Do you have a fool-proof way of making your turkey?

[maslex]

I was watching the Food Network the other day and the way Trisha Yearwood made her turkey was quite different. Never heard of doing it that way but it seems interesting.

First she says, she always uses a 12lb bird. So this is the recipe for that size. She slathers it with butter, sprinkles salt/pepper on this outiside and inisde. Then she puts an onion, celery, carrot (cut up) inside the bird. Puts in in the roasting pan. Adds 2 cups of boiling water. Covers it up. Puts it in a preheated 500* oven for one hour. The turns the oven off and leaves it in the oven for 4-6 hours. DO NOT open the oven and don't turn it back on. She says it comes of moist & juicy EVERY TIME.

What your best way of cooking it?

 

[MistressMerryweather]

I saw that episode. It was very interesting. I'm dying to cook a bird that way just to see how it comes out. She did say you could go up to 15 lbs, but she wouldn't guarantee anything bigger cooking completely.

 

[java]

I saw a recipe for accidental turkeythat I'm thinking of trying. People swear by Alton Browns brine recipe but I hate brining.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/accidental-turkey-recipe/index.html

I'm just a bit afraid of trying it first.

 

[WL Fan]

I rinse the bird (doesn't matter what size) put it in the roasting pan and stuff it with cut and peeled apples and onions, and sectioned oranges, as many as I can get inside the bird, then layer the bottom of the roasting pan with the rest of the fruit and onions. Sometimes I sprinkle a few raw cranberries in too. I spray the outside with cooking spray, then season it with salt and pepper, garlic powder, sage, thyme, whatever herbs sound good, and a sprinkle of roasted paprika (gives it a beautiful color). I've been doing my turkeys like this for years, and they're always moist and absolutely delicious.

 

[1Mouse2RulethemAll]

20 minutes per pound at 350 and cook it covered and as sealed as tight as possible. Season to taste.


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[Mermaid02]

First of all, I'm stuffing that bird no matter what anyone says. I've brined before (ala Alton) and that was a nice juicy bird.... If I were doing the turkey this year, I guess that is what I would do!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Nothing special, big roasting pan & tin foil tent, but I do use a meat thermometer so it does not overcook.

One of these days I might do a brined turkey. I have never had one.

 

[Duchie]

Brine the turkey the night before (only way to go). Dry, then fill the cavity with onion, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic cloves, and lemon. Make a paste of herbs, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Smear that all over the outside of the bird and underneath the skin. Comes out perfect every time and the drippings make very nicely seasoned gravy.

 

[BearcatsFan]

I mix up butter and herbs the night before, put them in a sandwich bag and freeze in a roll shape (a la Sandra Lee). Thanksgiving Day, I wash and dry the bird, then slice the butter/herb mixture and insert pieces underneath the skin all over, including the legs. I also throw a few inside the cavity. I rub the outside with oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper.

Then I bake in the oven in one of those turkey baking bags as directed on the package.

I've been making them in the turkey bags for many years - they always turn out good.

 

[Saphire]

I have hosted lots of Thanksgivings and tried the turkey so many different ways. Maslex, I did try that method one year, but the turkey came out dry. If I had checked it, I would have caught it, but the recipe said not to peek...never again.

I have cooked it upside down, injected, butter rubbed under the skin, cooking bag, with water on the bottom, Martha Stewarts recipe for butter soaked cheesecloth covering it (leave it to Martha to make things more complicated), etc.

For the last few years, I have settled on buying a boneless turkey from Whole Foods, rubbing it with a blend of seasonings and butter, slice and serve. It is delicious.

Someday, I would like to try brining, and also a depp fried turkey.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I let my mom cook it! Haha!!

I want someone to fry I turkey, I would like to try it. I don't want to fry one, I just want a friend to do it. I am scared of oil and hate how stuff smells if people fry stuff. But it sounds yummy.

 

[mhsjax]

I use the REynolds turkey bags. The skin comes out brown and it is never dry. I see people here talking about brining a turkey, but if someone put herbs on my bird, especially Rosemary, I would gag and throw it out. Just my personal opinion, but I don't want any of that stuff on my bird, and I darn sure don't want my gravy to taste like it. Can you tell I HATE Rosemary. Actually on Alton's. I think there are a couple of herbs that I just can't stand the taste of. My neighbor uses it and swears by it and insists that I try it, NOPE not happening.

ETA, I would love to try a fried turkey, but I would still have to roast one to make gravy. Man all this talk about Turkey is making me hungry for one.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I use the REynolds turkey bags. The skin comes out brown and it is never dry. I see people here talking about brining a turkey, but if someone put herbs on my bird, especially Rosemary, I would gag and throw it out. Just my personal opinion, but I don't want any of that stuff on my bird, and I darn sure don't want my gravy to taste like it. Can you tell I HATE Rosemary. Actually on Alton's. I think there are a couple of herbs that I just can't stand the taste of. My neighbor uses it and swears by it and insists that I try it, NOPE not happening.

ETA, I would love to try a fried turkey, but I would still have to roast one to make gravy. Man all this talk about Turkey is making me hungry for one.

Same here. We are HERB FREE when it comes to making the turkey.

Now I do put some sage in my stuffing/dressing and that is about the extent of my herb usage.

If I ever brined the turkey, I would ditch the herbs if they are in the recipe.

