Seeking a juicy Thanksgiving turkey recipe: butter, no sugar

[WowLookAtThat]

Do they sell the Better Homes and Garden Holiday recipe magazine? It has a lot of recipes, especially for turkey. I tried their recipe last year and it was really good! I can post it if you wish.

 

[mtemm]

I agree. I follow Martha Stewarts recipe for her cheesecloth roasted turkey. I think it's fail proof. I don't stuff my turkey so you can omit that step.

http://www.marthastewart.com/353184/perfect-roast-turkey

this is what I use, too. love it!!! I don't stuff, either, and my times are adjusted for that. another tip is to make sure you have a good thermometer and don't overcook! I have a therm that has a digital display on the counter that is awesome.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

We've never brined our turkey and have always been happy with how it turns out.

With all the things they put in them these days, Most turkeys these days are pretty much brined before you get em.

 

[Wishing on a star]

If ever there were a response calling out to the tag fairy . . .

OMG, I totally missed that one!

"hard time flipping the bird"... Funny!!!

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

I didn't read all the comments but how I do mine is I put the moisture into the meat rather than on the skin of the outside.

I will soften two sticks of butter and mash into it onion, garlic, pepper, and McCormmicks rotisserie seasoning.

Using your finger gently feel around by the neck area for a little pocket of where the skin and meat could be separated, slide your finger in and make a little pocket and continue until you can make a separation with your entire hand. You will be able to do this over both breasts of the turkey. But do NOT break the skin.

Place half of the butter mix into a ziploc bag, snip the corner and pipe it into the space between the meat and skin, pull the skin back down tight to the neck area and massage the butter to spread it under as much of the skin as you can. This way the moisture is cooking into the meat rather than on the skin on the top. You can do the same with the legs and if you're careful not to poke a hole you can go from to the leg to the thigh also pipping in the butter.

For the rest of the butter mix, spread it all over the outside of the bird. I bake mine in a Reynold baking bag, keeps all the steam inside the bag and doesn't evaporate. When the bird is done, I will slice the bag open a tad and use the broiler for a few minutes to brown just the top.

Then let your bird rest before slicing into it. let the juicy re-absorb back into the meat.

 

[rwdavis2]

FYI, if you keep in the freezer then and defrost it in the fridge it can take up to and even more than 5 days to defrost it.

 

[Micca]

Use one of the Reynolds Oven Roasting Bags for turkey. It keeps the turkey nice and juicy.

This is what DW and DD do. They implant little pieces of butter around the bird, stuff an orange inside, add salt/pepper/paprika, and pour some cheap champagne inside the cavity and over the top. Awesome every time.

 

[crz4mm2]

Any recipe is great, but use a cooking bag. Single best thing for MOIST turkey.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

This is what DW and DD do. They implant little pieces of butter around the bird, stuff an orange inside, add salt/pepper/paprika, and pour some cheap champagne inside the cavity and over the top. Awesome every time.

Any recipe is great, but use a cooking bag. Single best thing for MOIST turkey.

So you put the turkey in the bag and you don't have to do anything to it? You leave it alone .... no basting .... nothing?

 

[lurkernj]

I haven't done this myself, but every year we do a thanksgiving feast at work and my boss makes the turkey. She spread bacon strips over the turkey while cooking it, and OMG it is the tastiest juiciest turkey I have ever had. The turkey absorbs a bit of the smokey bacon flavor and the bacon grease keeps it moist so she doesn't have to bast it.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I do mine in the crockpot. I put it on to cook before bed and wake up to the wonderful aroma of turkey. It is moist. I put it in upside down. Cook for 7-8 hours. Use a crockpot liner and clean up is a as easy as throwing the bag in the trash.

Then it frees up space in the oven for other dishes.

 

[Ilivetogo]

I do mine in the crockpot. I put it on to cook before bed and wake up to the wonderful aroma of turkey. It is moist. I put it in upside down. Cook for 7-8 hours. Use a crockpot liner and clean up is a as easy as throwing the bag in the trash.

Then it frees up space in the oven for other dishes.

Now there's a great idea!! Stuffing and green bean casserole has to get cooked, too!

What do you put into the crock pot with the turkey?

.

 

[Micca]

So you put the turkey in the bag and you don't have to do anything to it? You leave it alone .... no basting .... nothing?

Well, I'm kinda giving third party advice here... There's no basting or anything else until it's time to check to see if the turkey is cooked. They will cut a slit in the bag and check to see if the turkey is done. If it needs a few more minutes they scoop up some of the juices in the pan and pour them over the top before returning the bird to the oven. I don't even know if it's necessary if you're only cooking it for a few more minutes. If the turkey is ready, they'll pour some juices over the top of the turkey while it rests on top of the stove. This method also produces fantastically moist leftovers.

 

[goofy!]

Alton Brown's brine

Then I cook it in an oil-less fryer. Cooks a little quicker than in the oven, and all the skin browns.

I used to use Alton Brown's brine and then I switched to Emeril's beer/juniper berry brine.

Oh My Goodness. Juicy beyond belief. Although this one would not work for the OP as it has sugar in it.

I usually have to double the ingredients to accommodate a larger turkey.

Ingredients
4 cups apple cider
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon juniper berries
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
8 cups dark beer

 

[*pixie*dust*]

I do mine in the crockpot. I put it on to cook before bed and wake up to the wonderful aroma of turkey. It is moist. I put it in upside down. Cook for 7-8 hours. Use a crockpot liner and clean up is a as easy as throwing the bag in the trash.

Then it frees up space in the oven for other dishes.

I do mine in a big crock pot too. I also put a large sweet onion in the cavity. So moist and flavorful!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

FYI, if you keep in the freezer then and defrost it in the fridge it can take up to and even more than 5 days to defrost it.

This is so true! We buy giant turkeys since we have a big family and I always allow at least one week to thaw. Never underestimate how long this takes.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Now there's a great idea!! Stuffing and green bean casserole has to get cooked, too!

What do you put into the crock pot with the turkey?

.

Two packages of onion soup mix. One rubbed on the bird the other mixed into a large can of chicken broth that I put in the crock with the bird.

 

[powellrj]

I have always used the cooking bags and have always had great results.

 

[LilyWDW]

Hamilton Beach Table Top Roaster. Since I started using one of these, I have never had a bad turkey.

I also soften butter and mix it with the seasonings I want (usually garlic, sage, and a few other herbs). I loosen the skin and rub half the butter under the skin and then half the butter on top. Then I salt and pepper the exterior. That's it. No basting. No brining. Nothing.

And my oven is free for all the other good stuff.