The only threadspecifically relating to roasting a turkey is 9 years old and has exactly 3 posts.
Since weāre only two days away from Turkey Day, I thought it might be nice to collect everyoneās favorite ways with tha Big Boyd without clogging up any existing Thanksgiving threads.
My ideal turkey has crispy, golden skin & moist meat, which ideally includes the breast meat.
No need to talk about stock, gravy, leftovers, etc., as those have been covered extensively in other threads.
What is your way with turkey that makes everyone have seconds, and ask how you did it?
Dry brine, wet brine, no brine, baking salt, baking soda, just salt, butter under the skin, compound butter under the skin and over, hi-temp, or low & slow, etc. etc.
I rarely roast a whole turkey, but my best results have been with a smallish (under 15 lbs) bird, spatchcocked and dry brined, rubbed with just a little oil to encourage browning and roasted at high heat (450) until done (like 80 mins or so if I recall correctly). My guests raved about this one - juicy breast meat, crispy skin. To me, it tasted like turkey (aka disappointment - except for the skin, which I will say was good). It also created a mess in my oven and smoked up the house. So, probably not a repeat until I have a more powerful hood. Or ever, since I prefer to make literally ANY other main course for Tday!
I always seem to end up roasting a turkey anyway, to mixed results, but the most consistent and fool-proof turkey method for me has been sous viding the breast and confiting the thighs and wings (and drumsticks if you like). You donāt get crispy skin on the breast, but you can always cook that separately.
I donāt really confit them, but Iām not going to stop calling it that: Iām not storing this meat long-term or at room temp, so I donāt cure it ahead of time. Turkey, a little salt, fat, sometimes some aromatics. I could call it fat-poached turkey, but the first time I do and someone asks, whatās that, Iām going to say itās just turkey confit.
I do a whole bird, with stuffing. yes, stuffedā¦ itās a 4 generation history thing . . .
I use an embedded thermometer (a Thermoworks model) - and I track the temperature over time in a spread sheet. I increase/decrease the oven temperature to make the āall doneā hit the āclock timeā desiredā¦
12 pounds, ānaturalā, spatchcocked, dry brined three days, air drying on the last, Meater thermometer in, checked with thermapen, breast to 155 then rested, sometimes putting the legs back if too pink by the boneā¦. working on that part
I used to rub the outside with a blend of oil and various herbs. Always came out well, just not spectacular. Tried a dry brine with s/p one year (years ago) and it became my go-to.
But I no longer make a turkey or turkey breast since my Mom passed 6 years ago. I would make a full Thanksgiving dinner for her when she was living on her own and Iād bring everything to her small apartment and cook for her. I now go to my sisterās SILās house, and I choose not to make a turkey for myself anymore. I honestly prefer the flavor of a roast chicken instead of turkey now. So I might make one on Sunday.
I switched to dry brine, just overnight and uncovered in the frig, a few years ago after many years of wet brining in my canning kettle. I truss the bird (unstuffed with just some sauteed veg and herbs inside) and cook it on a rack at high temp (I think 450F) breast side up 30 minutes then flip to one side, then to the other. It probably will take 2 hrs or so. I always to to test figuring its not done, but it is, tested in the hip joint. It always exceeds the desired temp but it never makes a difference with this method, both the breast and legs are usually quite moist and edible. Usually rub with salt pepper rosemary and olive oil to starte, then rub with butter as it starts to brown Baste with butter and white wine if I remember. There is a bit of water in the pan and usually vegetables browning there. I like to have some browning for the gravy making.
@JenKalb you and I have followed almost exactly the same path. I did the Alice Waters wet brine for probably 20 years before switching to a much simplerāand better-tasting!ādry brine. I dry-brine with just salt in a plastic bag for two days. On cooking day, ground pepper on the inside and outside, plus an onion, an apple, and some fresh thyme in the cavity. Roast at 450 for 30 minutes, then turn down to 325, 7.5 minutes per pound total cooking time. I do breast side up the whole time, but I cover (only) the breast with foil after the first 30 minutes and uncover it for the last 20-30. I test with a thermometer in the hip joint and mineās also always a little over 165 by the time the bird looks perfect, but the turkeyās still good no matter what.
I used to do this every year. The way: silicone oven mitts (clean, of course). Put the roasting pan on the stovetop, and just grab the turkey with one oven-mitted hand at each end to flip it. The oven mitts are very easy to then clean with soap and water.
Spatchcocking works best,
no dried out breast.
Problem is cleaning the oven
after a high-temp splatter fest.
Two of my guest confided after years that they didnāt actually like turkey; so the last thanksgiving I did with guests I made capon. If thereās ever a next time, Iāll do a filet or a rib roast.
Yes, they are expensive!!! And you usually have to special order them. I found one in a grocery (Wegmanās) thar was mistake-priced -around $23.00. They used to be cheaper, and easier to find. My mom often made them when I was little.
Iāve seen them online for more than $70.
