I think Bill's crazy Palin/Turkey post should have gone on this page.
We just ordered our organic-soy-bean-fed-grass-grazing-Amish-farm-raised-16lb-turkey from Jeffrey. http://jeffreysonessex.com/
how you going to cook it??
brine no brine??
what do you recommend? One year I want to do a side by side comparison. we brined last year and it was good, but I am not really sure it was better than if we hadn't...
i have yet to cook a great big bird.....ok once and it was luck.....unbrined it was.....wylie has a great way to cook one, ask him
i did a fairly big bird once. filled the major cavity with quartered onions, apples and oranges for added moisture. then weight to time and temp ratio and some basting.
Wylie is in Spain. We are going to go with Cooks Illustrated:
We offer two brine formulas: one for a 4- to 6-hour brine and another for a 12- to 14-hour brine. The amount of salt used in each brine does not change with turkey size. If you’re roasting a kosher or self-basting turkey, do not brine it; it already contains a good amount of sodium. Rotating the bird from a breast-side down position to a breast-side up position midway through cooking helps to produce evenly cooked dark and white meat. If you’re roasting a large (18- to 22-pound) bird and are reluctant to rotate it, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast-side up for the full time. If making gravy, scatter 1 cup each of coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot as well as several fresh thyme sprigs in the roasting pan at the outset; add 1 cup water to keep the vegetables from burning.
INGREDIENTS
Table salt
1 turkey (12 to 22 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for 4- to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three gallons. Add turkey and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.
2. Before removing turkey from brine, adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees for 12- to 18-pound bird or 425 degrees for 18- to 22-pound bird. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan.
3. Remove turkey from brine and rinse well under cool running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure, and tuck wing tips behind back. Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Set turkey breast-side down on prepared V-rack; brush back with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Roast 45 minutes for 12- to 18-pound bird or 1 hour for 18- to 22-pound bird.
4. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat); reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees if roasting 18- to 22-pound bird. Using clean potholders or kitchen towels, rotate turkey breast-side up; continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer for 12- to 15-pound bird, about 1 1/4 hours for 15- to 18-pound bird, or about 2 hours longer for 18- to 22-pound bird.
Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes (or up to 40 minutes for 18- to 22-pound bird). Carve and serve.
save me a bite!!
Cooks Illustrated is the best resource for technique. My favorite Duck and Short Rib recipes started there.
We will have to look those up.
turkey is 14 pounds sans head and feet - which were chopped off in our presence.
Happy Thanksgiving all!
Thanks for the cooks illustrated recipie Brie. Bird has been brining for 10 hrs.
Happy Thanksgiving treepeople.
 best wishes going out to the west coast!
my bird: 12 lb turkey. rosemary, thyme, sage, pepper, salt, sauted with butter, and squirted under loosened skin with a turkey baster, remainder rubbed on skin and inside cavity (left in fridge overnight). cavity filled with more rosemary, thyme, sage, pepper and onion. slightly overcooked due to thermometer issues, but nice herb flavoring throughout.
The turkey I made from the above CI recipie was great. My sister overcooked hers. 30+ guests, we also had a ham.
But gawd, what a load of work it turned out to be. The place is still kind of a dump and that carcass in the fridge isn't going anywhere..
|
We just ordered our organic-soy-bean-fed-grass-grazing-Amish-farm-raised-16lb-turkey from Jeffrey. http://jeffreysonessex.com/
- b. 11-21-2008 8:17 pm
how you going to cook it??
brine no brine??
- Skinny 11-21-2008 9:22 pm [add a comment]
what do you recommend? One year I want to do a side by side comparison. we brined last year and it was good, but I am not really sure it was better than if we hadn't...
- b. 11-21-2008 9:50 pm [add a comment]
i have yet to cook a great big bird.....ok once and it was luck.....unbrined it was.....wylie has a great way to cook one, ask him
- Skinny 11-24-2008 9:30 am [add a comment]
i did a fairly big bird once. filled the major cavity with quartered onions, apples and oranges for added moisture. then weight to time and temp ratio and some basting.
- bill 11-24-2008 1:17 pm [add a comment]
Wylie is in Spain. We are going to go with Cooks Illustrated:
We offer two brine formulas: one for a 4- to 6-hour brine and another for a 12- to 14-hour brine. The amount of salt used in each brine does not change with turkey size. If you’re roasting a kosher or self-basting turkey, do not brine it; it already contains a good amount of sodium. Rotating the bird from a breast-side down position to a breast-side up position midway through cooking helps to produce evenly cooked dark and white meat. If you’re roasting a large (18- to 22-pound) bird and are reluctant to rotate it, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast-side up for the full time. If making gravy, scatter 1 cup each of coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot as well as several fresh thyme sprigs in the roasting pan at the outset; add 1 cup water to keep the vegetables from burning.
INGREDIENTS
Table salt
1 turkey (12 to 22 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for 4- to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three gallons. Add turkey and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.
2. Before removing turkey from brine, adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees for 12- to 18-pound bird or 425 degrees for 18- to 22-pound bird. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan.
3. Remove turkey from brine and rinse well under cool running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure, and tuck wing tips behind back. Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Set turkey breast-side down on prepared V-rack; brush back with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Roast 45 minutes for 12- to 18-pound bird or 1 hour for 18- to 22-pound bird.
4. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat); reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees if roasting 18- to 22-pound bird. Using clean potholders or kitchen towels, rotate turkey breast-side up; continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer for 12- to 15-pound bird, about 1 1/4 hours for 15- to 18-pound bird, or about 2 hours longer for 18- to 22-pound bird.
Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes (or up to 40 minutes for 18- to 22-pound bird). Carve and serve.
- b. 11-25-2008 6:57 pm [add a comment]
save me a bite!!
- Skinny 11-26-2008 4:52 am [add a comment]
Cooks Illustrated is the best resource for technique. My favorite Duck and Short Rib recipes started there.
- adman 11-26-2008 9:50 pm [add a comment]
We will have to look those up.
turkey is 14 pounds sans head and feet - which were chopped off in our presence.
Happy Thanksgiving all!
- b. 11-26-2008 9:59 pm [add a comment]
Thanks for the cooks illustrated recipie Brie. Bird has been brining for 10 hrs.
Happy Thanksgiving treepeople.
- steve 11-27-2008 3:34 pm [add a comment]
- bill 11-27-2008 3:58 pm [add a comment]
my bird: 12 lb turkey. rosemary, thyme, sage, pepper, salt, sauted with butter, and squirted under loosened skin with a turkey baster, remainder rubbed on skin and inside cavity (left in fridge overnight). cavity filled with more rosemary, thyme, sage, pepper and onion. slightly overcooked due to thermometer issues, but nice herb flavoring throughout.
- mark 11-29-2008 7:48 am [add a comment]
The turkey I made from the above CI recipie was great. My sister overcooked hers. 30+ guests, we also had a ham.
But gawd, what a load of work it turned out to be. The place is still kind of a dump and that carcass in the fridge isn't going anywhere..
- steve 12-03-2008 6:07 am [add a comment]