Turkey tips

[LilyWDW]

I’m really thinking about a counter top roaster. Can you share the model/brand you use. I only have one oven and would love to have the extra oven space for sides.

Hamilton Beach Roasted Oven 18 qt

It's an older one because my mom used to use it for other things as well.

 

[NYCgrrl]

@LilyWDW herbed butter under the skin was a go to when cooking multiple birds. So easy and fresh tasting!!

I’ve never used a dedicated turkey roaster but bet it makes for a great auxiliary oven.
In my old apt I had a countertop convection/microwave oven as my secondary cooking appliance and it would roast up to 13 lbs of meat which still remains the size of bird I buy . My new residence has a typical NYC kitchen (means tiny, LOL) so I found myself downsizing to the minimum. Now I use a convection toaster oven as a primary oven and purchase 10 to 13 lbers for it. I can’t cook for 20+ anymore but I can up to 10 people. This year I’m not hosting but just to keep my hand in the game am sending my aunt a TDay care package. Now I’ll have all the leftovers I desire .

 

[Robber Baron]

I used to try the whole butter thing to get a crispy skin. Now I just rub vegetable oil all over, sprinkle with salt & pepper, put the turkey in uncovered and tent it about when I'm happy with the skin.

Skin comes out crispy, meat comes out moist and tender.

 

[AustinTink]

Good questions from @LuvOrlando
Ive never used mayo as a seasoning for poultry but it sounds intriguing, simple and with lots of yummy fat. Nice warm spices too. How about trying it out on a whole chicken first if you are not sure?

I roasted a chicken tonight with the mayo/spice mixture. It was incredibly juicy and delicious with crispy skin. I might only use this spice blend for chicken though because it just didn’t taste like thanksgiving to me.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I might be a complete weirdo, but I absolutely hate mayo. The thought of it grosses me out. And I would never eat a Thanksgiving turkey that was coated in it. That sounds so disgusting to me. It would literally ruin my Thanksgiving.

I feel the same about people who use it on the outside of grilled cheese instead of butter....revolting. I'm probably in the minority but just putting it out there.

 

[AustinTink]

I might be a complete weirdo, but I absolutely hate mayo. The thought of it grosses me out. And I would never eat a Thanksgiving turkey that was coated in it. That sounds so disgusting to me. It would literally ruin my Thanksgiving.

I feel the same about people who use it on the outside of grilled cheese instead of butter....revolting. I'm probably in the minority but just putting it out there.

You would never know it had mayo on it. It was just used to rub the spices on the chicken the same way you do butter. But it made the skin a lot crispier and super flavorful. I’m not a fan of mayo on most things but this cooked down to no traces of the mayo itself.

 

[wenrob]

I might be a complete weirdo, but I absolutely hate mayo. The thought of it grosses me out. And I would never eat a Thanksgiving turkey that was coated in it. That sounds so disgusting to me. It would literally ruin my Thanksgiving.

I feel the same about people who use it on the outside of grilled cheese instead of butter....revolting. I'm probably in the minority but just putting it out there.

My brother has the same feelings about mayo and he makes his turkey like I do, with mayo. You would never know you ate turkey that had been prepped with mayo.

 

[SteveH]

Mayo? Nope never done that.

I always and I mean ALWAYS brine our turkeys for a couple days. Second rule for us, is the turkey is cooked on a smoker, nothing else. Done oven roaster, bags, roaster oven and deep fryers, not any more.

We generally cook two turkeys and I use two different brine's; the Traeger Orange Turkey Brine is my fav. Butter and spices under the skin, anything on the outside is pretty pointless.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Mayo? Nope never done that.

I always and I mean ALWAYS brine our turkeys for a couple days. Second rule for us, is the turkey is cooked on a smoker, nothing else. Done oven roaster, bags, roaster oven and deep fryers, not any more.

We generally cook two turkeys and I use two different brine's; the Traeger Orange Turkey Brine is my fav. Butter and spices under the skin, anything on the outside is pretty pointless.
View attachment 808675

Nice looking birds using a method I always aspired to trying but never did. I can see how butter under skin or mayo covering would be useless for your method of prep.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I roasted a chicken tonight with the mayo/spice mixture. It was incredibly juicy and delicious with crispy skin. I might only use this spice blend for chicken though because it just didn’t taste like thanksgiving to me.

Maybe you are looking for …green herbs to come to the fore? If so dialing back the garlic and paprika while adding in more sage, a pinch of rosemary and lots of thyme could do the trick. Or just use Bell’s Poultry Seasoning. Just thinking out loud.

 

[AustinTink]

Maybe you are looking for …green herbs to come to the fore? If so dialing back the garlic and paprika while adding in more sage, a pinch of rosemary and lots of thyme could do the trick. Or just use Bell’s Poultry Seasoning. Just thinking out loud.

The paprika was overpowering I think. Also I always put celery and carrot in the cavity with the onion, garlic and fresh herbs. This recipe didn’t have celery or carrot. Missing two aromatics.

 

[NYCgrrl]

The paprika was overpowering I think. Also I always put celery and carrot in the cavity with the onion, garlic and fresh herbs. This recipe didn’t have celery or carrot. Missing two aromatics.

