Turkey any off the wall ideas on how to cook this thing!?

BEERRUNNER
BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,046 Member
edited October 5 in Chit-Chat
Turkey days is fast approcahing........so im curious! What do you guys do to make this things taste good. And by good I mean NOT dry and bland. Sure I can stuff it with Bacon and sausage.................But im curious as to any whacky or off the wall ideas on cokking this thing and making it taste good.
Put booze in it?:devil:


SHake & bake!
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Replies

  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    LOL @ booze.. i'm bumping to read later
  • JoyfulSparkle
    JoyfulSparkle Posts: 96
    I brine a 12 lb bird over night- covered in water, with 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of salt- it's been great 3 years running.
    Best of luck!!!
    I'm looking for healthier side dish options if you have any?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Yep, you have to brine. This step is not optional.
  • Froggy1976
    Froggy1976 Posts: 472
    Fried is the best, not dry at all.
  • wackedoutpet13
    wackedoutpet13 Posts: 72 Member
    My grandpa bakes it upside down so that the juices flow to the breast.
  • lik_11
    lik_11 Posts: 433 Member
    I'm seasoning the turkey with garlic, basil, sage, and pepper in olive oil instead of butter this year... we'll see...
  • shellyc7182
    shellyc7182 Posts: 261 Member
    Wow. I've never heard of stuffing turkey with pig! Wow!

    Our fellow health nuts will cringe at this, but do some googling on a brine. It's basically soaking your bird in a very potent salt water bath for a day or two. It soaks up all that salty goodness and when I did it last year, it was the juiciest, most tender, amazing turkey I had ever put in my mouth. It literally melted in my mouth! AH! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

    Going much smaller, simpler, and healthier this year... Gonna marinate my birdy in some light soy sauce, garlic, onions and some other stuff and cook him in the crock pot! Nom nom!
  • shellyc7182
    shellyc7182 Posts: 261 Member
    My grandpa bakes it upside down so that the juices flow to the breast.

    Yes! Brilliant! I roast mine most of the way upside down, then flip it for the last 30 mins or hour or so depending on the size of the bird.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    I heard the other day of someone who always cooks their Christmas Turkey on the BBQ, but we don't 'do' Thanks giving...so that is OUR Turkey day.....
  • Tennessee2019
    Tennessee2019 Posts: 676 Member
    I agree with wackedoutpet13. My husband prepared it that way last year (by mistake) & everyone raved about it being so tender.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    Yep, you can brine WITH booze!

    I also roast my turkey upside down. Sometimes I try to flip if I am feeling brave.
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    Brined, deep fried turduckin.
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    Leave it out in the sun for a couple of days to thaw out, bro.
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,046 Member
    Ok....lemme get this straight....

    I am to Brine this thing with booze
    THen stuff it with bacon and sausage
    and cook it belly down!?!?
  • shellyc7182
    shellyc7182 Posts: 261 Member
    Leave it out in the sun for a couple of days to thaw out, bro.

    For a big bird (20 lbs. or so), I'll thaw him in the bathtub in cold water for about a day. Usually does the trick!
  • thcri
    thcri Posts: 459 Member
    Ok....lemme get this straight....

    I am to Brine this thing with booze
    THen stuff it with bacon and sausage
    and cook it belly down!?!?

    In a Deep Fryer, you got it :-)

