I place the neck,liver and heart in the roaster beside the turkey, rub it well with salt pepper and butter, add about an inch of water, insert thermometer, put on the lid and place in a 325 degree oven, this way I have plenty of very rich broth for dressing, and gravy.I cut up the neck and liver, and place them in a 2 quart saucepan with 1 stalk finely minced celery and 1 boiled egg, cover with broth, I fill the pot to about an inch and a half from the top, bring to a boil, thicken with flour and water mixed to a paste, cook a while and add salt and pepper to taste.For the dressing, I bake a 10 inch cake of corn bread, crumble in a large bowl, mix in 1 large bag Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned dressing mix, 2 mashed boiled eggs,1 large onion and 3 or 4 stalks finely chopped celery,sauted in 1 stick butter, Also add 1 pound pork sausage, browned and crumbled, then add one tablespoon sage and a teaspoon poultry seasoning, add broth from roaster mixing well, I like it moist, you can bake in a large greased pan, or as my Aunt did, bake it in muffin pans, 375 till lightly browned.

 

[tomturbomatic]

In yesterday's NYT Dining section

There were many recipes and questions with answers about the meal preparation. The most interesting one was from someone whose new apartment does not have an OVEN! They wanted to know if they could prepare a turkey. The answer was from an author who has written a cookbook on braising. She said it could be done, but not as a whole bird. A 10 lb bird could be cut up into 12 pieces. All pieces were to be browned well, no doubt in many batches. Then chopped onions & celery are added to the bottom of the pan and browned a bit. Then you put in the pieces with dark meat and lastly the white meat. Add about a cup of stock and cook over low heat once it is brought to the boil, checking periodically to see if more stock is needed. I thought it interesting. It also brought to mind using the big, two burner Guardian Service roaster with that beautiful glass dome cover.

 

[norgeway]

Years ago...in the 30s and 40s..

My Grandmother Craig boiled her turkey in a blue enameled canner!

 

[henry200]

I have been cooking the turkey a day ahead of time for 30 years.  It saves a lot of time and clean up the day of the meal.  Plus, the oven is available for keeping other dishes warm as guests arrive.  In my family holiday meals have always been a shared endeavor with everyone bringing something to contribute. 

 

I used to buy frozen turkeys; whatever was on sale but about 15 years ago I started buying fresh, free-range turkeys from a local CSA.  The difference in flavor is amazing, and they aren't as fatty, or injected with water and who knows what else.

 

I have tried brining a few times with great results but the general concensus of the crowd is that they prefer my more traditional method better.  "If it ain't broke......!"   To season the turkey I mix up a batch of sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, fresh rosemary and thyme, and my secret ingredient allspice in a mortar and pestle and apply it liberally inside the cavities, under the skin of the breast, and all over the surface, and then massage it in further with a little olive oil.  I stuff the cavity with onion, carrots, celery, garlic cloves, and a quartered orange.   The bird then goes in a covered enameled roaster and put in a 450 degree oven.  After 30 minutes I turn down the temperature to 325 and let it cook until it tests done with a thermometer.

 

[mixfinder]

Country Western Turkey

I can't remember which female CW singer it was but my Aunt follows her recipe which is hard to believe it works.  Preheat the oven as high as the temperature limit allows.  Place an 16 - 18 pound turkey in the roaster with onions and celery.  Add 2 cups of broth.  Make sure the roaster has a tight fitting lid.  Cover the bird and put it in the very hot oven for 1 hour.  Turn off the oven and don't open the door.  When you place your hand on the oven door and it feels cool (5-6 hours) remove the turkey.  It is extremely moist and well browned with a rich brown pan of broth and drippings for gravy.

 

I use the old Pilgrim method of roasting the bird with a stuffing of wild herbs and popping corn.  I heat the oven to 325, butter the bird and let it roast until it's butt blows off and then I know its ready.

 

Actually I roast the bird breast down, empty cavity at 400 degrees for 18 minutes a pound.  The thighs cook faster when exposed to the heat and the sides of the roasting pan protect the breast.  I pull the turkey at 165 degrees and let it rest 20 minutes.