You are on the right track and know your mind . I generally fill the cavity with celery, onions and carrots too whether the recipe calls for it or not. Gives just the right base note.

 

[_19disnA]

Seems the OP's question has changed. I thought they were originally asking for suggestions on how to prevent the turkey from being too dry, but more recent comments sound like the flavor wasn't what they were expecting?

 

[AustinTink]

Seems the OP's question has changed. I thought they were originally asking for suggestions on how to prevent the turkey from being too dry, but more recent comments sound like the flavor wasn't what they were expecting?

Dryness was the number one issue but I always like hearing about new recipes and flavor profiles.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

We stock up on turkeys each year when the prices drop for the holidays. So, we've had a lot of practice in perfecting our Thanksgiving approach. The best investment we ever made (for these purposes) was an Oster self-basting roaster that can handle up to a 25lb bird. We even had a thawing mishap one year and found the defrost setting to be very effective. The great part of these roasters is it frees up oven space. We do still move it to the oven to brown, but that's a small portion of the cooking time. We've also since upgraded our outlet setup on our counter peninsula, so the roaster no longer takes up all of this more valuable counter real estate.



I also see a lot of stuffing discussion. I love stuffing...we're more of an herb stuffing kind of family. I cannot stand cornbread, my husband and kids aren't fans of sausage, and some of the alternatives my dad used to make involving things like mushrooms, oysters, and chestnuts are just a hard no for everyone. I usually just use toasted cubes of bread (sometimes varying up the kind), but I will say that Pepperidge Farm makes a good alternative in a pinch and can easily be dressed up with veggies and fresh herbs. I used to stuff my birds, but I hate the added cooking time. We have started taking the legs off the turkey and use them to make the stuffing in the slow cooker (or the InstaPot). It gives your stuffing all of the added turkey flavor it would normally get inside the bird, but drastically reduces your turkey cooking time. The slow cooker/InstaPot stuffing approach also keeps your oven and stovetop free for other dishes.

 

[AustinTink]

We stock up on turkeys each year when the prices drop for the holidays. So, we've had a lot of practice in perfecting our Thanksgiving approach. The best investment we ever made (for these purposes) was an Oster self-basting roaster that can handle up to a 25lb bird. We even had a thawing mishap one year and found the defrost setting to be very effective. The great part of these roasters is it frees up oven space. We do still move it to the oven to brown, but that's a small portion of the cooking time. We've also since upgraded our outlet setup on our counter peninsula, so the roaster no longer takes up all of this more valuable counter real estate.

View attachment 809037

I also see a lot of stuffing discussion. I love stuffing...we're more of an herb stuffing kind of family. I cannot stand cornbread, my husband and kids aren't fans of sausage, and some of the alternatives my dad used to make involving things like mushrooms, oysters, and chestnuts are just a hard no for everyone. I usually just use toasted cubes of bread (sometimes varying up the kind), but I will say that Pepperidge Farm makes a good alternative in a pinch and can easily be dressed up with veggies and fresh herbs. I used to stuff my birds, but I hate the added cooking time. We have started taking the legs off the turkey and use them to make the stuffing in the slow cooker (or the InstaPot). It gives your stuffing all of the added turkey flavor it would normally get inside the bird, but drastically reduces your turkey cooking time. The slow cooker/InstaPot stuffing approach also keeps your oven and stovetop free for other dishes.

I really want to try an electric turkey roaster. I’m on the fence about it this year only because we are about to start a home remodel and I won’t have a lot of extra storage space for the next few months. Seems like such a smart idea though.

 

[jimmymc]

A saltwater brine makes sure the turkey is fully thawed and starts at a consistent temperature while also distributing the seasoning. Then I use the method of high heat for 45 minutes and low oven until the thighs reach temperature. Then let the meat rest an hour before carving.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I really want to try an electric turkey roaster. I’m on the fence about it this year only because we are about to start a home remodel and I won’t have a lot of extra storage space for the next few months. Seems like such a smart idea though.

Ours was only $50, so it wasn't a huge investment, but it isn't small. We have an older home with very odd/quirky cabinetry that just happens to have one nook that's the perfect size. We keep the lid inverted during storage to maximize space. If not this year, I would wholeheartedly recommend buying one once the remodel is completed. We have turkey dinner 3-5x a year and it's just made this such an easy process.

 

[AustinTink]

A saltwater brine makes sure the turkey is fully thawed and starts at a consistent temperature while also distributing the seasoning. Then I use the method of high heat for 45 minutes and low oven until the thighs reach temperature. Then let the meat rest an hour before carving.

I’ve never tried brining, but would like to. We went to Thanksgiving years ago at a relative’s house who served brined turkey. Their turkey was the best I’ve ever tasted. Better than traditional, smoked, fried, etc.

 

[AustinTink]

Ours was only $50, so it wasn't a huge investment, but it isn't small. We have an older home with very odd/quirky cabinetry that just happens to have one nook that's the perfect size. We keep the lid inverted during storage to maximize space. If not this year, I would wholeheartedly recommend buying one once the remodel is completed. We have turkey dinner 3-5x a year and it's just made this such an easy process.

I’ve made about 10 trips to goodwill in the last two weeks, emptying out closets and cabinets. I have a couple more cabinets to go through that might yield a bit of space for a roaster.