How are you cooking your turkey

[jwagnerdsm]

I've got a problem with T-Day dinner. I've got a big bird and six sides that need oven time. The bird, a free range beauty that I ordered months ago, won't fit in a roaster (and I'm not nuts about the way it turns out in those anyway.) This being Iowa, the weather on Thanksgiving could REALLY suck but I am considering either: a.) deep frying the bird.

b.) cooking it on the grill.

Any other grand ideas? Opinions on my ideas?

[Katherine]

Sure. Bone it out, season, and roll it into two separate roasts: one white and one dark. Cook with separate thermometers to perfect doneness.

[slkinsey]

I'd like to plug my method as well, which is essentially: braise the leg meat in red wine and roast the breasts separately. A more detailed method for a fancy version may be found here, but notew that most of the frills can be eliminated. At its most basic, you're braising the legs in wine, roasting the breasts and making the sauce out of the braising liquid. The breasts could easily be roasted in something as small as a skillet, thus saving a lot of oven room. Also, by taking everything off the bone, you can simmer the bones and make a rich turkey stock to add to the braise.

[jwagnerdsm]

skinsey,

I am intrigued with your preparation. How difficult will it be to debone a turkey, something I've never done before?

[Jinmyo]

Bone it out; remove leg, thigh, wing, breast meat, and skin. Throw out.

In fact put in bag, drive on bridge, roll down window, toss into river, speed up for getaway.

Buy something edible instead.

Like a six rib prime roast. Or leg of lamb. Or just do chicken thighs. Etc etc etc.

Just a thought.

All the best with it though.

[Al_Dente]

Bone it out; remove leg, thigh, wing, breast meat, and skin. Throw out.

In fact put in bag, drive on bridge, roll down window, toss into river, speed up for getaway.

Buy something edible instead.

Like a six rib prime roast. Or leg of lamb. Or just do chicken thighs. Etc etc etc.

Just a thought.

All the best with it though.

Did you have a traumatic experience involving a turkey as a child?

[fresco]

Bone it out; remove leg, thigh, wing, breast meat, and skin. Throw out.

In fact put in bag, drive on bridge, roll down window, toss into river, speed up for getaway.

Buy something edible instead.

Like a six rib prime roast. Or leg of lamb. Or just do chicken thighs. Etc etc etc.

Just a thought.

All the best with it though.

Did you have a traumatic experience involving a turkey as a child?

This is mild. Ask about chicken breast.

[woodburner]

Being a fresh, free range turkey, and a whopper at that, why deep fry it? Thirteen or fourteen pounds is about the max, normal fry pots use

Spatchcock it and do it on the grille.

Axe it down the middle, and do half in the oven and the other half on the grille.

Does anybody really care if the bird is cooked whole, besides your wife??

It's all a matter of taste.

And if it tastes good, and I mean good, that's all that really matters, not how a whole turkey was presented prior to serving.

Beside's, six side dishes is a little on the heavy side maybe, but if you have an extra chair at the table, I'm free.

woodburner

[robyn]

I've got a problem with T-Day dinner. I've got a big bird and six sides that need oven time. The bird, a free range beauty that I ordered months ago, won't fit in a roaster (and I'm not nuts about the way it turns out in those anyway.) This being Iowa, the weather on Thanksgiving could REALLY suck but I am considering either: a.) deep frying the bird.

b.) cooking it on the grill.

Any other grand ideas? Opinions on my ideas?

I come from fry/grill turkey country (these days - the supermarkets have all those 5 gallon containers of peanut oil stacked up in the aisles). I do not recommend frying a turkey unless you know what you're doing. On my part - I'd never consider doing it. Slinging a heavy object around enough hot oil to send you and those people helping you to the hospital should you have a mishap isn't my idea of a good time. Most of the fry rigs sold in places like Home Depot are too flimsy for the task in my opinion. Plus - you can even burn your house down! Finally - both with the frying - and the grill - it's hard to keep constant cooking temperatures if it's cold outside.

You might consider butterflying the turkey a la Julia Child. A butterflied turkey will take up less room in the oven - and should cook more quickly than a normal turkey. Robyn

[iriee]

i really love a traditional roasted bird,,,its thanksgiving! if you roast it in advance,,,make your favorite sauce or gravy the day before then you have room in oven to do your sides. plus,, do all your sides need oven space? frying a turkey is great,,,but its thanksgiving! grilled??? why? just my opinion,,,im a big traditional thanksgiving turkey fan! go ahead and call me a turkey!

[tommy]

Most of the fry rigs sold in places like Home Depot are too flimsy for the task in my opinion. Plus - you can even burn your house down!

i'm finding the equipment from Home Depot quite well-constructed.

[fifi]

Anyone considering frying a turkey, please click here.

We are considering frying one or two and possibly smoking a couple. Turkey meat is just too cheap this time of year to pass up. It goes in the freezer for later use. Otherwise, I am more in Jinmyo's camp.

[Jinmyo]

Axe it down the middle

Yup.

[GG Mora]

You could get a professional roofing torch, the kind with the squeeze-handle regulator the makes it a functional flame-thrower. Hook it up to a propane tank, then stand back & pull on the regulator. Whee-hoo. Love my kitchen tools.

Edited to add: finishes creme brulée in a snap.

Edited November 20, 2003 by GG Mora (log)

[sammy]

For those in the NY/NJ/CT area (including me) considering frying or smoking your turkey for Thanksgiving, the early forecast is for rain with temps in the mids 40's. Ugh!

[jo-mel]

I clicked on 'google' and found some instructions for deboning a turkey. Seems to take about 20 minutes. Take your choice:

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navc...boning+a+turkey

I always have 2 small turkeys, 9 to 12 pounds, and roast them ala James Beard. Breast down, baste turn to one side. baste turn to other side, breast up for remainder of the time. Doesn't take long, and they are easy to handle. Plus, plenty of drumsticks.

I've brined with good results.

[slkinsey]

I am intrigued with your preparation. How difficult will it be to debone a turkey, something I've never done before?

It's pretty easy to do in my technique, since you're not concerned about keepng it all in one piece as you would if you were making a turducken or something like that.

For the breasts: Use a sharp knife and cut down each side of the breast bone, pulling the flesh away from the bone and scraping with the knife as you go. The breasts should come off each in one whole piece fairly easily, but go slowly and take your time to make sure. Practice on a bone-in whole chicken breast if you're worried.

For the legs: Just disarticulate the thigh and drumstick (cut through the joints) and cut the meat away from the bones. You may want to cut out the hard tendons in the drumstick. Use your knife to cut any other large pieces of dark meat from the carcass. Since you will be braising the dark meat and shredding it, you don't need to worry too much about keeping it whole. Just cut it from the bones in reasonably large pieces.

Once you've done all this (which couldn't possibly take more than 15 or 20 minutes), you should end up with two whole skin-on turkey breasts for roasting, a pile of skinless dark meat chunks for braising and a whole meaty turkey carcass for making turkey stock. That's all there is to it.