How to roast a turkey?
Nov 17th, 2005, 11:11 AM
#82
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Absolutely, in a black enamel pan. I think it is the easiest meal for 30 or 40 people you can make. I always have somewhere between 30-45 people at Thanksgiving and for about 20 straight hours- it's my holiday. It always has been because my Mom's birthday is Nov. 25 and I am the oldest daughter. We are strictly traditional European immigrants and my father LOVES to Thank God for America. It became our big holiday- period!
Too much about me- I know. But I want to give you context of how long and how much of the time I have been doing this. Over 40 years, and I had a Father in law that literally died trying to get to my house for turkey.
The stuffed 22 lbs. bird should fit with the lid- if you take everything else out of the oven- even the shelves.
And I always have two ovens and one is for everything else. Or I use a portable convection oven for vegetables.
The timing most everyone else uses to do turkey does not jive with the black enamel pan and lid method. It also keeps all the juices in and you NEVER baste or anything else. It's the easiest method in the world. The time is highly reduced with the black metal and the turkey stays moist and literally falls off the bone.
The hardest part of the entire process is getting everything out to make the gravy. This makes SO much of that and it is easier to de-fat as well.
My entire time to cook when turkey is stuffed, in the pan, and ready for the oven is at the most 5 to 5-1/2 hours at 325. You DO NOT lift the lid. The skin browns and curls- and they get in line to fight over skin. It has become a contest. This year I'm moving down a generation as the last member from my kid's generation just graduated from grad school.
New rules.
Now first in line will be the youngest generation, my grandchildren and peers who are starting to hit the double digits. Their arteries can still take it.
Too much about me- I know. But I want to give you context of how long and how much of the time I have been doing this. Over 40 years, and I had a Father in law that literally died trying to get to my house for turkey.
The stuffed 22 lbs. bird should fit with the lid- if you take everything else out of the oven- even the shelves.
And I always have two ovens and one is for everything else. Or I use a portable convection oven for vegetables.
The timing most everyone else uses to do turkey does not jive with the black enamel pan and lid method. It also keeps all the juices in and you NEVER baste or anything else. It's the easiest method in the world. The time is highly reduced with the black metal and the turkey stays moist and literally falls off the bone.
The hardest part of the entire process is getting everything out to make the gravy. This makes SO much of that and it is easier to de-fat as well.
My entire time to cook when turkey is stuffed, in the pan, and ready for the oven is at the most 5 to 5-1/2 hours at 325. You DO NOT lift the lid. The skin browns and curls- and they get in line to fight over skin. It has become a contest. This year I'm moving down a generation as the last member from my kid's generation just graduated from grad school.
New rules.
Now first in line will be the youngest generation, my grandchildren and peers who are starting to hit the double digits. Their arteries can still take it.
Nov 17th, 2005, 12:11 PM
#84
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I love reading all these replies! I've tried the grocery bag roasting and it was delicious. I usually use a rack in a roaster pan, onions, celery, and white wine in the pan, foil tent, and lots of basting. My Mom usually puts onions and celery in the cavity--dressing in a separate dish. Try putting a thin layer of dressing under the skin over the breast--thin so it will cook through (a British friend of mine does this) and you get a thin layer of dressing on the turkey slices when you serve it.
I tried brining last year--seemed like a lot of work for not much change in flavor or moisture.
I tried brining last year--seemed like a lot of work for not much change in flavor or moisture.
Nov 17th, 2005, 02:45 PM
#88
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What a great thread. The secret to a beautifully browned, crisp-skinned, moist turkey in our family is a good slathering of mayo all over, followed by lots of spices. The turkey is cooked covered or tented under foil for most of the time. The last 45 mins. or so the cover is lifted, the foil removed and the final crisping is done.
If you don't have a rack, you can make a turkey harness, so to speak, by making straps out of foil and putting one close to the tail and one close to the head, or where the head would be. When the turkey is done, just lift it out with the straps. Just make sure that you use a few layers of foil for each strap.
If you don't have a rack, you can make a turkey harness, so to speak, by making straps out of foil and putting one close to the tail and one close to the head, or where the head would be. When the turkey is done, just lift it out with the straps. Just make sure that you use a few layers of foil for each strap.
Nov 17th, 2005, 04:14 PM
#90
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I will only roast turkey with Reynold's roasting bags. Just did one last month. Skin was crispy. I use one of those basting suction tubes to suck up most of the juices and release the juices in a pan for gravy.
Nov 17th, 2005, 04:33 PM
#91
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The bag is the ultimate. You get wonderful drippings (esp. if you add some onions, carrots to the bottom of the bag), the turkey cooks faster, juicier, lovely brown, clean up is sooo much easier--I've converted everyone who's ever been to my dinners, AND the bag is so great I make turkeys many times per year. I've been cooking 20+ pounders for decades, and the gravy is terrific too.
THE BAG!!
THE BAG!!
Nov 17th, 2005, 04:47 PM
#93
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Like many others, I've become paranoid about cooking stuffing inside the bird. But I've found a way to get that "inside-the-bird' flavor. I remove the giblets from the bird as soon as possible and simmer them for a few hours with water, garlic cloves, celery leaves, and some poultry seasoning. I strain and reserve the stock. When sauteeeing my onions, celery and mushrooms, I really skimp on the butter. I mix the vegetables with packaged stuffing cubes and moisten with the stock and place the mixture in a caserole and refrigerate. (This can be done a day in advance). When the turkey comes out of the oven, I pour a couple of spoonsful of the drippings over the stuffing and pop it in the oven. The stuffing cooks while the bird rests and the gravy is made.
I haven't heard any complaints.
I haven't heard any complaints.
