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

[Hrhpd]

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.

You don't need all the herbs for brining. A true brine is just cold water and kosher salt. (1 cup salt to 1 gallon water). And contrary to popular belief, the salt does not make the bird salty.

Adding all the herbs to the salt water is supposedly just for taste (although I have never tasted them in the cooked bird.) I really think the herbs are just for making things more difficult and making you feel like you are doing something special. Telling your guests that you smashed juniper berries makes you sound like an accomplished cook.

I have brined with just the kosher salt/water without any extras and it has come out exactly the same as the Alton recipe.

 

[lynxstch]

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.

we love beer can chicken, make it all the time..would you mind telling me what size turkey you used? did you cook it in the oven or on a grill..if oven, can you tell me what temp and how long it took to cook, please!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

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.

I could brine it just with the salt and minus the spices.

I guess the idea is to put salt into the bird so it retains moisture. Now I am going to have to look that up.

 

[jen0610]

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?

I have a 22 qt Hamilton Beach roaster. My mom has the smaller one, 6.5 qts, but she uses that only for doing chickens and turkey breast for just her and dad. We use mine for the big bird.

We use it at Christmas to cook the ham in. Again, it frees up the oven for the rest of the goodies.

We use the roaster a lot during marching band season. We feed the kids on late night practices and saturday competitions. In it we have done, chili, taco meat, shredded chicken, hot dogs, sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce. At home, I have made beef stew in it, ribs, roast, as wells as many of the same things that we do for marching band.

I do know that some people actually bake in theirs, but I have never done that.

I will say, that if you like a crisp, brown skin, the roaster won't get that for you. Nobody in our family cares, so it's not an issue with us. I do have a friend that they carve the turkey on the table, so she puts the bird in the oven for the last 20 minutues to have it brown up to their liking.

I know that on the box for the 22 qt it says it'll do up to a 2X lbs turkey and I have cooked one bigger than what they list with no issue. But I have never done a turkey bigger than 25 lbs.

We got mine several years ago at WalMart. I know I see them sold at several different retailers. I personally like my Hamilton Beach, but I do know that there are some other brands out there. Pretty much, everybody I know who has a roaster, has a Hamilton Beach one.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I used to use Alton Brown's recipe, but it requires a lot of prep work and I still never got both the dark meat and light meat just right. One or the other would be over- or under-done.

Last year I used this recipe from a Food Network Thanksgiving show I saw and it turned out perfect. This will be our go-to recipe from now on.

Herb Roasted and Braised Turkey

 

[maslex]

I have a 22 qt Hamilton Beach roaster. My mom has the smaller one, 6.5 qts, but she uses that only for doing chickens and turkey breast for just her and dad. We use mine for the big bird.

We use it at Christmas to cook the ham in. Again, it frees up the oven for the rest of the goodies.

We use the roaster a lot during marching band season. We feed the kids on late night practices and saturday competitions. In it we have done, chili, taco meat, shredded chicken, hot dogs, sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce. At home, I have made beef stew in it, ribs, roast, as wells as many of the same things that we do for marching band.

I do know that some people actually bake in theirs, but I have never done that.

I will say, that if you like a crisp, brown skin, the roaster won't get that for you. Nobody in our family cares, so it's not an issue with us. I do have a friend that they carve the turkey on the table, so she puts the bird in the oven for the last 20 minutues to have it brown up to their liking.

I know that on the box for the 22 qt it says it'll do up to a 2X lbs turkey and I have cooked one bigger than what they list with no issue. But I have never done a turkey bigger than 25 lbs.

We got mine several years ago at WalMart. I know I see them sold at several different retailers. I personally like my Hamilton Beach, but I do know that there are some other brands out there. Pretty much, everybody I know who has a roaster, has a Hamilton Beach one.

Thanks!!! Just might have to put that on my Christmas list. LOL

 

[disneychic2]

I stuff my turkey and always will. I use the Reynolds cooking bag also. It always turns out moist and delicious and takes a lot less time to cook. This year I've ordered two fresh turkeys, so we'll see if we can tell a difference. My DH is going to smoke the 13 lb and the large bird will go into the oven. He has also deep fried them a couple of times and they turned out delicious. Not greasy at all as I had feared.

I use my roaster to bake my sweet potato casserole. It works out pretty well, but I always have to allow a little more time for it to bake through. My roaster is a Nesco that I think I got from QVC, but can't really remember since it was a long time ago. It's only 18 quart, so a turkey wouldn't fit into it.

Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving, regardless of how your turkey is cooked!

 

[mhsjax]

You don't need all the herbs for brining. A true brine is just cold water and kosher salt. (1 cup salt to 1 gallon water). And contrary to popular belief, the salt does not make the bird salty.

Adding all the herbs to the salt water is supposedly just for taste (although I have never tasted them in the cooked bird.) I really think the herbs are just for making things more difficult and making you feel like you are doing something special. Telling your guests that you smashed juniper berries makes you sound like an accomplished cook.

I have brined with just the kosher salt/water without any extras and it has come out exactly the same as the Alton recipe.

