Turkey Strategies

[MTI]

With the approach of Thanksgiving in the US, there's always a few novices that will be stressing over "big bird" roasting. If you're familiar with Alton Brown's method of turkey roasting, much of this will be familiar.

Equipment:

V-rack for pan: keeps bottom of bird from stewing in pan juices

Digital probe thermometer: Forget about the charts and recipies that give a time, the turkey hasn't read those and doesn't care. Besides, there's going to be variations in the temperature of the ovens and the chill factor of the bird, so the charts are useless. The only thing that matters is internal temperature. The pop up button that comes with the turkey relies on a thermal sensitive glue to melt at 185 degrees so that the red stick pops up, just the right temperature for dried out, cardboard breast meat. Taking the turkey out at 160 degrees and letting it coast outside the oven for 20 minutes is much better.

Good oven mitts. I prefer welder's gloves because they are extra long and have fingers for flexibility, but the new silicone mits are nice because they're liquid proof and can be washed really easily.

Pan(s). Plural used because if you don't already have a big enough roasting pan, don't fret, just use two of those disposable foil ones at the market, one inside the other, that's big enough for the v-rack and bird. Virtually nobody makes a pan sauce gravy for turkey, so the roasting pan just needs to survive the slow bake and keept the oven from getting dirty.

Procedure:

Brine or Not to Brine? Should this even be a question, since brining a turkey or chicken (and shrimp) gets you a moist, better flavored, best bang for the culinary buck? Some birds, like the Swift Premium Butterball, have a "quasi-brine" by being injected with a sodium solution. That's better than nothing.

Stuff or No Stuff? Cooking the stuffing in a turkey is risky business. First, how do you ever tell if it's "done?" Second, the stuffing increases mass, so it takes longer for the turkey to hit 160 degrees, increasing the chance of dry meat. Third the stuffing acts as a wick that can draw moisture from the bird. Finally, do you really think the bread inside the cavity makes the turkey taste better? Do the stuffing as a casserole or on the stovetop. However, do liberally season the inside of the turkey with those stuffing seasonings, like sage, pepper, rosemary and toss in a quartered onion, even some citrus, just don't stuff it.

The skin of the turkey needs to be as free of water as possible if you want that brown crisp skin. For brined birds, or any for that matter, a light coating of canola oil will help things out. Butter sounds good, but it might burn if you start high and finish low.

Start high and finish low or Start low and finish high? Lots of debate on this. I get the oven red hot, 450-500 degrees first. Before putting the turkey in, pre-shape a double heavy duty foil "cap" that covers the breasts of the turkey but leaves the drumsticks and thighs exposed. Just press the foil onto the bird and fold appropriately. Put the cap with your turkey's custom shape away on the counter, you'll need it later. Roast at high temp for 30 minutes until the breast skin is the color you're looking for. Remove the turkey, lower the oven to 350, put the foil cap on, insert the probe thermometer thru the foil and into the breast. Return to oven until the thermometer says 160. Remove from oven, tear away the foil cap from the breast, leave the temp probe in otherwise it will be a moisture fountain. Cover with just a tent of new foil for 20-30 minutes. Don't make a foil cover since it will steam the skin and make it limp.

Baste or No Baste? The concept seems straightforward. Take greasy drippings and apply them to the skin of the bird for flavor and to get that crisp brown effect. Just a few problems. Turkey skin, like our own skin, is pretty much waterproof. So virtually no flavor is getting to the meat underneath it. If you wanted to add flavor you can put herbs and flavorings under the skin before the roasting by carefully lifting it up from the cavity side. Other problems. Every time you open the oven to baste, you're increasing the cooking time, increasing the risk of having turkey jerky. Next, how flavorful do you think that grease at the bottom of the pan is? Finally, if the goal is a crispy crunchy skin . . . why continually wet it? That's why there's no baster in the equipment list. The less fussing over the turkey, the more likely you'll end with one that tastes really good.

[imported_delmonico]

Alton Brown is the only TV cook I will watch, his methods are good and he is interesting and explains things so someone can understand it. I do wonder if he stole my how yeast works explanation. : Naw, great minds think a like. ;D

Any way I found this method in one of my 19th century cookbooks.


It is simple, get a large stock pot and boil it till it is almost done, but not quite falling apart. Remove it, dry the skin with a towel and put it in an open top roaster. I use a 15 inch cast iron skillet. Pat it dry with a towel and brush the skin with melted butter. Put a bit of broth in the bottom and turn the oven to 400 or so. Put the skillet on the stovetop and bring the broth to a boil. Pop it in the oven and let it brown. The white meat will melt in you mouth and there is plenty of broth for gravy, stuffing and for turkey and noodles the next day.

[JacobAlthea&Tatum]

I second the brining method. Nothing in the world beats it, imho. ;D

[justadoptedlabsnok]

I have done 4 different methods over the last 20 years and I just go back to the orginal way i have always done it

there is deep frying the bird

brinning the bird

using stuffing in the bird

but i put oranges lemons and some onion with sage in my and rub button on it and inject it with a sage melted butter seasoning and pop that baby in a bag and stick it in the over and get after all the other fixins. it is so good.

and we cook a 20 lb bird and there is never any left over ever.

now if you need a dressing recipe I am your girl got the best there is. just let me know if you need help. I am here for you.

[Mocha]

Got it! Thanks a bunch! Cooking today! Friday :-*