Westinghouse roaster vs Turkey HELP!

[paulg]

Help!
We're planning our Thanksgiving agenda tonight and we're doing a 20 pound turkey.
And we've planned to do the 20 pound turkey in the Westinghouse roaster.
However the instruction manual and the pull-out guide for the roaster top out at at 12 pound turkey.
Can you do a 20 lb turkey in the typical 1957 Westinghouse roaster?
Thanks for any info!

 

[Iowegian]

I don't know.

Tabletop roaster ovens can do a great job.

But there needs to be room for air to circulate around the bird.

I wouldn't try to jam a 20 lb bird into a roaster oven that was designed to cook a 12 lb. bird.

Even in a designer kitchen, I'd never buy a 20 lb. turkey. Ever.

I'd buy two 12 or 13 lb. birds instead.

Best of luck to you.

 

[arbilab]

Would the lid fit @20#?

We always did turkey for 6 + leftovers in a Westinghouse roaster but I don't know the weight of the birds.

 

[rp2813]

20 pounds strikes me as much too large for a Westy roaster.  If your aim is to free up your regular oven for other items, you would probably be better off switching things around and using the oven for the turkey and the giving the roaster an auxiliary role for items of a more manageable size. 

 

[cuffs054]

I think it will. Somewhere I have copies of instructions on how to handle this very problem. Try goggle. If I recall, it's a tent of foil and other stuff. I've looked all over the house since I'm going to use my WH roaster for the same thing! Roasted a chicken tonight, FAB!

 

[rp2813]

I think there's a site devoted to the Westy Roaster.  It might have a weird name like Jitterbug or something.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Even in a designer kitchen, I'd never buy a 20 lb. turke

Can't say I've ever tried a turkey of any size in a Westy roaster, but I'd think a 20-pounder might not be a possibility.

As for never buying a 20# turkey, Iowegian, why not? I've been cooking a 19-22# turkey every year for maybe 15-or-so years now. The breast comes out moist, the rest of the bird is cooked nicely, and we get nice crispy skin! Yes, I too read the advice of chef Michael Symon in last week's Parade supplement (buy 2 smaller birds instead of one larger one), but I haven't found it necessary.

Chuck

 

[lotsosudz]

20LB birds will fit

I use my two roasters for big birds all the time, and will for thanksgiving. If the lid does not seat completely, it will as it cooks. I've done up to 23LBS in them, and the turkey comes out brown and juicy! Remember they heat on the sides as well as the bottom, so they are very even cooking. Just remember to baste, or better yet, rub the turkey down with olive oil,and the will come out perfect. It also saves your oven for everything else! Just say'in. Hope this helps you. The broad breasted variety fit better as they sit slightly lower than the other variety.
Hugs,
David

 

[Iowegian]

@perc-o-prince

If you can can cook a 20 lb. turkey, my hat's off to you.

I live about 40 miles south of the turkey production capital of the U.S., Ellsworth, Iowa. Yeah, not where you'd take a family vacation.

Ironically, my only serious motorcycle accident was when I headed North to my friend's place where he produces and markets 6 million turkeys a year. I hit a wild Tom turkey, and low-sided.

I could have spent days in a blind trying to get that Tom, but he kicked my backside and wrecked my bike.

The most embarrassing part was having my better half pick me up in her Honda Pilot. "I'll take you where you want to go, but your bike won't fit."

Why didn't you take my truck?

"Because it smells bad - like your dog."

You do remember what all those levers in my truck do, right?

"Just be glad I didn't make you walk home."

Hmmm...

 

[michaelman2]

Take the under-pan out of the roaster..line the roaster over where the under-previously sat with foil...take the pan and invert it using it as the cover..there are two pins that hold the pan in place as an under-pan and then when it is inverted and used as a lid, these two pins hold it in place....you will be able to do a 20lb with this procedure. 

 

[Iowegian]

@lotsosuds:

Seriously?

"If the lid don't fit, you must acquit"

Or cook it until the wingtips fall off...

Do they have a foodserver test in your county?

 

[paulg]

Thanks + more info

Thanks for all the info.
The bird was already purchased so we're not going back! And last night we recalled that last year we DID do a 15 lb turkey in the roaster and it turned out great.
Lotsosudz speaketh with knowledge and conviction. So I believe we are still going to do the turkey in the roaster thus leaving the ovens for the side dishes. Again, Lotsosudz had me pegged on the use of the standard oven.
However, today we must do a fitting to ensure the bird will fit in the pan. Thanks too for the tricks on getting the bird to fit even if it is a bit big. (I didn't know the lid will settle as it cooks. Thanks!)
Keep the tips comin' though. I'm sure I'm not the only one doing a bird the Westinghouse way this year!