    On a serious note I always bake mine for Thanksgiving. For other occassions I will deep fry it or bake in in the BBQ grill after I have injected it with lots of BBQ sauce.
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    Leave it out in the sun for a couple of days to thaw out, bro.
    For a big bird (20 lbs. or so), I'll thaw him in the bathtub in cold water for about a day. Usually does the trick!
    No! Leave it out in the sun! (Mwahahahahaha...)
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    I would suggest you cook it with some form of heat all other options tend to leave a bad taste in your mouth
  • JoyousRen
    JoyousRen Posts: 3,823 Member
    I do an apple cider brine then you wrap the whole thing in bacon (no I'm not joking). It keeps it really moist and elliminates the need to baste. The bacon isn"t very edible after though.
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,046 Member
    Ive read that thres been many accidents that have happened when you try to deep fry a big o thing like a turkey!
    google turkey explosion thanksgiving:explode:
  • mrimike
    mrimike Posts: 139
    I saw a guy use a method called the trailer park turkey. No offense to anyone living in a trailer park!!! You need a metal turkey holder so the turkey can sit upright. You place a beer can (top cut off) filled with liquid smoke next to it. You place a metal garbage can over the top of it. Surround the metal garbage can (piled around the base up against it) with charcoals and pile charcoals on top of the can as well. It's a simple as that. 2 hours and you have a a fully cooked/smoked turkey. The metal can keeps the moisture in so it won't dry out. You can stuff it and baste it any way you want as well.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    I always stuff my turkey, and then put butter under the skin, then wrap it in bacon, although what you call Canadian Bacon as that is our usual bacon, and I try and get smoked as it adds flavour, also I cook it in foil as it keeps it moist, baste a lot and then take the foil off for the last part of the cooking.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I like to serve it with a sauce made from whole berry cranberry sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar and cayenne pepper.
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    I always stuff my turkey, and then put butter under the skin, then wrap it in bacon, although what you call Canadian Bacon as that is our usual bacon, and I try and get smoked as it adds flavour, also I cook it in foil as it keeps it moist, baste a lot and then take the foil off for the last part of the cooking.
    (drools)
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    My grandpa bakes it upside down so that the juices flow to the breast.


    This! But in the last 15-20 minutes, flip him back over so the breast can brown up. Mmmmmmm


    If we were having turkey, this would be my method.
    But we're having Roast Beast :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: You know you're jelly!
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,046 Member
    I saw a guy use a method called the trailer park turkey. No offense to anyone living in a trailer park!!! You need a metal turkey holder so the turkey can sit upright. You place a beer can (top cut off) filled with liquid smoke next to it. You place a metal garbage can over the top of it. Surround the metal garbage can (piled around the base up against it) with charcoals and pile charcoals on top of the can as well. It's a simple as that. 2 hours and you have a a fully cooked/smoked turkey. The metal can keeps the moisture in so it won't dry out. You can stuff it and baste it any way you want as well.

    Trailer park Turke!!!! ............HA ! that sounds interesting!:bigsmile:
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
    GRILL!

    Grilled turkey blows away baked or fried any day.

    I also love a homemade cranberry sauce, and it's super easy. Even with the sugar, I consider it healthy since it's fruit and cranberry is a superfood.
  • mrimike
    mrimike Posts: 139
    I saw a guy use a method called the trailer park turkey. No offense to anyone living in a trailer park!!! You need a metal turkey holder so the turkey can sit upright. You place a beer can (top cut off) filled with liquid smoke next to it. You place a metal garbage can over the top of it. Surround the metal garbage can (piled around the base up against it) with charcoals and pile charcoals on top of the can as well. It's a simple as that. 2 hours and you have a a fully cooked/smoked turkey. The metal can keeps the moisture in so it won't dry out. You can stuff it and baste it any way you want as well.

    Trailer park Turke!!!! ............HA ! that sounds interesting!:bigsmile:

    It's seriously the easiest way to smoke a turkey and not dry it out!
  • juliecat1
    juliecat1 Posts: 3,450 Member
    I always stuff my turkey, and then put butter under the skin, then wrap it in bacon, although what you call Canadian Bacon as that is our usual bacon, and I try and get smoked as it adds flavour, also I cook it in foil as it keeps it moist, baste a lot and then take the foil off for the last part of the cooking.
    (drools)

    I want to come eat at your house!
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    Turkey days is fast approcahing........so im curious! What do you guys do to make this things taste good. And by good I mean NOT dry and bland. Sure I can stuff it with Bacon and sausage.................But im curious as to any whacky or off the wall ideas on cokking this thing and making it taste good.
    Put booze in it?:devil:


    SHake & bake!

    I soak mine in brine for 24 hours. Then let drain, pat dry and inject it. I use a mixture of Bourbon, butter and honey to inject. Then I rub butter under the skin. Rub the outside with my homemade BBQ rub. Pop it in the oven. Comes out moist with crispy skin.

    Edit -- Oh, and I never stuff the turkey. Makes the stuffing soggy. I prepare a an Italian sausage based stuffing and cook separately.
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