 

For stuffing, I use a blend of cornbread and white bread.  Sauteed onions, celery, raw country sausage, eggs and broth finish the blend and in the oven it goes for an hour.  I sometimes roast a sacrificial turkey as an appliance to make good dressing in and to have additional broth for gravy.

 

Thanksgiving is without a doubt my favorite holiday.  This year all the kids and grandkids are coming.  Kyler and Judy's baby was due last Sunday so we could have a new grandchild.  There will be a roaring houseful of little kids, good friends and no extraneous family so we should have a really good time.  Were importing celebrity guests from Oregon so its going to be an added thrill. 

 

Come on down, for hot rolls and the pies will outnumber the guests!  I'll make bread in the new Braun that Pete sent and wash the linens in my first ever bag of Persil which came from Germany in a surprise package.  This week has felt more like Christmas than Thanksgiving.  Pictures will follow.

 

[norgeway]

Kelly!

My Grandmother Powell"Moms Mother" did her turkey almost the same way!!! 550, she worked in a elementary school lunchroom in the 50s and 60s and that is how they did it!I thought she was surely the only person to do that!!I believe they would bake it at school and then turn the oven off and leave, in the morning, they had turkey for that day, it most surely does work!!

 

[tomturbomatic]

High Heat Roasting

I wonder if that recipe worked more successfully in an electric oven, which would hold the heat better, than in a regular gas oven which cools so much faster due to the construction which allows for a draft through the cavity to supply air for combustion. It almost sounds like a recipe for a Maytag Dutch Oven or a Chambers brand range (which also cooked with retained heat).

I remember in elementary and probably high school, but certainly elementary school, we would have turkey just before Thanksgiving and maybe before Christmas break. The gravy had sliced hardboiled eggs in it. I have never seen that before and that is why it made an impression on my mind. It was delicious and light in color more like chicken gravy, not like we always made from the turkey roasting pan dripings which was always a rich brown color.

 

[kevin313]

I am loving all these different methods of cooking/roasting turkey! As a child, I recall someone who used the high heat - shut the oven off for a few hours cooking method. I don't remember the results, but I remember all the chatter and buzz about it in the kitchen.

These variations in methods are themselves traditions that make all of our holidays unique and special. It's wonderful.

 

[hunter]

foolproof bread recipe

Here is what I use. I use a 2 pound bread machine and weigh my flour.

15 ounces of flour; you may use up to 5 ounces of whole wheat flour with no noticable change in crumb.
9 ounces of liquid; typically I use 2 eggs and the rest water. I measure this by volume; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
1 teaspoon of salt
1 "good spoonful" of honey

Place these items in the bread machine.

Use 1 teaspoon yeast
And about 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine

Cook on the basic loaf setting of the machine.

I make it at least weekly. (I never buy commercial bread anymore). This isn't for my gluten free wife, of course.

 

[58limited]

"I wonder if that recipe worked more successfully in an electric oven, which would hold the heat better, than in a regular gas oven which cools so much faster..."

Actually, that method sounds very similar to how you cook with a Chambers gas range, which is very well insulated and designed to cook on retained heat: preheat, put food in, run gas for a half hour or so, turn off, and go do something else for a few hours. I wonder if that is where this method evolved from? I agree that nowadays modern electric stoves probably retain heat better than modern gas stoves, no air intakes or vents.

 

[58limited]

Here is how I did a turkey last year and it turned out great. I got this method from the Chambers Rangers forum. I used my O'Keefe & Merritt stove since my Chambers has been in many pieces for awhile now:

Basically, after rinsing the turkey and patting dry, you douse it with tobasco inside and out. Put stuffing in cavity if desired and season with seasonings of your choice, but no salt since that will dry out the turkey meat. Place turkey in a Lisk or Reed roaster (concave lid, the condensation drips back onto the food and thus self bastes) and cook until done. I injected the turkey with garlic butter and, other than the tobasco, I did not use any other seasonings - it does not turn out very hot and spicy, but is not bland either. I add a cup or two of white wine to the roaster too.

