Let's talk turkey...

[Mermaid02]

Just getting ready to put my turkey in the brine. My friend is deep frying his parents turkey tomorrow I was wondering what you guys do for your turkeys? This is my first year brining it....

 

[monkeybug]

We brine ours, then roast in a very hot oven for the first 30 minutes, turn the heat down and take it out when the thermometer says it's done. Yum! Can't wait!

 

[bas71873]

I do the Reynold's oven bag thing.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My sister is cooking them, we have to make 2 turkey's so this should be interesting.

The plan is to put 1 turkey in the oven at 7am, rest, carve, keep warm. We are making it "staggered buffet" service instead of "sit down all at once".

The other turkey is going into the electric roaster oven I bought at 9am although I told her to put it in at 10am. In order to get a crisp skin you are supposed to finish it off in the oven for the last hour.

They are both 23lbs and I would rather we hold off an hour but it is her house and she is hosting her inlaws there.

Unstuffed they are supposed to cook in 4-1/2hrs. First turkey is a fresh one and second one is a thawed Butterball.

We have to use the oven for about 2 hours and I know she wants the other one done early but it is probably not going to make it to the oven to brown with all the sides we have to cook.

Maybe I will call her and plead my case again.

I have never cooked a turkey in a large electric roaster so I do not know what to expect.

Oh and we just spray with oil and that is it. We do not add anything to the turkey for roasting.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Just getting ready to put my turkey in the brine. My friend is deep frying his parents turkey tomorrow I was wondering what you guys do for your turkeys? This is my first year brining it....

"Tom" is cold-water thawing now. I don't do much to him for cooking, except to put an onion in the cavity, rub butter on the skin, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. I generally add a water to the drippings during roasting, too, to make more gravy when the time comes.

 

[Mermaid02]

My sister is cooking them, we have to make 2 turkey's so this should be interesting.

The plan is to put 1 turkey in the oven at 7am, rest, carve, keep warm.

The other turkey is going into the electric roaster oven I bought at 9am although I told her to put it in at 10am. In order to get a crisp skin you are supposed to finish it off in the oven for the last hour.

They are both 23lbs and I would rather we hold off an hour but it is her house and she is hosting her inlaws there.

Unstuffed they are supposed to cook in 4-1/2hrs. First turkey is a fresh one and second one is a thawed Butterball.

We have to use the oven for about 2 hours and I know she wants the other one done early but it is probably not going to make it to the oven to brown with all the sides we have to cook.

Maybe I will call her and plead my case again.

I have never cooked a turkey in a large electric roaster so I do not know what to expect.

I usually use a roaster but my Mom is taking it to my Aunts so this one will be in the oven. Ours have always come out great!

That's another question- fresh or frozen? Mine is fresh because I just bought it yesterday and I didn't want to worry about it being thawed in time. It's a Butterball! We aren't even eating here- and the turkey is really just an extra- but I'm so excited!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I usually use a roaster but my Mom is taking it to my Aunts so this one will be in the oven. Ours have always come out great!

That's another question- fresh or frozen? Mine is fresh because I just bought it yesterday and I didn't want to worry about it being thawed in time. It's a Butterball! We aren't even eating here- and the turkey is really just an extra- but I'm so excited!

Does it brown in the roaster? I made a small 8lber in the roaster to test it out and the turkey skin did not brown. Now granted the turkey was way too small for the 18qt roaster.

 

[Mermaid02]

Does it brown in the roaster? I made a small 8lber in the roaster to test it out and the turkey skin did not brown. Now granted the turkey was way too small for the 18qt roaster.

Yes. Never had a problem with that- it was a real Norman Rockwell bird!

 

[MariDisney]

If I was making it at home I'd be brining it today, too. But, my DD dances in the ABC Philadelphia parade, so we're not home until about 1:00. I order a smoked turkey from a local barbeque place. It is amazing, and the drippings make the best gravy you will ever have. I can't wait to have it. FWIW, I make the rest of the side dishes today and when I get home tomorrow. I have it down to a science so we eat by 3:00.

 

[crazelion]

I do the Reynold's oven bag thing.

I do the same thing.

 

[MiniGirl]

My husband just got through marking the oil level for the fryer and is now injecting the bird. Yum!!!!! He'll sit overnight and we'll fry him up about this time tomorrow.

 

[Chynasmom]

Ours is brining today, then it will rest/dry in the fridge overnight (helps make the skin crispy).

We stuff ours and use the Cooks Illustrated method - slather with butter, then start in a 400 oven breast-down for 30 minutes, dial down to 325 for 2 hours, flip, re-slather, and back into the oven for 1.5 hours or so. Perfect every time!

 

[derricksonb]

I'm doing a combination of methods for this years bird. 19lb Turkey went into brine solution at 0430 this morning and will remain there until 0430 tomorrow when he will be stuffed with a maple cranberry pecan dressing. Compound butter will be inserted under the skin before placing in a roasting pan and going into a screaming hot 500 degree grill which will be lowered to 350 after about 30 min. In addition wet maple wood chunks will be added to the smoke box to reinforce the flavor in the dressing.

This will be much easier and less stressful than last years Turducken....

 

[jen0610]

Just getting ready to put my turkey in the brine. My friend is deep frying his parents turkey tomorrow I was wondering what you guys do for your turkeys? This is my first year brining it....

I use a butter mixture I found a couple of years ago, from Semi-Homemade on Food Network. The family loves it. I also cook the turkey in a roaster.

This year, my nephew is going to deep fry the turkey. It'll be interesting to see how that turns out.

 

[fraggle551]

We traditionally roast one in the oven and we fry one also. There was talk of rain and we were all scared we wouldnt be able to fry - my uncle went out and built the turkey a rain tent!! Everyone was exchanging e-mails last night at midnight about what to do with our fried turkey It's SO good. I can't believe we only started frying one a couple years ago!

My aunt injects the fried one with seasonings, I'm not sure about the traditional one.