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

[luvsJack]

I do it Trish"s way sort of. I don't do the one hour at 500 until 9 the night before and leave it over night. Always falling off the bones but no crispy skin. This year my oven door is a little wonky so I don't trust it. I guess I am back to the regular way. Dh wants to fry it which is good too but the oil is so expensive!!!!!

 

[si-am]

I use the oven bags too. I put about 3/4 stick of butter on top (solid, it melts as it heats) and layer onion and celery in the bottom of the bag. It always turns out delicious!
*this is for a 20+ pound bird! I wouldn't use that much butter for a smaller one.

 

[AmericangirlinFrance]

Champagne and apple turkey! I have made this a few times! Uses a Reynolds oven bag.

Rinse thawed bird. Stuff the cavity with chopped apple, celery, and onion (I usually chop extra veggies and put them in the oven bag along with the turkey).

Season the turkey and cavity with lots of salt and pepper (really. a lot!), and whatever other seasonings you like (garlic, thyme, poultry seasoning, etc). I also brushed the whole turkey with olive oil, and put butter under the skin.

Then put the turkey in the bag and put the bag in a roasting pan. Before you close the bag, pour about 2/3 of a bottle of champagne over the turkey, inside the roasting bag. Close the bag. Cut about 6 very small slits in the roasting bag (like 1/2 inch). Drink the rest of the champagne.

I cooked a 13 lb turkey for a little less than 3 hours at 350 - checked temp with a meat thermometer.

It comes out very good!

 

[DeaverTex]

We've used Alton Brown's brine recipe for the past 5 years at least, but the brine recipe from Emeril looks interesting.

 

[pigletgirl]

I don't even know! My MIL will take care of it. Turkeys intimidate me!

 

[ronandannette]

Another bagger here, with secret family recipe stuffing inside, butter salt, pepper, sage & Mrs. Dash outside.
http://www.cooking-bags.com/

 

[Shugardrawers]

I chop 2 each of onions, apples, celery stalks & carrots and put them in the cavity with 1/4 cup brown sugar (mix this up before inserting). I insert several slices of lemon and orange under the turkey breast but THEN I turn it UPSIDE DOWN and cook it breast DOWN. This send the juices of the dark meat downward into the white meat making it MUCH juicer. I make a mixture of rosemary, garlic, parsley and salt in a mortar & pestle. Then I mix it with a metric spit ton of butter. I baste every 30 minutes all over until it reaches the desired temp. People have been known to have the big O while eating my turkey

 

[dakcp2001]

I use a reynolds bag. I rinse the turkey off, rub it in olive oil, sprinkle some salt, pepper, and garlic salt. A TINY bit of Bells seasoning and voila, TURKEY. Last year I combed the entire state for some darn Bells seasoning,which apparently is not available in this state, and this year I am all stocked up and ready to go! Not letting that happen again. Sometimes I throw some celery and onion in the bag, one year I did sliced lemon which I liked but my husband did not.

 

[Mermaid02]

I use a reynolds bag. I rinse the turkey off, rub it in olive oil, sprinkle some salt, pepper, and garlic salt. A TINY bit of Bells seasoning and voila, TURKEY. Last year I combed the entire state for some darn Bells seasoning,which apparently is not available in this state, and this year I am all stocked up and ready to go! Not letting that happen again. Sometimes I throw some celery and onion in the bag, one year I did sliced lemon which I liked but my husband did not.

I would freak if I couldn't get Bell's!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I've always stuffed my turkey with a pound of butter (yes, 4 sticks) and used all the spices and veggies in my Jon Folse cookbook. Brining and injection and all the others seem so complicated. My bird comes out with a TON of juice and is juicy thru and thru. I also use a baking bag, of course; it browns the skin and keeps the juices inside.

 

[luvsJack]

I have never used the Reynolds bag. Does it let the skin crisp up? Or is it more steamy?

 

[kellyg403]

I have never used the Reynolds bag. Does it let the skin crisp up? Or is it more steamy?

Yes, the skin crips up. My dh prefers the bag method. If I am tasked with the cooking of the turkey I do as others do and put a butter mixture with herbs under skin and in the cavity. I also like to throw in a couple celery stalks, carrots etc for the drippings. The gravy tastes so much better for some reason!

Kelly

 

[lovesmurfs]

Old fashioned here. I thaw it in my sink in cold water the day before -- usually 8-10 hours or more, changing the water every hour or so.

Then I fill the cavity with onion (will have to try the orange and celery!), rub butter on the breast, and sprinkle with poultry seasoning (I like mix of herbs). Cook at 350 at 13 minutes/pound. I add a couple of cups of water to ensure that I'll have gravy.

I understand that it's probably not necessary with today's turkeys, but I baste often as well.

 

[maslex]

Quick stupid question.......

I'm thinking of getting one of those Hamilton Beach roasters.

Can you use this like a crock pot? Or are they two totally different machines?

 

[lovemygoofy]

I'm the odd ball here. No cooking bag for me. I also cook my turkey on Wednesday and cut up then reheat with broth on Thursday.

I do rub some olive oil and butter on the skin and season but I cook with the breast side down the first 2-3 hours. I also stuff my bird with homemade frozen chicken stock so it is absorbed into the meat especially the breast cooking it down like that.

I cook long and slow and turn over the breast and take the foil off when it is time to crisp the skin up.

 

[SaraJayne]

Quick stupid question.......

I'm thinking of getting one of those Hamilton Beach roasters.

Can you use this like a crock pot? Or are they two totally different machines?

Yes, they can be used similar to a crock pot.

 

[Kat77]

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.

Salt and sugar is all you need for a good brine ladies. Everything else is negotiable.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

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.

Wife & I were talking about that. I have a friend who does brisket in a similar fashion on his smoker. Gets the fire rolling in the offset firebox, stuffs it FULL of mesquite, puts the meat in the main portion, then completely closes ALL the vents and goes to bed. Supposed to be ready to eat when he awakes the next day.

For turkey, my wife & MIL swear by cooking bags to hold in the moisture.

 

[nd5056]

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

The way we do it too. Sprinkle with Paprika to enhance skin color, stuffed with dried plums, apricots, apples and fresh oranges.

Only using squashed garlic and salt mixed with Olive Oil to rub the bird before it goes in the bag.

Also, I know someone that raves about soaking the Turkey in Ginger Ale overnight before it goes into the oven, but we haven't tried that yet.

 

[luvmy3jewels]

I usually brine my turkey using The Pioneer Woman's recipe and then roast it in the oven (no Reynolds bag) slathered in butter and stuffed with herbs and orange peel. That Emeril recipe someone previously posted also looks like it may be worth trying.

My dh saw Trisha Yearwood cook her turkey and thought that was an odd way of doing it.