Cook your Turkey

[HeartGirl]

I know that there's more than one way to cook a turkey.
But how do you cook your turkey?

 

[GalaxyAngel]

Roast Turkey...

*Good Tanning* in the oven!
Lucky Turkey.

Damn TURKEY made me drugged and sleepy...

 

[Nancy]

Roast Turkey...

*Good Tanning* in the oven!
Lucky Turkey.

I can just imagine a turkey in the oven with sunglasses and a bathing suit on, holding a book to read while "tanning" himself.

We do roast turkey also.

 

[SherryCherish]

Well, i been done roast turkey, fry turkey, and GRILL turkey.

so far i think best number 1 is grill turkey, 2nd is fry with peanut oil..

They re so tender and moisture..

 

[Reba]

Inject turkey with marinade, then deep fry outdoors in cooker with peanut oil.

 

[Beowulf]

Inject turkey with marinade, then deep fry outdoors in cooker with peanut oil.

Goodness.
Poor purkey just begging for pink elephants first, huh?
:P

 

[EyesBlueDeaf]

That's One Nice Looking Bird!

 

[Angel]

Roast Turkey...

*Good Tanning* in the oven!

Did you add tan lotion to it?....

I cooked mine in the oven, with stuffin inside the turkey's butt....

 

[Angel]

that sure looks like GalaxyAngel's turkey, let's hope that turkey was a female...

 

[Tousi]

Use SPF 768!

Reba, such a non-traditional method I hadn't imagined you using; however, I've heard it's really yummy and have been wanting to try this for a few years now and haven't gotten around to it.

 

[GalaxyAngel]

that sure looks like GalaxyAngel's turkey, let's hope that turkey was a female...

Angel,

Is that your cousin ?

:jaw:



Oh uh-oh-no...Another Blonde moments..?? Is that Angel?

 

[GalaxyAngel]

Another Turkey story...

Turkey Story.. *careful read this*

 

[GalaxyAngel]

Cookie Monster's family.. *poor Big Bird*

That reason Cookie Monster's secret recipie... BIG BIRD as condiser turkey..
Is that cook quite so good ?

 

[HeartGirl]

Grilled Turkey
Submitted by: Dave Hartmann
"Great grilled turkey! My grill is an old one that has a hinged top. I open all of the vents and prop the lid open about 2 to 3 inches with a stick...man does it get hot! Do not spill the juices and wine on the coals, as they are extremely flammable." Original recipe yield: 24 servings.


INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, diced
1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine
salt and pepper to taste
12 pounds whole turkey

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
In a pot style grill, fill the bottom with a 5 pound bag of charcoals. Light the charcoal, and when ready, spread to cover the bottom of grill.
Wash the turkey down and stuff with onion. Rub the exterior down with salt and pepper.
Place the turkey in a deep aluminum roasting pan. Place the pan on the grill's grate. Pour wine over the turkey. Cover the top of the turkey with foil.
Cover the grill with the lid and open the vents. Grill the turkey for 60 to 90 minutes, or until meat is to your liking. Baste frequently. You might need to add water to the pan if the wine evaporates.

________________________________________________________

Try Something New This Thanksgiving: Grill a Turkey

Monday, November 21, 2005


Grilling a whole turkey is a unique way to prepare the main dish for your Thanksgiving dinner. Note the hot coals to each side of the turkey, perfect for indirect grilling. Photo by Mitch Mariani II.
There is a very exciting event taking place today and tomorrow in downtown San Jose called “San Jose Cooks!” This event features live demonstrations and hands-on exhibits, including local celebrity chef demonstrations and food sampling. The exhibit and display area hosts a wide variety of everything kitchen and food.

I am specifically interested in the barbecues (not grills here), barbecue accessories, outdoor kitchens and gourmet foods. While at the show, I hope to find new innovations, ideas and some tasty items that I will feature in future columns.

