richly colored, moist bird with a deep, roasted flavor in just a couple of hours. You’ll find it detailed in Oven-Blasted Turkey. Be sure your oven is impeccably clean before roasting, and be warned that it will certainly need to be cleaned afterward. You must use a heavy roasting pan and a fresh bird that hasn’t been injected with any moistening agents. The hot turkey must be turned from side to side to get it evenly roasted—this calls for an agile, strong cook. Also be aware that the drippings can be burned beyond repair, leaving you to make a sauce on the side.
Bottom Line. The bird is delicious made this way and cooks in record time, but it’s a method for experienced cooks with self-cleaning ovens, lots of oven cleaner, or hired help.
Brine Method. Proponents of the brine method (which is used to make the Herb-Brined Roast Turkey) report that soaking the turkey in salted water makes it juicier and better seasoned. However, the added moisture is not actually turkey juices, just salt water, so don’t be fooled. You must have a large receptacle to soak the bird and a place to keep it chilled overnight. Most people don’t have a refrigerator big enough to hold a huge stockpot. The most convenient place to brine turkey is in an ice chest. The brining does increase the moistness, but it also firms and seasons the flesh in a way that some people may not like.
Bottom Line. If your goal is a juicy bird, this method is a worthwhile effort, once you surmount the logistical problems of chilling the soaking bird. Just be prepared for some guests who might not like the flavor and texture change of the “enhanced” turkey. My recipe for The Perfect Roast Turkey with Best-Ever Gravy produces such a moist bird that I find brining entirely extraneous.
Grilled Turkey. Grilling is fast becoming the preferred method of Thanksgiving cooks who love to cook outdoors. Weather can be an issue, but such a little thing doesn’t deter dedicated grillmasters. Grilling gives a smoked-scented bird with a deep brown skin. This method (which is used in the recipe for Smoked, Cider-Basted Turkey) works best with birds no larger than 12 pounds. No one believes me when I say this, but please trust me. The drippings may be too smoky to make gravy, so plan to serve a sauce or salsa on the side.
Bottom Line. If the weather is cooperating (while I have grilled in the snow, I don’t recommend it), and your family and friends enjoy nontraditional flavors, grill the bird.
Deep-fried Turkey. A contender for the “What a great turkey, but…” award. A favorite of Cajun cooks (see Bayou Deep-fried Turkey), the turkey is deep-fried in only45 minutes. The skin turns out golden and crispy, and the meat is deliciously juicy. If you have a 10-gallon stockpot with a deep-frying basket, a 125,000-BTU propane ring burner, a full tank of propane, and 5 gallons of cooking oil handy, this could be the bird for you. But only if you have nerves of steel and an old set of clothes that you are willing to get oil-splattered, and are willing to forgo the stuffing and gravy. The method works best with smaller birds, so don’t plan to feed a crowd.
Bottom Line. I’m not saying this method isn’t good, I’m only saying it is more work than most of us are willing to do. And it can be very dangerous, so keep your wits about you. Note that the Underwriters Laboratories, which test and set standards for appliances, have declined to give their approval to any model of turkey fryer. If that doesn’t tell you something…
What are some of your least favorite methods for cooking turkey?
I am almost loath to mention these methods, because if your mom’s turkey is criticized, I’m asking for trouble. But remember that I cook turkeys all year long, not just one day a year. I have taken a good, hard, objective look at roasting turkeys, and I think it’s best to steer you away from potential disaster.
Upside-down Turkey. Some cooks believe that roasting the bird
Bottom Line. The bird is delicious made this way and cooks in record time, but it’s a method for experienced cooks with self-cleaning ovens, lots of oven cleaner, or hired help.
Brine Method. Proponents of the brine method (which is used to make the Herb-Brined Roast Turkey) report that soaking the turkey in salted water makes it juicier and better seasoned. However, the added moisture is not actually turkey juices, just salt water, so don’t be fooled. You must have a large receptacle to soak the bird and a place to keep it chilled overnight. Most people don’t have a refrigerator big enough to hold a huge stockpot. The most convenient place to brine turkey is in an ice chest. The brining does increase the moistness, but it also firms and seasons the flesh in a way that some people may not like.
Bottom Line. If your goal is a juicy bird, this method is a worthwhile effort, once you surmount the logistical problems of chilling the soaking bird. Just be prepared for some guests who might not like the flavor and texture change of the “enhanced” turkey. My recipe for The Perfect Roast Turkey with Best-Ever Gravy produces such a moist bird that I find brining entirely extraneous.
Grilled Turkey. Grilling is fast becoming the preferred method of Thanksgiving cooks who love to cook outdoors. Weather can be an issue, but such a little thing doesn’t deter dedicated grillmasters. Grilling gives a smoked-scented bird with a deep brown skin. This method (which is used in the recipe for Smoked, Cider-Basted Turkey) works best with birds no larger than 12 pounds. No one believes me when I say this, but please trust me. The drippings may be too smoky to make gravy, so plan to serve a sauce or salsa on the side.
Bottom Line. If the weather is cooperating (while I have grilled in the snow, I don’t recommend it), and your family and friends enjoy nontraditional flavors, grill the bird.
Deep-fried Turkey. A contender for the “What a great turkey, but…” award. A favorite of Cajun cooks (see Bayou Deep-fried Turkey), the turkey is deep-fried in only45 minutes. The skin turns out golden and crispy, and the meat is deliciously juicy. If you have a 10-gallon stockpot with a deep-frying basket, a 125,000-BTU propane ring burner, a full tank of propane, and 5 gallons of cooking oil handy, this could be the bird for you. But only if you have nerves of steel and an old set of clothes that you are willing to get oil-splattered, and are willing to forgo the stuffing and gravy. The method works best with smaller birds, so don’t plan to feed a crowd.
Bottom Line. I’m not saying this method isn’t good, I’m only saying it is more work than most of us are willing to do. And it can be very dangerous, so keep your wits about you. Note that the Underwriters Laboratories, which test and set standards for appliances, have declined to give their approval to any model of turkey fryer. If that doesn’t tell you something…
What are some of your least favorite methods for cooking turkey?
I am almost loath to mention these methods, because if your mom’s turkey is criticized, I’m asking for trouble. But remember that I cook turkeys all year long, not just one day a year. I have taken a good, hard, objective look at roasting turkeys, and I think it’s best to steer you away from potential disaster.
Upside-down Turkey. Some cooks believe that roasting the bird
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