How are you cooking your turkey this year?

[Papa Deuce]

Our "big" turkey will be cooked in the oven, but we are thinking about buying a small one to fry or smoke.... most likely to smoke. Though I have always wanted to fry a turkey....

 

[disneystacy]

We are smoking our turkey this year.I already made another turkey(the regular way) and froze the gravy to use Thanksgiving day.

 

[Papa Deuce]

We are smoking our turkey this year.I already made another turkey(the regular way) and froze the gravy to use Thanksgiving day.

As much as I BBQ, I have actually never smoked a turkey....

 

[jx3smom]

My sister is coming down and roasting it in my oven. She's bringing the pies and my son is doing the sides at his house where we plan on eating. I had a chemo treatment yesterday and usually am not feeling great for 2 weeks so I don't have to lift a finger for the first time in many years.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We are eating with DH's family and they just cook it in the oven.

My mom is smoking hers.

We fried a turkey last Christmas. It was pretty good, though I didn't eat the skin. (Me and fried things don't get along so well usually).

 

[okeydokey]

I'll brine it using the Alton Brown recipe and roast it.

 

[GeorgeG]

Same as always: "Wife, cook the turkey!"

 

[NotUrsula]

I won't be going home this year, but my family always fries 3 turkeys. It's far and away the quickest, most efficient way to cook the things. (Your oven stays free for cooking the side dishes.)

It *is* kind of a waste of money to only fry one turkey, however. The oil can cost you $40 easily, so it is more cost-effective to make several. Do you know any neighbors who would rather not bother with making their own birds?

 

[JCJRSmith]

Two large turkey breasts are going in the brine on Wednesday night. I will take them out, rinse them off and rub them down with a rub on Thursday morning. Into the smoker they go.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I am cooking mine the regular way. I do dream of the day when I can have a double oven so that there is not so much stress for those last minute sides.

I have tried fried turkey and it just was not to my taste. I would like to try a smoked turkey.

 

[Squirlz]

Turkey breast stuffed with herb stuffing, wrapped in bacon and cooked on the charcoal grill.

 

[minniecarousel]

Cookin' Bag all the way!

I have never cooked a turkey in anything but the cooking bag. I'lll do one on Wed and another on Thursday. Need plenty of left-overs to go home with family. (Thank heavens for double ovens!)

 

[jen0610]

I won't be going home this year, but my family always fries 3 turkeys. It's far and away the quickest, most efficient way to cook the things. (Your oven stays free for cooking the side dishes.)

See for us the freeing up of the oven comes from cooking the turkey in my roster. It doesn't take as long as cooking in my oven, so that's where it saves time, but you still have the house filled up with the wonderful smells of a cooking turkey.

 

[Grandmax3]

Cookin' Bag all the way!

I have never cooked a turkey in anything but the cooking bag. I'lll do one on Wed and another on Thursday. Need plenty of left-overs to go home with family. (Thank heavens for double ovens!)

I am having 12 people to dinner and plan on using a turkey bag. I have always roasted the turkey. Does the bag require anything special? Does it cook at the same temp as roast or do I need to adjust the time? Any help would be appreicated.

 

[NotUrsula]

If we had the counter space for a roaster that might help, but since we don't, it really doesn't.

The fryer gives us a finished 11 lb turkey in 35 minutes. If we are only using one fryer it does take a bit of time to make 3 of them, but it is still only 90 minutes.

We usually are making nearly 20 side dishes, so we need every inch of space we can get.

 

[debster812]

I'll brine it using the Alton Brown recipe and roast it.

DH uses AB's brine recipe as well. He then cooks the turkey on the grill, with the small smoker box full of hickory chips. Our yard smells SO good on Thanksgiving morning.

There are usually 3 turkeys at our dinner, so ours is grilled, FIL roasts his in the oven, and BIL frys his. So we have a bit of variety.

 

[N.Bailey]

If we had the counter space for a roaster that might help, but since we don't, it really doesn't.

The fryer gives us a finished 11 lb turkey in 35 minutes. If we are only using one fryer it does take a bit of time to make 3 of them, but it is still only 90 minutes.

We usually are making nearly 20 side dishes, so we need every inch of space we can get.

WOW, 20 sides? What do you make? I can't even think of 20 side dishes, lol.

I assume you're not talking about pies and such. Doesn't everyone make those well in advance?

Stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, maybe 2 or 3 veggies, rolls, and I'm sure I could think of a few more if I had to, but 20? Whatcha cookin and more important, what's the addy?

 

[N.Bailey]

I'm baking mine btw. I recall the thread last year where it was discussed at length how disgusting it is to cooked a stuffed bird, but that's exactly what I will be doing. Stuffing doesn't taste the same unless it's cooked in the bird and I don't care if you all can't stomach it. Everyone I know in real life does it this way and I was actually blown away at the responses last year. Heck, even my Betty Crocker cookbook tells one how to cook it this way.

I did take the temp of the filling and the bird last year (because everyone told me how I was going to get sick), and the temp was considerably higher than what was deemed to be safe. So all is good in the world for me.

 

[MELSMICE]

In a turkey, upside down, in the oven - same way I do every year. The white meat is just as moist as the dark when cooked breast down!

 

[Saphire]

I do dream of the day when I can have a double oven so that there is not so much stress for those last minute sides.

That is my dream, too!

I am 'injecting' two turkey breasts the night before, the next day rubbing them with some seasonings, then roasting. I bought the kit a few weeks ago and tried it out, and the turkey came out really moist.