San Jose Cooks will take place at Parkside Hall, 180 Park Ave. in San Jose. It runs today and tomorrow from 10am to 6pm. Admission is $12 at the door for adults, and a $2 discount coupon is available at all San Jose Smart & Final stores. Admission for children ages 4 to 14 are $5, and children younger than 4 are free. For more information about this event, call (408) 277-5277 or go to www.cookingevents.com and click on San Jose.

Now for a shift in topics, let’s talk turkey. Thanksgiving is one of the two holidays that the United States does not share with another country, the other being the Fourth of July. The two holidays are special days when we celebrate where we have come from and what we have accomplished as a country.

One of my little annoyances is the idea of precooked Thanksgiving dinners. There are too many boxes of packaged gravy, premade stuffing and dried mashed potatoes to count. We now have turkeys that go directly from freezer to oven. One local supermarket is even featuring a turkey that only takes two hours to cook.

I think the idea of precooked dinners is getting out of hand. For those who are uncomfortable with cooking, it is actually a great idea. I have always thought of Thanksgiving as one of those holidays that everything must be made from scratch.

The turkeys that many grocery stores are giving away for free may not be large enough for some families. These birds are usually smaller, about 10 to 15 pounds - half the size of the turkeys my wonderful grandmother oven-roasts every year. If you use a larger turkey, take advantage of the free offer. There are two things that can be done with your free turkey:

• Many charities are seeking donations at this time of year. Find one in your Gilroy, Hollister or Morgan Hill community that will assist a needy family and make their holiday special.

• If you are used to the oven-roasted turkey every year, consider indirect grilling for the second bird. You may think this does not seem very traditional, but it actually is. According to The History Channel Web site, the method for cooking was fire-roasting on a spit, requiring constantly turning the handle.

We have come a long way since then. Many gas grills are equipped with electric rotisseries. With an added smoker box, you can achieve the same flavor as the early fire. Consult your smoker box directions for specific details.

Both gas and charcoal grills use the method of indirect grilling. Large pieces of meat may burn and become dry through direct grilling. With indirect grilling, burning and drying does not occur. One downside to indirect grilling a turkey is that you are limited to size. A bird that is 16 pounds to 17 pounds should be the upper limit for size, depending upon the side of your grill and cover. Anything larger and the cover will not fit tight, and the air circulation will not be at the optimum level.

My experience taught me that a turkey should not be stuffed when indirect grilling, as the stuffing becomes too smoky. Consider a few aromatics such as carrot, celery and onion in the body cavity instead. It will add extra flavor and make a nice presentation if you serve the turkey whole.

Be careful when using the pan drippings to make gravy, as the final product may be too smoky. Use a disposable roasting pan. The smoky residue that will develop on the pan is difficult to clean. Transferring the turkey from the grill to the house will be easier if the turkey and roasting pan are placed upon a larger cookie sheet, because disposable pans are often flimsy.

A note about last week’s column: An editing error misstated a guideline of using a grill pan. With use and further seasoning of cast iron, grill pans actually develop a dark patina and become nonstick over time.

The following is my family’s recipe for grilled turkey. I hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!



Mariani Family Grilled Whole Turkey



Serves 8-12, depending on turkey size

1 turkey

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. poultry seasoning mix

1/2 white or yellow onion, cut in quarters

1 carrot and celery rib, cut in half

1 cup of water



Step 1: Wash and try the turkey thoroughly. Rub the room temperature butter over the skin of the turkey. Mix the salt, pepper and poultry seasoning and sprinkle on the outside and inside of the turkey. Place the onion, carrot and celery in the body cavity of the turkey.



Step 2 :Prepare the grill. Preheat the opposite sides of the gas grill. For charcoal, construct a tower of about 30 pieces of charcoal in the center of the charcoal grill grate, light the charcoal and allow them to ash. Move the heated charcoal to opposite ends of the charcoal grill grate. Make sure all vents are open to allow air circulation.



Step 3: Fill disposable roasting pan with the 1 cup of water, set roasting rack in the pan, and place turkey on top of the roasting rack.



Step 4: Transfer the roasting pan with turkey directly on top of the grill making sure the heat source is not directly under the roasting pan and close the lid. Check the turkey every 15 to 25 minutes, basting with the pan drippings. If using a charcoal grill, add about 8 pieces of charcoal to each pile of hot coals every hour while the turkey is grilling.