Well just water and salt I would be ok with, and I am ashamed to say that Ii do LOVE salt, so if it did make the turkey salty, I wouldn't care.

With that in mind, I may try a brine this year, everyone cant' be wrong.

 

[denisem]

We do our turkey on the good ole Ron Popeil Showtime Rotissiere. It handles up to 15 lbs.

I start by hacking off the wings to prepare the "best do-ahead gravy" http://www.food.com/recipe/the-best-do-ahead-turkey-gravy-42402, and brine the turkey in a simple allrecipes.com recipe before putting it on the rotissiere. I do baste with pan juices occasionally, just because I like to baste. Results in a nice crispy skin and surprisingly moist white meat.

Every year I'm tempted to try Alton Brown's brine recipe, but the allspice berries and candied ginger turn me off. I'd also like to deep fry one, but can't justify the cost and trying to store one of those turkey fryers.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I call Gelson's and order a turkey ahead of time. Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I pick it up and heat it up for five hours the next day.

VOILA!

 

[scrapquitler]

I use the REynolds turkey bags. The skin comes out brown and it is never dry.

This. Reynolds Turkey Bag. It never fails me.

 

[Jedana]

Alton's Brine
I skip the allspice berries, just use ground allspice.

Rub with some spices under the skin; lightly oil the skin.

Oil-less fryer

 

[2x_dis_dad]

So how did you cook it?

Off to Google....

I cook it on my grill at between 350° and 400°. I use a probe thermometer so whenever it says its done I take it off the heat and the beer can chicken stand. I double wrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil and let it rest till it's ready to be served. I use a 16oz beer can in a regular beer can chicken stand. The 24oz beer is to wide to fit in my stand. I cut a wedge out of an onion and shove that in the neck hole to keep the steam in. I use whatever rub I have laying around that is made for poultry and season it up.

 

[Dee & Greg]

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.

Love Love, Love the Reynolds Bag! Only way to go. I don't stuff my bird, just cover it with oil and then fresh herbs. Always perfect and delicious!

 

[Hrhpd]

We do our turkey on the good ole Ron Popeil Showtime Rotissiere. It handles up to 15 lbs.

I start by hacking off the wings to prepare the "best do-ahead gravy" http://www.food.com/recipe/the-best-do-ahead-turkey-gravy-42402, and brine the turkey in a simple allrecipes.com recipe before putting it on the rotissiere. I do baste with pan juices occasionally, just because I like to baste. Results in a nice crispy skin and surprisingly moist white meat.

Every year I'm tempted to try Alton Brown's brine recipe, but the allspice berries and candied ginger turn me off. I'd also like to deep fry one, but can't justify the cost and trying to store one of those turkey fryers.

I was just going through my recipes and it dawned on me that I tried a different brine last year and OMGoodness it was GOOD. The best bird we have ever done. Way, way better than Alton's. Thanks everybody for bringing up brine and reminding me of this. I am going to do it again this year.

I used Emeril's beer brine recipe:

Ingredients
2 quarts apple cider
2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 cups kosher salt
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 tablespoon juniper berries
4 bay leaves
1 cinnamon sticks (3-inch)
1 teaspoon whole cloves
4 quarts dark beer

Combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot or bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Combine the mixture with the beer in a 40-quart cooler, or large plastic container. Place the turkey in the brine and, if necessary, weigh down with heavy dinner plates to completely submerge. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=7073074 (I didn't do the giblet gravy part)

 

[Kitty 34]

I have always cooked our turkeys in those cooking turkey bags. I have always had delicious golden brown turkeys and it usually doesn't take as long to cook it this way.

 

[bedogged]

This. Reynolds Turkey Bag. It never fails me.

Me too! This is a great way for someone who has never cooked a turkey to be successful. Stuffed or unstuffed, just follow the directions included with the bag.

 

[ksjayhawks]

We use an electric roaster. Rinse and dry the bird, put pats of butter under the skin and rub soft butter all over the skin, salt it. Sometimes add onion, apple, etc in the cavity, sometimes don't. Preheat the roaster, add enough water to the depth of about 1/2 inch. Put aluminum foil over the bottom of the rack and up the sides, both ways. Put turkey in and tent with more foil. Set temp to 350 and let it roast for 15 minutes per pound for up to a 15 pounder, 20 minutes per pound for 15 and up. Check every hour and baste. Take out when done, let sit for 15 minutes before carving. Use the juices for gravy.

Never had a bad turkey. We've been doing this since the early 80's, thanks to my dad!

 

[parrothead365]

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.

I fried turkeys for years but now I use an infared oiless fryer. I still inject the turkey with creole butter marinade and season the outside with cajun shake. But you cannot tell the difference. I use a propane fired on from char-broil. no leftover oil to deal with and a breeze to clean

 

[minniecarousel]

I've always used the Reynolds cooking bag. This year I have bought a roaster (like others, to free up the oven). Can I use the cooking bag in the roaster? I'll need to cook two 20 lb turkeys for my crowd.