Roasting a turkey... - Page 2

marmalady · #16 11-19-2002, 02:34 PM

LOL - Hope you're inviting lots of manly men for Thanksgiving to help you carry it around!

phatch · #17 11-28-2002, 03:26 PM

I've got the turkey going outside right now in that odd dutch oven. I haven't had to heft it up fully loaded yet. Shouldn't be too bad except for the door between the driveway and the kitchen.

Phil

Mezzaluna · #18 11-29-2002, 02:39 PM

We ate flavorful but dry turkey last night. It had had lots of cider poured over it, and that seemed to suck out the turkey's own juices. Does that seem possible? It did taste good, but all except the dark meat below the "juice" line in the pan was pretty dry. I felt bad for my BIL because he worked so hard and took such care. I think it the instant-read thermometer read 190 degrees when I advised him to take it out. He hadn't tested it earlier because he was worried about having the juices run out...

marmalady · #19 11-29-2002, 03:24 PM

Hope you had lots of gravy to moisten it up, Mezz! I, on the other hand, am ready to use my instant read for a cup hook. Day before T-day, I calibrated it, because I thought it had been running a little low. Got it to calibrate at 212 in boiling water. Stuck it in the turkey and read 180 degrees after about 3 hours, for a 13 lb. turkey - sounds about right, right? Weeeelllllll, we had raw dark meat!

thebighat · #20 11-29-2002, 03:52 PM

I brined a free range turkey and then tried to roast it in the brick oven. It took about 4 minutes per side to turn it completely photo-shoot golden brown. Too hot, I guess. So I finished it in the house and popped it back in the brick monster, with which I am already bored having baked the one single perfect loaf of bread, for fifteen minutes at the end. Did a couple of roasted vegetable dishes in there, and then Msssss. Silverton's rosemary olive oil bread. Just polished off a sandwich made with some of these ingredients. Delicious. First turkey day I've been off in several years.

phatch · #21 11-29-2002, 05:05 PM

Mine was a bit dry too and didn't brown right. It cooked so fast I missed the optimal take out point. And I had too much liquid in the bottom of the pan for proper browning. I always eat mine with gravy anyway. Meat worked good for sandwiches at lunch. Used the potato rolls that were leftover. Very good.

Phil

Mezzaluna · #22 11-29-2002, 09:22 PM

I hear you about the miscalibrated thermometer! But he didn't use it at all. I wonder if the oven thermostat is correct; he had the minutes per pound calculated right, but it came out overdone.

And yes, there was plenty of gravy! With all those juices in it, it was delicious.

Slave Girl, Julia Child has a similar plan for roasting a cut up turkey so as to allow correct timing for white meat vs. dark, and having it all come out right. It's in "The Way to Cook", page 170.

delma411 · #23 12-15-2002, 12:32 AM

Whatever you do, dont follow the manufacturers directions! My wife cooked thanksgiving for herself while I was in Antarctica with no communications at the time. Well, Butterball suggests an internal temp of 180 degrees, and after resting the meat was like sawdust! They tell you things like that so there is NO chance of you undercooking it, or suing the company for false information. I run a kitchen for 1000pp in Antarctica, and I recently cooked one ton (literally) of bone in turkeys. The internal temp, on a 25 pound bird, assuming it is thawed completly, will usually carry-over 5-10 degrees, so pull that bad boy at about 150. Hope this helps.

Delma

kuan · #24 12-15-2002, 07:02 AM

Wow Delma... ANTARTICA! Wow!! You need to tell us more about this! Very interesting!

Kuan

Anneke · #25 12-15-2002, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mezzaluna
We ate flavorful but dry turkey last night. It had had lots of cider poured over it, and that seemed to suck out the turkey's own juices. Does that seem possible?

Sorry I missed the boat on that one Mezz. Yes, it DOES make sense. Most people think that basting a turkey often will keep it moist. It doesn't UNLESS you are basting with the fat only. Anything else will draw out the liquid. Kind of like the same way you use water in a pan to draw out the fat when you're cooking duck..

marmalady · #26 12-15-2002, 05:20 PM

Okay, y'all - here it is - Sis-in-law sent me this from NC - your turkey troubles are over!

"THE PERFECT TURKEY

"This is the greatest! When I found this recipe I thought it was perfect for people like me, who just are not sure how to tell when the turkey is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try:

1 turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is good)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's Low Fat)
salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and unpopped popcorn. Place turkey in a large baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the own.

Listen for popping sounds. When the turkey's a** blows the oven door open and the turkey flies across the room, it's done."

There ya go! Please don't shoot the messenger!

delma411 · #27 12-15-2002, 08:24 PM

Hi everyone! If you would like info or have employment questions about the ice, please join in on the conversation at the Global Chef thread, I would love to answer any and all of your questions. Thanks a bunch.

D

phatch · #28 03-18-2003, 01:34 PM

I used this roaster again this past weekend with the scouts. It was great, one of my best turkeys ever. What I did differently:

Brined it right. last time was too little salt in the brine.
Spice rub. This roaster isn't a great browner so you need to add some color with the rub. Flavor too.
smoke, used some wet chips in the bottom of the roaster for smoke before the drippings flood the bottom.

Excellent.

Scouts loved it.

Phil