Step 5: Continue grilling the turkey until the temperature is 180 degrees in the thigh and 170 degrees in the breast. Allow 11-13 minutes of cooking time per pound, but this may be a little longer or shorter depending upon how much heat the grill is generating.



Step 6 After the turkey is off of the grill, tent it with foil and allow the turkey to sit for 15 minutes prior to caving. The foil will help retain some heat and the sitting time will allow the juices to absorb back into the meat.

http://www.freelancenews.com/lifestyles/contentview.asp?c=173033&siteID=33

 

[HeartGirl]

Popeyes Cajun Fried Turkey

CAJUN TURKEY SEASONING MIX
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup garlic pepper
1/2 cup ground white pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder

Combine kosher salt, peppers and onion powder in one bowl. Cover and hold for service.

TURKEY - PRE-PREP
1 (10-12 pound) whole turkey, fresh or thawed, non-self basting

Important beginning note: To identify the correct amount of oil to use in the commercial fryer, place the turkey in the fryer before adding seasoning and add water until turkey is covered. Measure the amount of water and use a corresponding amount of oil. Drain and dry the fryer thoroughly before placing the oil in the fryer.

Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Wash the turkey well with cold water. Drain and completely pat dry both the inside and outside of the turkey with paper towels.

Cut off the wing tips and tail so they do not get caught in the fryer basket. Place turkey in a large pan and rub the inside and outside of the turkey with 1/2 of the Cajun Turkey Seasoning Mix. Do not truss or tie legs together. Cover the pan and refrigerate turkey overnight.

LIQUID MARINADE
1 pound unsalted butter
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

Over very low heat, melt butter and stir in salt, black pepper, white pepper and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan. Stir until well blended. Allow mixture to cool to about 100 degrees F.

Spoon or pour into injector needle and inject the turkey, covering all the thick areas such as the breast and legs.

FRYING TURKEY
As needed peanut oil

Add oil to the fryer with a basket or rack. Heat the oil on medium-high setting until it reaches 365 degrees F - about 20-40 minutes.

Place the turkey, neck down, in a basket or on a rack.

When the oil temperature registers 365 degrees F on the deep-fry thermometer, carefully lower the turkey into the oil. The oil level will rise from the frothing caused by the moisture from the turkey but will settle in about one minute.

Check the oil temperature immediately and increase the flame to maintain the oil at 365 degrees F.

Cook the whole turkey about 3-4 minutes per pound. Monitor and regulate the heat at all times.

When a food thermometer registers 170 degrees F in the turkey breast or 180 degrees F in the thigh, remove the turkey from the oil and let it drain for a few minutes. (Let the oil cool completely before storing or disposing it.)

Remove turkey from the rack and place on a serving platter. Immediately sprinkle turkey with the remainding Cajun Turkey Seasoning Mix. Allow the turkey to sit for 20 minutes before carving.

Yield: 12 servings
Recipe provided by Popeyes Executive Chef Billy Jacob
Source: The National Turkey Federation

 

[Casperman]

Smoke n fried turkey

being a southern Boy,(Moms from Memphis area Dads from Ky) i always have my turkey fried or smoked.... Smoked with hickory chips that been in apple cider or juice wooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[diehardbiker]

I prefer roasted turkey that is just came in straight from the farm! Not even though the freezer! YUMMY YUMMY beats frozen turkey! trust me, they are expensive but hell worth every dollar!

 

[IcedTeaRulz]

I prefer roasted turkey that is just came in straight from the farm! Not even though the freezer! YUMMY YUMMY beats frozen turkey! trust me, they are expensive but hell worth every dollar!

Yes, that's what I heard. Fresh turkey tastes better than frozen one but more $$$.

 

[Liebling:-)))]

Of course Roast Turkey...

I never see anyone who try with deep dry or smoked turkey in my life...

 

[Tousi]

Since I'm terrible with a computer, would someone please find an image of the now-popular way of deep frying turkeys for Leibling? Thanks...