Interestingly, I followed the directions on the turkey package as far as cooking time and oven temp but the turkey was done an hour earlier than the cooking time chart said it would be (verified with a meat thermometer) - I'm glad I checked the turkey or it would have overcooked. I have an oven thermometer and the oven temp is correct.

 

[sudsmaster]

For me the secret to a good turkey, regardless of the type of oven, is as follows:

Thaw bird thoroughly. Dry it inside and out. Liberally coat the outside of the turkey with good quality vegetable oil (peanut oil works well).

Do not stuff the turkey. But I usually put some strong herbs in the cavity, like fresh rosemary, sage, oregano. Maybe some hot peppers (like Serrano) and some crushed garlic as well.

Preheat oven to 450F. Put the turkey in the roasting pan (shallow) on a rack upside down. Place in hot oven, allow high heat to sear the outside of the bird for 15 to 30 minutes.

Lower heat to 325F, cook according to chart (generally 15 minutes per pound for smaller birds). 30 minutes before scheduled done time, turn bird over to brown breast side.

The reason for putting the bird in upside down first is twofold: one, it allows the fattier dark meat to self-baste the drier white meat for most of the cook time. Two, the dark meat requires longer cooking and the higher it is in the oven the more it will cook.

I generally cook it until the breast meat is at least 165F and/or the dark meat 175F.

All that said, I usually don't use a conventional oven for this. I usually use an outdoor covered BBQ. For the charcoal fired BBQ, I place the bird upside down as described and use plenty of natural fruit wood to gently smoke it. After the initial sear, the roasting temp ranges between 275 and 325. Sometimes towards the end I'll just let the coals die down naturally, which gives the meat a nice "finish".

If I'm not up to tending a live fire, I'll use a covered gas fired BBQ/Rotisserie. The one I have can handle up to a 15 lb bird. After the initial sear I'll usually put a drip pan with about 1/2 inch or more of water in it. The rotisserie burner does most of the work, but sometimes I'll put one of the side burners on low to maintain 300F.

I never need to "baste" the turkeys, because the oil rub and the initial searing holds in the juices, and the slow roasting temp means it won't dry out.

Here's a photo taken just a few minutes ago of the 15 lb bird on the rotisserie, after about 15 minutes of searing at 450F.

[this post was last edited: 11/20/2011-15:23]

 

[tomturbomatic]

I checked the Maytag owners manual for the Dutch Oven Range. Cooking a turkey on retained heat requires that the oven be preheated to 450F, For a bird of 7-10 lbs, the gas is left on for 10 minutes per pound; for 10-15 lbs, 7 minutes per pound; for 15-18 6; for 18-20 lbs, 5 minutes. For all of them the roasting time with the gas off is 2 hours. Step two says, "Fowl should be placed in the oven uncovered. Place cover ten minutes before gas it turned off. Add one half cup water. OMIT water if chicken is young and if a crisp brown skin is desired."

 

[petek]

Another great job Kevin as always..

I was hoping to see you using an electric knife though LOL

 

[frigilux]

A pleasure to watch, as are all your fun videos, Kevin! I always make the turkey the day before and gently reheat it in its juices on Thanksgiving. In fact, I just finished bagging my turkey and it's ready for the oven when I pop home at noon.

I will be eating a Quorn mock turkey roast myself, and I'm excited to try some vegan gravy recipes. New adventures in holiday eating for me, this year. I would never deprive the rest of the family of a traditional turkey, of course.

 

[westie2]

Did this yesterday with two 14 pound turkeys.  Tuesdays are my work from home days so able to do thid instead of a weekend.  Will reheat tomorrow in our roaster oven whie our kitchen oven will be doing the other things.  Will have 28 family memebes here.  All will be bring other dishes so makes it easier ,

 

 

 

[petek]

Speaking of all this holiday cooking it's my belief that the most difficult or should we say the most critical part where failure must be avoided at all cost is "in the gravy making". That's what I always fear the most,that the gravy will be ruined or not so good, not the actually cooking of the main dish because without good gravy everything else suffers as well.