Honeysuckle White turkey--Did I commit a crime?

[sus]

Im a grad student and wanted so badly to purchase one of the Kosher Turkey's from Trader Joes but sadly they seemed a bit over my budget and too small for the amount of people I think will attend this party (grad students Thanks Giving Pot luck). Soooo I purchased a Honeysuckle White 15 pounder. It is still frozen and thawing in the fridge right now. I hope that by Tomorrow eve or Wed. am it is ready for seasoning and such. My concern is that I have committed a cook's crime by purchasing Honeysuckle and not a fresh turkey, yada yada. The reason I selected Honeysuckle was because it was cheap but also because I remember someone on egullet said they had used this turkey once with very good results. Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions on how to turn this turkey into a masterpiece despite its humble beginnings? Do I need to brine or salt? The ingredients in the turkey say they include salt and sugar and water so im thinking the turkey is basted already but I am not 100% sure.

I truly appreciate your helps as this is the second time I make a turkey (the first time I was working for corporate America and purchased a Empire that to be honest truly did not impress me.)

Thanks so much!

So far here is what I have planned to do: Use one of Cook's Illustrated roasting method but from what I gleaned here cover the turkey in a cheesecloth with oil and butter. I also read elsewhere that keeping placing a oven safe bowl full w. water helps retain the moisture. I AM stuffing the turkey w. a plantain stuffing (to give it my Puerto Rican touch)

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

[zoe b]

oh, someone will probably disagree, but a good quality frozen turkey is fine--if you roast it properly and keep it moist and make a delicious gravy it will be fabulous.

(and there are many ways to do this--I just saw one that sounded sensible--to roast the turkey in a low sided pan rather than a roasting pan--the theory is that the high sides focus the heat on the breast where you don't want it and away from the legs and thighs)

and it does sound as though it was injected with brine, so that's done for you --although I'm not a big fan of brining.

And i somehow guess that a gang of grad students would adore it even if it doesn't come out perfect!

I love the idea of a plantain stuffing--do you have a recipe? I couldn't do this for family, but would love to try it another time....

Zoe

Edited November 20, 2007 by zoe b (log)

[sus]

Zoe,

Thanks for the reply. I have never stuffed the turkey with plantains (in Puerto Rico where I am from we actually stuff it either w. plantains or ground beef stuffing. My family used to do the latter) but my sister has started doing it since she moved to NY and I have a chef friend from NY who has done it a couple of yrs as well. They gave me their recipes and I am going to try and make my own from it. Depending on how it goes I will definitely post it on this thread. The general idea however is to make a Mofongo that is a bit drier than traditional mofongo (usually when you make mofongo you process it so you can form little balls with the plantains) with bacon or crushed pork rinds. You cook the plantains and process them w. the rinds, olive oil, lots of garlic and you will have a consistency similar to the bread crumbs that are traditionallly used in the US as stuffing. I assume from there you can use a recipe similar to a classic stuffing recipe. I personally like it as it is. You add chicken stock to moisten the mix you have processed and stuff the turkey. Before serving I would take the stuffing out and place it in the oven for a bit to make a bit crispy. It is very simple and delicious. Nothing fancy here ) I am using turkey bacon because one of the people coming does not eat pork (nothing Kosher. She just thinks pigs are cute) I might just have her not eat the dang thing because pork is key in this dish.

I am a little confused as to weather honeysuckle is frozen or not. The website says its fresh. Nothing on the packaging does and it seems rock solid to me....

-S

Edited November 20, 2007 by sus (log)

[robert40]

As far as a supermarket brand turkey's go Honeysuckle is fine. Actually I find it to be a better brand then Butterball. You did fine and I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Edited November 20, 2007 by robert40 (log)

[purplewiz]

Honeysuckle Brand came in second only to Butterball in the recent taste test by the Denver Post. The organic/natural ones all came in far lower. Take that as you will.

My own take is that if you start with a reasonable turkey, you can get fabulous results. And frozen is reasonable.

Marcia.

[zoe b]

The general idea however is to make a Mofongo that is a bit drier than traditional mofongo (usually when you make mofongo you process it so you can form little balls with the plantains) with bacon or crushed pork rinds. You cook the plantains and process them w. the rinds, olive oil, lots of garlic and you will have a consistency similar to the bread crumbs that are traditionallly used in the US as stuffing. I assume from there you can use a recipe similar to a classic stuffing recipe. I personally like it as it is. You add chicken stock to moisten the mix you have processed and stuff the turkey. Before serving I would take the stuffing out and place it in the oven for a bit to make a bit crispy. It is very simple and delicious. Nothing fancy here

sus--

man-- a mofongo stuffed turkey--the thought of it is making me swoon! I love mofongo so much it's not funny! We went to Puerto Rico about 15 years ago and I think I had mofongo the first night and would have had it every single day after--

Puerto Rico is where I learned to love lard--every little place we went into had great music playing and giant tubs of lard in the cooler.

I've ordered it here in the US, but it never tastes as good--I'm sure it's healthier, but not as delicious.

As for the rock hardness of your turkey--I think a law was passed a few years ago that allowed meat processers to call meat fresh down to a really low temperature--what we would think of as frozen.

Good luck with it all--and please report back on how everything turns out.

Zoe

[sus]

Thanks to all of you guys. I am not as nervous anymore. In fact, a bit excited over this whole endeavor.

Zoe, yes lard, pork, yada yada are of vast importance in the island culinary tradition. In fact some of the spices I am using are meant to give the turkey a "pork" flavor. It is called "pavochon" Maning a Pavo (turkey) that tastes like lechon (pork). I am thinking I might have to dissapoint my friend and add pork rind to the mofongo....I just cannot bring myself to such sacriledge. I can just cook the stuffing in a cheese cloth bag so it does not touch the turkey. If she were Kosher I would be more willing to not do this but she simply thinks pigs are cute. Hardly enough reason to forgo one of the basic ingredients in Mofongo.

[sus]

I never gave a report back on the turkey. It was absolutely delicious. The turkey was both crispy and soft. It was such a degree of melt in your mouth that the other students at first thought it was raw....until a more educated palate informed them it was simply cooked to perfection and not they dry kind they are probably used to at home. I was thankful for the girl who said that. The turkey was also super flavorful. The stuffing turned out exactly as I had planned. Im not sure how to upload pictures but when I have some more time I will.

Thanks so much for the feedback and encouragement!

Sus

[Sony]

It sounds like you all had a great meal! Did you end up doing the oiled cheesecloth + pan of water?

Look forward to any pictures you have....and maybe a recipe with approximate ingredient proportions posted on RecipeGullet? (spoken by a person who is notorious for having to estimate recipes after-the-fact...... )