All I have is a thawed out bird ready for the roaster, and I never thought of stuffin' him beforetimes.
19.5 lbs, btw
Not necessary.
Yep. Brining a 14 lb turkey for deep frying and an 8 lb breast for smoking
Well it all depends on whether you are anti-icing or de-icing. Road temps and whether it will rain before the freeze event are factors too. But when in doubt, be prepared to plow and use rock salt.
My Grand mother taught me how to prepare and cook a turkey when I was in eight grade and my method hasn’t varies much over the years. There haven’t been many tears since then that I haven’t cooked a turkey for Thanksgiving. Ov’e pretty much got it down, so why change.
A couple things that I have changed, I don’t baste, Intent the turkey with foil after it starts to brown. The other change is that I use Peperidge Farm cubed stuffing, no breaking loaves of bread for me.
2 gallons water
2 cups Kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 fennel bulb, split
1 white onion, split
1 head of garlic, split
4 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of oregano
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, toast all spices over a medium heat until they begin to release aromas. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Combine all ingredients in stock pot, including toasted spices, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove brine from heat and let cool to room temperature. Once brine has cooled, add turkey and leave it in the brine for 12-24 hours.
4. When you’re ready to cook the turkey, carefully remove it from brine, wash with cold water, and pat dry.
I’m using my oil-less turkey fryer again this year. No brining, but nice seasoning outside and similar things inside as mentioned up thread.
This year I’m doing something a little different from usual, I’m trying a Pioneer Woman recipe. She has a simple turkey brine and then an herbed butter that goes with it!
We raised our own turkey this year (first time). Just finished plucking and gutting it :(
Kid is pulling the last of the small feathers, then it will brine overnight.
I follow the Cooks Illustrated recipe which involves brine, flipping the bird, temperature changes mid-bake. It works, though.
Hope this home-raised bird is worth it. Thing ate Turkey Chow like crazy.
Any Suggestion on Turkey prep? :)
It’ll put my moist, juicy, brined breasts against anyone’s!
My experience with brining is not good. I would suggest against it. Too salty in my opinion.
Dry brine. Then reach under the skin with the herb butter. Cook mostly upside down and the last hour right side up.
I have a brined, and mirepoix stuffed 12.75 pounder on the BBQ right now. I hate BBQing, but Mrs. RQSR loves when I do the Thanksgiving bird that way. Just smack it on the grill for a couple of hours, rotating it halfway through those two hours, and then flip it over for one more hour to finish it.
Gotta go and rotate the sucker now. Seeya!
Chesnut stuffing is obligatory. The turkey breast brine contains bourbon. I roast off a few turkey wings to make the gravy. Butternut squash soup is the first course.
Brine and butter under the skin. Ooh is that bird good!
Cider, bay leaves, better then bullion veggie flavored, oranges, lemons.
Let dry another 12 hours.
Rub with butter and poultry seasoning mix.
Stuff with sage, thyme, rosemary, bay, onion and apple.
Roast breast side down until the last 30 minutes then turn.
After turning baste with apple cider every ten minutes.
(Don't use apple juice you heathens!)
What sides will you be serving?
Brining will make you happy.
So very, very happy.
I inject with various spices, stick half garlic cloves under the skin, bake breast down on the bottom (no rack) until it’s nearly done, then flip the bird and use the broiler to brown the breast.
I’ve done the turducken thing, but I find it too labor intensive. It tasted great, but 5 hours prep time on one item is way more work than I care to invest in one course. Besides, you don’t get any gravy that way.
I finely chop the giblets and put them in the dressing, which I prefer to stuffing.
I use whipping cream instead of milk in the mashed potatoes. MUCH richer and creamier.
In order to make enough gravy, I add frozen broth from my previous turkey.
Fresh corn kernels, peas, carrots, raw purpletop turnips, halved Brussels Sprouts pan fried in butter, wax and green beans.
No room for dessert...