 

[tomturbomatic]

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the Consumer Reports article on Roaster Ovens, they stated that the Kenmore's instruction manual said the inverted inset pan could be used as a lid for the RO if a large bird was roasted. We did this once or twice with our Westinghouse. Ours was newer and did not have the alignment pins but the inset sat there just fine. Cleaning it afterwards was not as easy as with the removable pan, but it worked just fine. I just poured hot water in it and added detergent, washed it out then poured the water out and used the sink sprayer to rinse it out while it was tilted on one end over the sink. I would not bother with the foil. We did not use it when we did it and it will inevitably leak so just roast the bird and make the gravy in the RO to help clean the cooked on drippings as they are softened by the steam and absorbed by the gravy as it simmers. Once the gravy is made, place the Load 'n Lift rack back in so that the drippings stuck to it will cook off into the gravy. When roasting a large bird where the breast comes up against the glass window, WH recommended placing a piece of foil over the glass to help the browning; it works.

BE CAREFUL WHEN REMOVING THE "PAN/LID". TIP IT IN TOWARD THE RO AS YOU LIFT IT TO LET THE CONDENSATION RUN INTO THE RO INSTEAD OF ALL OVER THE FLOOR. Since it is not vented, like the cover, you might want to place it slightly ajar if you find too many juices accumulating during the roasting.

 

[coldspot]

It should I don't have a Westinghouse but do have a ge one newer.I been doing turkeys in it for years 20 to 24 pounds. If the lid does not fit all the way easy tip use foil over the lid to seal it up.

 

[westingman123]

I do my turkey in the Westy every year.

One year, the bird was too large and the lid didn't quite fit. As has been said, the lid settled as that big old bird cooked and it turned out very moist and flavorful.

Never fear. Betty Furness to the rescue!

 

[lotsosudz]

Roaster cooking

I have never had problems with the method of letting the lid settle! I must say that I am not talking about 1 or more inches of gap on the lid. Generally speaking, if it is 1/2" or less, it will be just fine, as the heat relaxes the bones, and the lid settles down within the first 20 minutes of cooking, and turns out a beautiful bird just the same. If you are skeptical, put foil over it, and then the lid. definately spray the removeable pan or the base pan with no stick, and clean up will be much easier to clean up, no matter what method you use.
David

 

[perc-o-prince]

@perc-o-prince... If you can can cook a 20 lb. turkey, my ha

Lots of people can cook a 20# bird. It's whether they can cook it well or not that counts....

I don't get the problem. I defrost it in the fridge for about 5 days. On the day, I rinse it and remove the goodies (to boil up to add to gravy and dressing), rub it with softened butter, season it, stuff some herbs, orange, garlic and onion into it, put it in the old enameled pan- the one with the removable liner- add a bit of liquid and aromatics to the pan, tent the bird, and cook it.

I start at 450f for about 1/2 hour then go to 325. I start the timing at about 15 minutes per pound, including the first 1/2 hour, but check it about 1/2 hour early with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat (and take the tent off). I'm looking for about 160f. When it hits 160-ish, I take it out and cover it to coast to about 165-170 and let the juices settle back into the meat. That gives me time to make the gravy and do last minute prep for anything else.

@ Iowegian... as for the rest of your story, I don't know what it meant as far as cooking a turkey. Because one lives near a bakery, it does not make one a baker. Maybe I missed something.

Chuck

 

[paulg]

Roaster is ready and waiting

Thanks for the tips gang! The bird is just a very wee bit too big and the lid is up just the slightest but now I know it'll sink a bit as it cooks. I'll foil the edges.
I'll keep y'all posted.
... And I know that Saint Betty of Furness will watch over me...

 

[Iowegian]

@perc-o-prince:

I guess that was an awkward way of expressing shock and horror how, living in the heart of turkey country, that anyone would ever consider cooking a Thanksgiving bird in a roaster oven except under duress. Like Russian or Cuban Soldiers in my front yard kind of duress. Do they not have real ovens there?

But as long as you guys buy birds from my friend, no matter what you do to them, it's all good. I can still crash my motorcycle on my way to his house and have a good time.

I thought everyone on the East Coast was into artisinal light bulbs and recycling their grocery bags. Hopefully you'll excuse my guffaws when I see people utterly flummoxed on the Food Channel when they show people that don't know why their Bronx rooftop garden doesn't yield strawberries or rhubarb stalks right away. But all is not lost - you can grow Kale and Basil!

OK, that was bitchy...

But the next person that mentions the evils of GMO crops gets a lesson in botany, agronomy and biochemistry. For free.