Question for experienced cooks

[DrakeMaiden]

We brine too and it is usually always very moist & yummy. We also go with the free-range organic turkeys. They taste better.

 

[suburban farm girl]

This method of roasting poultry has been handed down in my family for a few generations. It is simple and works perfectly every time.

1. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Put some water on to boil. (For a turkey I usually fill my tea kettle and a 2 quart or larger pan.)
3. Get your bird ready - rinse it, dry it, stuff it if you're going to, truss it up.
4. Put the bird in your kitchen sink. (Be sure to clean and rinse the sink really well first.) Have the large cavity opening facing upward.
5. After the water is boiling, ***carefully*** pour it over the bird. Be sure to do the front and back. Avoid getting water into the cavity. The boiling water causes the skin of the bird to shrink up - it's cool to watch - and holds all the moisture in the bird. YOU NEVER NEED TO BASTE !!
6. Put the bird on a roasting pan with a rack.
7. "Tent" foil over the bird - have the bird covered loosesly with foil - fold together two large pieces if necessary to get coverage. Avoid having the foil touch the skin of the bird.
8. Put the bird in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.

Time the cooking of the bird as follows:
15 min per pound if unstuffed.
20 min per pound if stuffed.

The last 15 min or so remove the foil to brown the skin.

That's it. My turkeys always come out moist and delicious.

Hint: try this method on a whole chicken to see what you think before trusting it to your Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[schmoo]

I'm going to try alot of these things, not all on one turkey but I will try them and see what works best. Thanks everyone. JKM what do you put in your brine? I've read several different recipes.

Oh and how long do you brine yours?