Turkey

[Anonymous No.15046508]

What are some protips to cook a turkey to feed 4-6 people i want to make an above par turkey?
Need to up my holiday cooking skills. Any guidance or ways to dodge common pitfalls much appreciated.

[Anonymous No.15046521]

I like to put my fingers/hands underneath the skin around the breast to loosen it up and make a sort of skin pocket, and then shove a compound herb butter underneath the skin.

I also make sure to baste regularly.


I've done $100+ heritage turkeys, and $7 sub $0.40/lbs turkeys.


Regular basting without getting too hot in the oven and a long cooking time will give you a nice moist turkey that isn't dry as fuck for your guests.
Pic related, you can see some of the fresh herbs under the skin.

[Anonymous No.15046536]

>>15046508
Call me a nigger and a faggot but I love to cook it in an oven bag. It makes you a juicy bird and a whole bag of gravy base.

[Anonymous No.15046550]

Deep fry

[Anonymous No.15046585]

>>15046521
>underneath the skin
This. Putting spices on top of the skin is a rookie mistake.

Also, if you want to make stuffing, do it separate. Stuffing dries out the turkey.

[Anonymous No.15046600]

>>15046585
I usually do both stuffing inside the turkey (wet stuffing) and outside in a bake pan (dry stuffing).

I like to put an onion or two inside first, along with some butter which keeps everything moist, and during basting I make sure to get turkey juices and butter back inside the cavity to keep the stuffing moist so it doesn't steal the moisture from the turkey.

[Anonymous No.15046624]

>>15046508

I'm gonna learn from big daddy Gordon this year, first time making actual thanksgiving. Fixing to start any day now with the compound butter, cranberry sauce, etc. so I'm not busting my ass for two days straight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO5DF8soxwM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnvvkK0spk0

[Anonymous No.15046642]

>>15046508
everyone wants the big picturesque roast turkey but it sucks and is a pain to manage. my number one trick is this:

cut it up the day before, like you're breaking down a chicken. roast the spine, wings and any other bits from breaking it down until deep brown, then make stock the day before, supplementing with chicken bones/pieces if necessary. dry brine each turkey piece (breast, thigh, leg) overnight.

The cooking instructions depend on your oven/what other things you need to cook in it, but cook all the parts on separate trays, putting the thighs in way ahead of time and babying the breasts with a thermometer to pull exactly as they're done. deglaze the trays, add em to your gravy.

this way everything cooks as it needs to, you don't have to carve a turkey for just 4-6 people, and the cooking time is maybe a third of what a whole bird would be, plus you don't have to make stock day-of

the ONLY downside to this is not having a big bird at the table

>>15046624
>all those feather stems still left in the bird

I wouldn't trust that man's turkey recipe, cranberry sauce looks fine though (alton brown's is my favorite if you're undecided still)

[Anonymous No.15046645]

>>15046642
>plus you don't have to make stock day-of
anyone making stock day-of is a moron.

We do a smaller turkey roast a couple of weeks in advance so we have a good stock of turkey bones on hand to make stock a few days before the actual day.

Anyone trying to make good turkey stock the day of is a moron.

[Anonymous No.15046750]

>>15046508
Brine it

[Anonymous No.15047358]

>>15046521
>and $7 sub $0.40/lbs turkeys
baste