Processing my turkey

[Theoverseer]

I'd recommend letting rest in the fridge for 3-5 days before freezing. I'd get a big ziplock vacuum bag for it. They do sell huge freezer bags as well, but hard to get the air out. I put mine in a shrink bag.

If you're interested, I posted my recipes for 24 week old birds here and there's another guys recipe above mine.

ETA: 7 months, you want to cook low and slow, not the Alton recipe.

Darn, I was hoping to deep fry him. I'll check out the links.

 

[Parront]

One more quick question. I am going to process the last turkey tomorrow, for Christmas. My plan is to process it and then place it in a turkey bag and put it in the freezer. Is a turkey bag for cooking, acceptable to prevent freezer burn?

That sounds perfect to me. Get some water in your cooler, and when you have the turkey in the bag, put it in the water to get the air out. You put the bird in the bag, hold the neck of the bag above the water and let the water press out all the air. No freezer burn if there is no air!

 

[Parront]

I agree with Rjohns, age before freezing.

 

[rjohns39]

That's a whole lot of bird to fit in any pan. I've got a couple in my freezer like that... I'm going to eventually try (when no one's around) an old Julia Childs recipe I found on you tube, where you part the turkey, make stock from the back, neck and giblets... Then braise the whole legs in the stock and roast the breast and wings. They wouldn't fit in my electric roaster whole.

 

[Parront]

That's a whole lot of bird to fit in any pan. I've got a couple in my freezer like that... I'm going to eventually try (when no one's around) an old Julia Childs recipe I found on you tube, where you part the turkey, make stock from the back, neck and giblets... Then braise the whole legs in the stock and roast the breast and wings. They wouldn't fit in my electric roaster whole.

I like those cooking bags. I get them on sale after the holidays and save them! You can cook a bird that does not fit in your roaster in a disposable foil pan that is ~$3.00 at Safeway. Very tender, done too soon if it is a store bird. The caution is to be sure it does not touch any hot part of the oven when it puffs up with steam while the bird is cooking. It will melt, ask me how I know this.

 

[rjohns39]

A lot of folks I know and respect say to cook the bird breast side down, I haven't had the courage to try it yet.

 

[Parront]

If your bird is only frozen for 3-4 weeks, and has the skin on, you can even wrap it in old school butcher paper.

 

[Parront]

A lot of folks I know and respect say to cook the bird breast side down, I haven't had the courage to try it yet.

I have never tried that, either. I like the beautiful golden look of the breast!

 

[rjohns39]

Oh, I failed to welcome you... Hi and welcome to BYC We're so thrilled you've decided to join us Do visit us in the turkey forum.

 

[Parront]

I do like the idea of using the cooking bag for freezing, dual purpose!