Fresh Turkey vs. Frozen- the debate

[linnylu]

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year with family coming in from all over. I usually buy a 20-24 pound Honeysuckle or Butterball turkey. This year my mom suggested a fresh turkey and is sending my Dad to pick it up Wednesday.
My mother-in-law says she has cooked fresh turkeys before and they never taste as good to her as the frozen from the grocery store. Plus, I am not the best cook and really don't want to have to brine a fresh turkey and have no clue how long to cook a turkey without a popper.

Anyway, does anyone have any advice for which is better? DH is gone over Thanksgiving, but his mom is coming to celebrate with us (she usually doesn't) and we are hoping for a call from DH. I don't want this to turn into a battle of the mothers. DH usually cooks the turkey in an oven bag. He stuffs the turkey- another debate between the mothers.

 

[Pigeon]

I've done both, and really don't see much difference. The key is to brine any turkey and it will be wonderful. We often go to my sister's house, and she buys the $4/lb, free range, organic, kissed on the lips and tucked in at night fresh turkeys. They taste no different at all from the $0.39/lb supermarket frozen loss-leader turkeys. The packaging usually tells you how long to cook them, and a meat thermometer is helpful. If it's not on the wrapping, google is your friend, or any standard cookbook, like the Joy of Cooking.

I'm not a fan of the bags. It steams them instead of roasting. I'm also pro-stuffing.

 

[marybet]

The first year I roasted a fresh turkey, in a cooking bag that does not steam it, I thought it was really great. The next year I got a fresh turkey and it was dry, I really think it had been frozen and thawed at the store. So I now get a frozen Honeysuckle White, it is cheaper than a fresh turkey and taste the same or better. I have never brined a turkey, I might try it sometime but going to my sisters this year.

Maybe you could get a smaller fresh turkey and also get a frozen turkey breast. That way you could make everyone happy!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

If you rub and stuff any turkey with a pound of butter before you cook it and add the right spices, it will taste wonderful.

 

[scrapquitler]

I always had problems with the darn frozen thing not thawing when it was supposed to, so I started buying a fresh one. Nobody ever noticed a difference (including me). A couple of years ago, I got annoyed that I cook this whole big monstrosity for hours and hours and the only thing people eat is the white meat, so the last couple of years I have just purchased a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. It doesn't take as long to cook, it doesnt' take up as much space in the fridge/freezer and I don't have all those leftovers that nobody will ever eat. Win. win. win.

I'd just make whatever turkey you want to buy. Don't tell anyone what kind it was. If anybody complains and doesn't like it, tell them that if they are cooking and hosting, they get to choose the menu and purchase whatever kind of turkey they prefer.

 

[denisem]

So it's a done deal on the fresh turkey?

Don't be afraid of doing a brine, tried it a fews years ago & it made a huge difference. It's really not a big deal. People swear by Alton Brown's recipe, but I went with an easier one: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/turkey-brine/detail.aspx

If using a frozen turkey, be aware of any pre-processing - some are already injected with a salt solution, so additional brining may be overkill. Also, I understand gravy made from juices of a brined turkey can be iffy - too much salt. Since nobody I know cares for the wings, I chop 'em off & use them in a make-ahead gravy before brining the turkey.

IMHO, the pop-up thermometers can be inaccurate - use an instant read thermometer of your own. Take into consideration online recipes for roasting your size bird & deduct 30 min. or so if brined. If you find it's getting done ahead of time & it's nicely browned, turn off the oven, loosely cover with foil & let it rest.

As far as stuffing? Do both - IMHO, there's never enough stuffing!! Put some in the bird & do the rest in a casserole.

I've become a big fan of do-ahead and/or crockpot recipes for gravy, stuffing and mashed potatoes that are really forgiving as far as timing is concerned.

 

[linnylu]

Another fresh turkey recipe, do I have to baste the turkey throughout the day? That is why dh went to the cooking bag because we have a lot of little kids running around and an open oven is a recipe for disaster.

I am also wondering where you insert the instant read thermometer? And how often? Actually, my oven has a meat probe that you stick in the meat while it's cooking. You program the temperature you want the meat to reach and it will beep when it's gotten to that temp.

I just don't want to mess up with 20 some hungry people waiting for their dinner.

 

[CKBear]

You would want to brine the turkey a day ahead of time, when I did mine, I went to Home Depot and bought a five gallon bucket after I prepared the brine, I put the turkey and brine in the bucket on the front porch. It was as cold outside as the refrigerator so that wasn't a concern, if your in a place where it's warmer you'd need to either make room in the fridge or do a cooler with lots and lots of ice that is constantly replaced.

I inserted my meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, and it was one that was reading the temperature as the bird was cooking, but my oven at the time wasn't great and when I checked the legs and thighs they were not to temperature so I had to cook about another 30 minutes. I didn't set a timer I just just the termometer as my gauge for it being done. I did do a rough estimate of time using the times given on the package to determine when my sides should be ready.

Also, I don't cook stuffing in my turkey but I use Alton Brown's turkey recipe and he suggusts aromatics in the bird and I think it turns out pretty good.

 

[denisem]

When I did turkeys in the oven, I always basted - mostly because I like the process of checkin' it out! Been using a rotissierre the last few years so it's pretty much self-basting.

I usually use the thermometer in the thigh area, some prefer the breast.

 

[marybet]

Another fresh turkey recipe, do I have to baste the turkey throughout the day? That is why dh went to the cooking bag because we have a lot of little kids running around and an open oven is a recipe for disaster.

I am also wondering where you insert the instant read thermometer? And how often? Actually, my oven has a meat probe that you stick in the meat while it's cooking. You program the temperature you want the meat to reach and it will beep when it's gotten to that temp.

I just don't want to mess up with 20 some hungry people waiting for their dinner.

Check out the thread on cooking bags, IMHO it is the only way to roast a turkey. If you don't use a bag you will have to baste it, not sure how often since I haven't cooked one that way in over 30 years.

Do not use an instant read thermometer, insert a meat thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh/breast being careful not to touch the bone. Even if the turkey has a pop out thermometer I still use a meat thermometer. There are directions with the cooking bag. I don't stuff my turkey so I put an onion in the turkey and an onion & celery in the cooking bag.

 

[Wishing on a star]

No, not necessarily.... You don't have to constantly baste when you don't use a bag....

Use foil to cover, 'tent', fashion.... mostly enclosed to cover, but steam can escape.
Any of you guys remember to the old fashioned method of baking, using a paper grocery story bag!!!!

Anyhow, remove your tent and baste when it is nearly done, to brown.

I also did the whole butter rub coating. It turned out very good!

This year, I am SO doing that brine that was just posted!