 

[jen0610]

I mix up butter and herbs the night before, put them in a sandwich bag and freeze in a roll shape (a la Sandra Lee). Thanksgiving Day, I wash and dry the bird, then slice the butter/herb mixture and insert pieces underneath the skin all over, including the legs. I also throw a few inside the cavity. I rub the outside with oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper.

Then I bake in the oven in one of those turkey baking bags as directed on the package.

I've been making them in the turkey bags for many years - they always turn out good.

LOVE Sandras butter rub. We do a really big bird, almost 25 lbs, and I triple her butter mixture. I rub it on the outside as well, instead of oil.

I cook mine in my roaster. Keeps my oven free and open for all the other goodies that need to be done. You can find her butter rub here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/roasted-butter-herb-turkey-recipe/index.html

 

[2x_dis_dad]

We usually do 4 turkey's. 3 are for thanksgiving dinner and 1 gets doubled wrapped in foil and frozen for Christmas. I usually roast 1 in the oven, smoke 2 in my smoker and fry one. I experimented last year and did a beer can turkey. Just like Beer can chicken but with a turkey. It was by far the juiciest and the only one that there was no leftovers for. I think I am going to skip frying any this year and just roast one and Beer Can the rest.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We usually do 4 turkey's. 3 are for thanksgiving dinner and 1 gets doubled wrapped in foil and frozen for Christmas. I usually roast 1 in the oven, smoke 2 in my smoker and fry one. I experimented last year and did a beer can turkey. Just like Beer can chicken but with a turkey. It was by far the juiciest and the only one that there was no leftovers for. I think I am going to skip frying any this year and just roast one and Beer Can the rest.

So how did you cook it?

Off to Google....

 

[lynxstch]

I was watching the Food Network the other day and the way Trisha Yearwood made her turkey was quite different. Never heard of doing it that way but it seems interesting.

First she says, she always uses a 12lb bird. So this is the recipe for that size. She slathers it with butter, sprinkles salt/pepper on this outiside and inisde. Then she puts an onion, celery, carrot (cut up) inside the bird. Puts in in the roasting pan. Adds 2 cups of boiling water. Covers it up. Puts it in a preheated 500* oven for one hour. The turns the oven off and leaves it in the oven for 4-6 hours. DO NOT open the oven and don't turn it back on. She says it comes of moist & juicy EVERY TIME.

What your best way of cooking it?

hmm..that sounds like an interesting way to do it. It's just hubby and me , so we only got a 12 lb turkey (for the leftovers, mostly, lol) and I might give it a try. Normally I just use a Reynolds oven cooking bag, and it always comes out moist and juicy , and doesn't take forever to cook!

Thanks for the info on Trisha's method of cooking it!

 

[maslex]

LOVE Sandras butter rub. We do a really big bird, almost 25 lbs, and I triple her butter mixture. I rub it on the outside as well, instead of oil.

I cook mine in my roaster. Keeps my oven free and open for all the other goodies that need to be done. You can find her butter rub here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/roasted-butter-herb-turkey-recipe/index.html

I'd love to get a roaster. What size & brand do you have? What else have you cooked in one of those? I've always wanted one but never managed to buy one. Can you send me a link?

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

We usually do 4 turkey's. 3 are for thanksgiving dinner and 1 gets doubled wrapped in foil and frozen for Christmas. I usually roast 1 in the oven, smoke 2 in my smoker and fry one. I experimented last year and did a beer can turkey. Just like Beer can chicken but with a turkey. It was by far the juiciest and the only one that there was no leftovers for. I think I am going to skip frying any this year and just roast one and Beer Can the rest.

I'm coming to your house! I'll bring some cornbread!

 

[Hrhpd]

I was watching the Food Network the other day and the way Trisha Yearwood made her turkey was quite different. Never heard of doing it that way but it seems interesting.

First she says, she always uses a 12lb bird. So this is the recipe for that size. She slathers it with butter, sprinkles salt/pepper on this outiside and inisde. Then she puts an onion, celery, carrot (cut up) inside the bird. Puts in in the roasting pan. Adds 2 cups of boiling water. Covers it up. Puts it in a preheated 500* oven for one hour. The turns the oven off and leaves it in the oven for 4-6 hours. DO NOT open the oven and don't turn it back on. She says it comes of moist & juicy EVERY TIME.

What your best way of cooking it?

I brine my bird. I have tried numerous ways, including the butter slather and nothing comes out as well as the brined bird.

Brining is so easy, I don't know why people are afraid of it. The day before Thanksgiving, I take the thawed bird out of the fridge and put it in a cooler. Fill with water, kosher salt and the other Alton spices. Add some ice so as to keep it properly cooled. Throw out on the back porch. Check every so often that there is still ice (so bird remains cool). Our cooler is one of those that keeps ice for a day, so I could basically forget about it till I pull it out of the brine Thanksgiving morning. Rinse it off and in the pan it goes. Easy, easy.

As for the Trisha Yearwood recipe, that is similar to the way I was taught to cook prime rib. 1 hour at 450 then shut off oven. Do not open. 1 hour before serving, turn the oven back on to 350 and cook for one more hour. Perfect prime rib each time.

However, with poultry and the increased chance of those nasty bacterias, I don't think I would try it with a turkey.