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How do you cook a turkey?

MaggieD

MaggieD

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I use mom"s recipe.

I don't stuff it. I make the stuffing separately later using the broth from the turkey roasting pan along with a doctored Stove Top.


Put the turkey in the roasting pan...add a stick of butter, two inches of chicken broth, coarse chopped celery, carrots and onions. Cook it at 300 degrees, breast covered with foil a while. That's it.

When done, you will have sooo much juice with which to doctr the stuffing mix, make gravy AND, this is the most important, a delicious broth in which to store leftovers and reheat. The moistest, juiciest turkey you've ever had.
 
With heat.






HAR HAR HAR HAR!!!!!
 
Wife and I just smoked a turkey last yesterday/last night. Smaller bird, bout...12 pounds, maybe? Came out amazing.
 
Buy it and give it to a neighbor to cook. ;)
 
I found it is a much better idea for me to go to somebody's house to eat turkey.

Edit,

Yeah, what ttw... said above. Good plan.
 
MaggieD said:
I use mom"s recipe.

I don't stuff it. I make the stuffing separately later using the broth from the turkey roasting pan along with a doctored Stove Top.


Put the turkey in the roasting pan...add a stick of butter, two inches of chicken broth, coarse chopped celery, carrots and onions. Cook it at 300 degrees, breast covered with foil a while. That's it.

When done, you will have sooo much juice with which to doctr the stuffing mix, make gravy AND, this is the most important, a delicious broth in which to store leftovers and reheat. The moistest, juiciest turkey you've ever had.
Click to expand...

If you do not stuff*) the bird it probably needs less time in the oven. How long do you leave it in an oven of what heat?

*)I use sage in the stuffing and make a pâté from the liver.
 
MaggieD said:
I use mom"s recipe.

I don't stuff it. I make the stuffing separately later using the broth from the turkey roasting pan along with a doctored Stove Top.


Put the turkey in the roasting pan...add a stick of butter, two inches of chicken broth, coarse chopped celery, carrots and onions. Cook it at 300 degrees, breast covered with foil a while. That's it.

When done, you will have sooo much juice with which to doctr the stuffing mix, make gravy AND, this is the most important, a delicious broth in which to store leftovers and reheat. The moistest, juiciest turkey you've ever had.
Click to expand...

We have turkey dinners several times a year, so we make gravy using stock made from the bones of the previous turkey. Stuffing is made with bread and Ritz crackers moistened with turkey stock, celery and herbs and cooked separately from the bird. The turkey is seasoned with S&P and roasted in the oven
 
joG said:
If you do not stuff*) the bird it probably needs less time in the oven. How long do you leave it in an oven of what heat?

*)I use sage in the stuffing and make a pâté from the liver.
Click to expand...

I always buy a Butterball, so it gives you a time estimate for an unstuffed turkey. And I have an instant thermometer. I use sage as well.

Most of the time, I cook the turkey ahead, not on Thanksgiving. Otherwise, by the time I get dinner on the table, slicing and putting away the rest for the freezer just wears me out. And with the juiciness of leftover reheating, it's really well worth it.
 
MaggieD said:
I always buy a Butterball, so it gives you a time estimate for an unstuffed turkey. And I have an instant thermometer. I use sage as well.

Most of the time, I cook the turkey ahead, not on Thanksgiving. Otherwise, by the time I get dinner on the table, slicing and putting away the rest for the freezer just wears me out. And with the juiciness of leftover reheating, it's really well worth it.
Click to expand...

So technically you start with the leftover turkey dishes on Thanksgiving. :2razz:
 
MaggieD said:
I use mom"s recipe.

I don't stuff it. I make the stuffing separately later using the broth from the turkey roasting pan along with a doctored Stove Top.


Put the turkey in the roasting pan...add a stick of butter, two inches of chicken broth, coarse chopped celery, carrots and onions. Cook it at 300 degrees, breast covered with foil a while. That's it.

When done, you will have sooo much juice with which to doctr the stuffing mix, make gravy AND, this is the most important, a delicious broth in which to store leftovers and reheat. The moistest, juiciest turkey you've ever had.
Click to expand...

I read your thread-head, Maggie, and thought, "Oh, no--it's getting to be that time again!"

You're right; the time to do the turkey is the day before! And I'm going to cheat with Stovetop too. Toss in sautéed onions and chopped celery and etc., and it's a great fake. I am not up for stuffing from scratch this year. Ha, maybe any year.
 
MaggieD said:
I use mom"s recipe.

I don't stuff it. I make the stuffing separately later using the broth from the turkey roasting pan along with a doctored Stove Top.


Put the turkey in the roasting pan...add a stick of butter, two inches of chicken broth, coarse chopped celery, carrots and onions. Cook it at 300 degrees, breast covered with foil a while. That's it.

When done, you will have sooo much juice with which to doctr the stuffing mix, make gravy AND, this is the most important, a delicious broth in which to store leftovers and reheat. The moistest, juiciest turkey you've ever had.
Click to expand...

joG said:
If you do not stuff*) the bird it probably needs less time in the oven. How long do you leave it in an oven of what heat?

*)I use sage in the stuffing and make a pâté from the liver.
Click to expand...
omgosh yes it has to have sage

so Maggie cooks the bird, you make the stuffing and all of us will bring everything else

what time? :mrgreen:
 
_Sal said:
omgosh yes it has to have sage

so Maggie cooks the bird, you make the stuffing and all of us will bring everything else

what time? :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

That sounds yumyum, except I am in Spain. :(
 
I dont love turkey meat...especially light meat. So I work to infuse it. I dont know how much brining helps. I inject with a maple butter, then glaze it, then wrap it with bacon, put plenty of butter and bacon grease in the bottom of an aluminum pan, seal that bad boy in an aluminum tent, and grill it for about 7 hours on medium heat.
 
