Turkeys For 2013

[B J Hopkins]

Processing willl go faster the next time . . . at least it did for me as I developed a method.

20# was a good size-- enough for everyone??

HOw did you cook it?? YOu didn't mention that . . .

THe left overs will make a wonderful soup.

For the first 15min I cooked at 400F. Then I turned the temp down to 325. After 5.5hr total, the turkey was getting pretty brown but not quite done, so I turned the temp down to 275 for another 30 min. After a total of 6hr he was done, but not falling apart tender. Didn't rub anything under the skin. Just salt & pepper. Stuffed w/bread dressing (but I forgot the sage!!)
We had about 1/2 of the turkey left, which I sent home w/the kids Sunday evening.
Haven't made any soup as my husband is quite content to just grap a piece of meat & eat it - cold!

Next turkey needs to be at least 5# lighter.

 

[B J Hopkins]

Next time, try letting it rest refrigerated for 3 days for the muscle(meat) to go through rigor, and the meat will be very tender and juicy. You can do this in a brine or just season after the 3 days, both work well. It isn't the age of the turkey, but could be the breed, but meat needs to go through rigor to be tender!

Thanks. Next time I'll do that. About in December.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: FIve pounds lighter and your DH won't be able to just grab a peice of meat and eat it!! l

A long time poultry person suggested getting a freshly butchered bird into the oven asap, before rigor sets in, and rigor is not a problem. I have not tested this method myself. But she is a very reliable source on everything p0ultry.

 

[Celie]

For the first 15min I cooked at 400F. Then I turned the temp down to 325. After 5.5hr total, the turkey was getting pretty brown but not quite done, so I turned the temp down to 275 for another 30 min. After a total of 6hr he was done, but not falling apart tender. Didn't rub anything under the skin. Just salt & pepper. Stuffed w/bread dressing (but I forgot the sage!!)
We had about 1/2 of the turkey left, which I sent home w/the kids Sunday evening.
Haven't made any soup as my husband is quite content to just grap a piece of meat & eat it - cold!

Next turkey needs to be at least 5# lighter.

I usually start with the breast down in a low oven @ 275 degrees and then for the last 45 minutes or so, flip it so the breast can brown, but my Hollands get really big and my oven is barely big enough to get a 35# turkey into and it almost touches the top element ! I beed a commercial stove with a big oven ! I hate my stove, It came with the house and has the old time burners that doesn't let a pot fit level either. Boy do I miss my Jenaire stove and Thermadore oven!!!

FIve pounds lighter and your DH won't be able to just grab a peice of meat and eat it!! l

A long time poultry person suggested getting a freshly butchered bird into the oven asap, before rigor sets in, and rigor is not a problem. I have not tested this method myself. But she is a very reliable source on everything p0ultry.

She sure must be fast, too!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I often see high temps initially when roasting and I am bewoldered because my roasts have a nice golden brown at a lower temp-- the browning gets nice far into the cooking time, more near the end. Now I am wondering if that is why I have so many juices in the bottom of th pan. DOes the high heat inially seal the skin and keekp in the juices??

 

[yinepu]

FIve pounds lighter and your DH won't be able to just grab a peice of meat and eat it!! l

A long time poultry person suggested getting a freshly butchered bird into the oven asap, before rigor sets in, and rigor is not a problem. I have not tested this method myself. But she is a very reliable source on everything p0ultry.

She sure must be fast, too!

I came from a family of 7 kids. When it was butchering day my mother would have most of us out helping her with the birds (my prissy brother was excused from it since it offended his sensitivities

).. as we were finishing the last of them she would go into the house and start the oven preheating and have everything ready to toss the last bird(s) (several in the case of chickens) straight into the oven after seasoning.. there was many times I would be gutting the last bird and still feel the muscles twitching as I gutted it.. so yeah.. Mom (and grandma) were FAST when it came to getting the last ones "on the fire"... We always knew what was going to be for dinner when it was a slaughtering day..

It was normal to have company show up unexpectedly wanting a turkey dinner and having to go out and butcher one fast to have it done by dinner.. we never had a tough bird BUT you HAVE to be FAST.. once rigor sets in you're going to have a tough bird unless you give it plenty of time for it to dissipate

And this was the normal practice of the day (telling my age here).. We have also gone to relatives homes where they had to run out and slaughter a critter fast to get it cooking for dinner that evening..

 

[yinepu]

Quote: I often see high temps initially when roasting and I am bewoldered because my roasts have a nice golden brown at a lower temp-- the browning gets nice far into the cooking time, more near the end. Now I am wondering if that is why I have so many juices in the bottom of th pan. DOes the high heat inially seal the skin and keekp in the juices??

that's the general idea... it's also why beef is seared at the beginning of cooking..

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I often see high temps initially when roasting and I am bewoldered because my roasts have a nice golden brown at a lower temp-- the browning gets nice far into the cooking time, more near the end. Now I am wondering if that is why I have so many juices in the bottom of th pan. DOes the high heat inially seal the skin and keekp in the juices??

that's the general idea... it's also why beef is seared at the beginning of cooking..
I will try it then with a high heat inially, but I sure like having the juices for soups and stock, and gravy at THanksgiving.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
So do I.. which is why I don't worry about it.. as it is the birds are so darn juicy that it doesn't hurt to have a pan of drippings too!

My husband even commented once that our turkey was "too moist".. he said it's nothing like what he has been used to eating before he met me (which is "choke you to death dry" bird). when you slice into the breast meat and juices run.. you know it's a nice moist bird!

 

[Arielle]

THe only time I had a dry bird was when I put in the oven for an overnight roasting-- forgetting that this was not a commercial BBW stuffed with stuffing. 8 hours later ---Dry!!!! Made great soup though!!

I enjoy soups now, especially as I tend to avoid the gravies made with flour or other grain thickeners.