How did you cook your turkey?

[Mermaid02]

We had Thanksgiving with my dh's kids yesterday- he hasn't seen them in 2 years because he was working in Afghanistan. It was a great day and his daughter, daughter in law and I had a great time preparing the meal together. We opted to roast the bird in my Nesco-type roaster and it worked out PERFECTLY! It was juicy and beautifully browned and left us the big oven for pies and rolls! I was wondering who else used one, who used a smoker, who fried their turkey, who used a grill etc!

 

[lynxstch]

We had Thanksgiving with my dh's kids yesterday- he hasn't seen them in 2 years because he was working in Afghanistan. It was a great day and his daughter, daughter in law and I had a great time preparing the meal together. We opted to roast the bird in my Nesco-type roaster and it worked out PERFECTLY! It was juicy and beautifully browned and left us the big oven for pies and rolls! I was wondering who else used one, who used a smoker, who fried their turkey, who used a grill etc!

How great that you got to spend the day with family, and so nice that he got to see his children after working in Afghanistan for 2 years!
I always cook our turkey in a Reynold's oven bag. It keeps it moist and juicy and I cooked a 12 lb turkey in 2 hours. It was delicious! When I took the turkey out to rest, I put the rolls in. Everything else was cooked on top of the stove (just the 2 of us, so not a big gathering!)

 

[Christine]

My mother cooked it in an oven bag. She doesn't always do that--typically she tries to just roast it. We've not had great luck the past few years so she went back to the oven bag and it ended up being really moist.

 

[fla4fun]

Roasted in the oven. We have a countertop roaster, but if the bird is over 18 pounds it won’t fit. We had a 23 pounder this year. It came out great!

 

[karen4546]

Fried a 17 pound turkey and one of my sons-in-law smoked a turkey breast.

 

[Wendy31]

We have always brined the turkey & then used a separate turkey roaster for roasting it.

Some years, DH has also smoked a turkey.

This year, after brining, he spatchcocked it, & we roasted it in the oven.

It cooked faster & was still juicy & had a nice brown skin. And, since it was flatter, there was still room for casserole dishes. However, it didn’t make as much juice as normal, so we didn’t have gravy.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Perfectly, as usual.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How did you cook your turkey?


Cooked the day before. Stuffing made and cooled, then put in turkey. Oiled breast and thighs, wrapped turkey in foil, cooked 5 hours (total). Came out great.

 

[klacey1]

Spatchcoked it and let it sit salted, uncovered in the fridge overnight. Butter and thyme under the skin and more butter on top. Fantastic. This is the way I do chicken as well and I’m totally sold as the easiest, tastiest way. Next year I’m tempted to try the wine/butter soaked cheese cloth method, though!

 

[morgan98]

We spatchcocked it and cooked it on The Big Green Egg. It was only a little over 10 pounds. It cooked pretty quickly and was the best bird we remember in a very long time.

 

[Pooh2]

My son smoked the turkey on a charcoal grill.
Came out perfectly moist and full of flavor!

 

[tasha99]

Spatchcoked it and let it sit salted, uncovered in the fridge overnight. Butter and thyme under the skin and more butter on top. Fantastic. This is the way I do chicken as well and I’m totally sold as the easiest, tastiest way. Next year I’m tempted to try the wine/butter soaked cheese cloth method, though!

Exactly what I did, plus some sage and rosemary with the thyme (we almost went to Scarborough Fair).

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I stood around with a glass of wine and watched my aunt cook it.

 

[design_mom]

My mother-in-law cooked ours. I think she usually roasts it in the oven.

We didn't eat together, but we each made what we normally make for the family get together, then divided it up into containers for each family (my inlaws, my SIL's family, and us). We met outdoors Thursday morning for a food-swap then all took back to our own houses.

So MIL brought the turkey. I made green bean casserole, deviled eggs, and pumpkin roll. (I split the green bean casserole into foil pans that were ready to bake. My mother-in-law did the same with her dressing.) It actually worked out better than I anticipated.

 

[Meriweather]

DIL was in charge of turkey and she bought an already cooked one. It was very good

 

[RangerPooh]

Roasted it in the oven.

 

[wenrob]

Slathered in mayo, put in a paper bag and roasted. Tear off the paper bag the last 30 mins. Came out perfect, juicy and golden. You could cut it with fork. I made my stuffing in my Hot Logic and then put it in the oven to crisp the top along with the veggies to roast while the turkey rested. Warmed my rolls in the Hot Logic. Made my pies the day before.

 

[Kitty 34]

Oven bag....which I said in another thread. Works almost perfect every time.

 

[Southernmiss]

We had only 7 this year for Thanksgiving (down from 21 due to the 'rona) I bought an almost 14 pound turkey.

Roased the turkey in the oven on Wednesday, with no seasonings. Cooled it. Carved it. Poured it's own juices over it. Refrigerated it overnight. Warmed it in the oven. Delicious and moist.

Left the oven available for the sides on Thursday-we eat at 12:30.

When we have 20 for thanksgiving and a 18 to 20 pound turkey, I will use the roaster to keep the oven available.

Or my uncle deep fries the turkey.

This turkey was so easy and moist, I just might cook it the day before next time.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I don't care much about the turkey so I just put some oil on it and stuck it in the oven for three and a half hours.
I figure when he looks like a dried up old man, he's done.