MaggieD said:
I use mom"s recipe.

I don't stuff it. I make the stuffing separately later using the broth from the turkey roasting pan along with a doctored Stove Top.


Put the turkey in the roasting pan...add a stick of butter, two inches of chicken broth, coarse chopped celery, carrots and onions. Cook it at 300 degrees, breast covered with foil a while. That's it.

When done, you will have sooo much juice with which to doctr the stuffing mix, make gravy AND, this is the most important, a delicious broth in which to store leftovers and reheat. The moistest, juiciest turkey you've ever had.
Click to expand...

joG said:
That sounds yumyum, except I am in Spain. :(
Click to expand...
*sigh* yeah I know we are scattered all over the globe

but oh yum, stuffing with a Spanish flare...sounds divine...

I am in Canada...it will have to be a cyber party

:2party:
 
MaggieD said:
I use mom"s recipe.

I don't stuff it. I make the stuffing separately later using the broth from the turkey roasting pan along with a doctored Stove Top.


Put the turkey in the roasting pan...add a stick of butter, two inches of chicken broth, coarse chopped celery, carrots and onions. Cook it at 300 degrees, breast covered with foil a while. That's it.

When done, you will have sooo much juice with which to doctr the stuffing mix, make gravy AND, this is the most important, a delicious broth in which to store leftovers and reheat. The moistest, juiciest turkey you've ever had.
Click to expand...

Good morning Maggie,

I roast a turkey at least 5 times a year - not on holidays particularly - because I love turkey and the leftovers are great for sandwiches and casseroles and even stir fries. I'm pretty simple though - just a little water in the bottom of the roasting pan, a little pepper, cover it and roast it at 325. Always turns out great.

Turkeys are terrific and a relatively cheap form of meat. You can even get great deals on frozen ones once a holiday passes and they keep well in the freezer. I often buy three or four small ones after a holiday and freeze them and roast one a month or so until the next holiday passes.
 
To know when it is done but not overcooked and dried out always use a thermometer for larger cuts of meet. Never slice into meet fresh out of the oven. Let it set for a few minutes or all the juices will be lost. When the turkey is resting is when I like to get everything else out and on the table. Start with the cold items coleslaw, cranberry sauce, bread and such. While someone else puts out the hot items I like to slice the turkey up. We always work together as a family. It is always worth it.
 
CanadaJohn said:
Good morning Maggie,

I roast a turkey at least 5 times a year - not on holidays particularly - because I love turkey and the leftovers are great for sandwiches and casseroles and even stir fries. I'm pretty simple though - just a little water in the bottom of the roasting pan, a little pepper, cover it and roast it at 325. Always turns out great.

Turkeys are terrific and a relatively cheap form of meat. You can even get great deals on frozen ones once a holiday passes and they keep well in the freezer. I often buy three or four small ones after a holiday and freeze them and roast one a month or so until the next holiday passes.
Click to expand...

I like the leftovers in a salad with mayonnaise, finely chopped onions and celery, salt and pepper on buttered bread.
 
joG said:
I like the leftovers in a salad with mayonnaise, finely chopped onions and celery, salt and pepper on buttered bread.
Click to expand...

You can make turkey salad similar to egg salad or chicken salad, with your choice of add ins like you suggested. And turkey, at least here in Canada, is far cheaper by the pound than chicken is.
 
KevinKohler said:
With heat.






HAR HAR HAR HAR!!!!!
Click to expand...

WRONG

and it's because you're a (insert target poster's political lean, and cap it off with a personal attack.)

:lol:
 
CanadaJohn said:
You can make turkey salad similar to egg salad or chicken salad, with your choice of add ins like you suggested. And turkey, at least here in Canada, is far cheaper by the pound than chicken is.
Click to expand...

And more succulent.
 
For those asking about cooking times for turkey, the following template has always worked perfectly for me to get fall off the bone, moist and delicious turkey every time.

Cook at 325


Pounds Open pan Covered pan

5-8 / 3.5 to 4 hours / 2.5 to 3 hours

8-11 / 4 to 4.25 / 3 to 3.5

11-14 / 4 to 4.5 / 3.5 to 4

14-16 / 4.5 to 5 / 4 to 4.25

16-20 / 5 to 5.25 / 4.25 to 4.5

19-24 / 5.25 to 6.5 / 4.5 to 5


Remember to baste your turkey frequently - at least once ever 45 minutes or so to ensure it stays moist on the top and you get a nice, glowing, crispy skin.

Edit - my apologies, the formatting didn't come out the way it was supposed to.
 
_Sal said:
omgosh yes it has to have sage

so Maggie cooks the bird, you make the stuffing and all of us will bring everything else

what time? :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

It's the "everything else" that's so challenging. This will be my 13th Thanksgiving without my mother, and it wasn't until she was gone that I appreciated just how much "everything else" entails.

For example, relish trays plural--carrot strips pickled in advance, celery sticks whose ends were "fringed," pickled beets, fancy cucumbers (run a fork the length of a cucumber on all sides, slice, and be surprised at how pretty they are), three kinds of olives, sausage-stuffed mushrooms, and deviled eggs. I'm sure I'm forgetting something.
 
Unstuffed in a convection oven
 
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