Nov 17th, 2005, 07:30 PM
#94
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I really don't worry about the stuffing being cooked in the turkey as I have been doing it for about 40 years with no problem! This is one made with oysters (cooked first), butter and eggs, too. I do the stuffing Thanksgiving morning right before I put the bird in the oven, roast the whole shebang until the turkey is very done, and the stuffing is steaming hot. I have never had a problem, and among my friends who stuff their turkeys, none have either. 
So don't be afraid to stuff your turkey; I think it's definitely more flavorful that way ... but do it at the last minute, and refrigerate leftovers as soon as dinner is over.
So don't be afraid to stuff your turkey; I think it's definitely more flavorful that way ... but do it at the last minute, and refrigerate leftovers as soon as dinner is over.
Nov 17th, 2005, 11:16 PM
#95
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I have used Alton Brown's (Good Eats on Food Network) method for cooking the bird a couple times and liked how it turned out. You heat the oven to 500 Degrees and cook it for 30 mins then drop the temperature to 350 and cover the breasts with foil for the remainder. It gets that great roasted look without drying it out.
Hmm...Can't believe it's already this time of year.
Hmm...Can't believe it's already this time of year.
Nov 18th, 2005, 03:54 AM
#96
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My thoughts after 30 years of cooking:
Cook turkey so its done a couple of hours AHEAD of dinner. Avoids last minute rush, Allows turkey to cool for easy carving
Don't overcook-hate dry turkey
I no longer cook stuffing in turkey-- it's easier and safer in pans plus you can make different flavors
Have an electric carving knife--but actually carve turkey--don't hack it up
Cheap turkeys are as good as expensive brand names.
The cook likes red or white wine while cooking!
Cook turkey so its done a couple of hours AHEAD of dinner. Avoids last minute rush, Allows turkey to cool for easy carving
Don't overcook-hate dry turkey
I no longer cook stuffing in turkey-- it's easier and safer in pans plus you can make different flavors
Have an electric carving knife--but actually carve turkey--don't hack it up
Cheap turkeys are as good as expensive brand names.
The cook likes red or white wine while cooking!
Nov 18th, 2005, 04:02 AM
#97
Fairhope: I like your comment about the cooks like red or white wine in the kitchen!! A friend of mine is cooking for her husband's extended family and is dreading it. I told her just have a few glasses of wine in the kitchen while basting the turkey and then you won't care who likes who and so on....You can then enjoy your own holiday!LOL!!
Nov 18th, 2005, 06:35 AM
#98
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Yes, but one year the cook drank a little too much red wine and burned her hand making gravy.
The black enamel roasting pan works like the bag exactly for cover/seal/juice evaporation etc- plus you don't have to rebuy the bag or have multiple gravy pans.
Great idea about the harness. I used to do that but don't anymore- too lazy and I get the biggest guy to lift it out with these humongous ladels/forks I have.
Yes, let it sit outside for at least an hour before carving. And I do remove all the stuffing before carving.
I'm with you bonniebroad about the stuffing, and put it into the neck and thigh skin pockets as well.
The black enamel roasting pan works like the bag exactly for cover/seal/juice evaporation etc- plus you don't have to rebuy the bag or have multiple gravy pans.
Great idea about the harness. I used to do that but don't anymore- too lazy and I get the biggest guy to lift it out with these humongous ladels/forks I have.
Yes, let it sit outside for at least an hour before carving. And I do remove all the stuffing before carving.
I'm with you bonniebroad about the stuffing, and put it into the neck and thigh skin pockets as well.
Nov 18th, 2005, 08:35 AM
#99
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Just curious -- did the OP ever come back to tell us how it went?
Our holiday get-togethers got MUCH bigger after our children married into larger families, so I started keeping a record for each year. Who was there, size of turkey, timing, what else we had, and best of all, what I thought worked and what didn't. It's come in very handy!
For Christmas this year, I'm going to try the recipe from November 05 Gourmet (can't find a link). They cook the turkey at 450, and had excellent results. For Thanksgiving, we'll be at my vegetarian daughter's house: she's buying a ready-to-roast turkey from Whole Foods, and all you have to do is put it in the oven!
Just don't do what I did one year: put the turkey into the oven and set it to turn on an hour later, while we went to friends for a neighborhood party. Came home about 4pm to find the oven still stone cold, the turkey totally uncooked. Aargh!
After a desperation call to the turkey hotline, we finally ate about 8 pm. Thank goodness for wine with cooking... ;-)
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Our holiday get-togethers got MUCH bigger after our children married into larger families, so I started keeping a record for each year. Who was there, size of turkey, timing, what else we had, and best of all, what I thought worked and what didn't. It's come in very handy!
For Christmas this year, I'm going to try the recipe from November 05 Gourmet (can't find a link). They cook the turkey at 450, and had excellent results. For Thanksgiving, we'll be at my vegetarian daughter's house: she's buying a ready-to-roast turkey from Whole Foods, and all you have to do is put it in the oven!
Just don't do what I did one year: put the turkey into the oven and set it to turn on an hour later, while we went to friends for a neighborhood party. Came home about 4pm to find the oven still stone cold, the turkey totally uncooked. Aargh!
After a desperation call to the turkey hotline, we finally ate about 8 pm. Thank goodness for wine with cooking... ;-)Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Nov 18th, 2005, 01:55 PM
#100
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Fresh vs. frozen turkey breast? Anyone think there's truly a difference? I ask because I picked up a frozen turkey breast today, being too lazy to drive to another store for a fresh one! Since our family is small, I just do the largest turkey breast I can find. No one here will touch the dark meat.
What about favorite wines you'd TRAVEL to buy and serve with traditional Thanksgiving feast?
What about favorite wines you'd TRAVEL to buy and serve with traditional Thanksgiving feast?
