Thanksgiving Turkey

[Chuckwagon]

I was just pm'ing my buddy "grasshopper" and thought I'd share the recipe I sent to him. It never fails to astound me how many housewives serve up a dry, over-cooked bird for Thanksgiving dinner. If you'd like a bird that your family or guests will never forget, try the brining method below, and then cook the turkey ONLY to 170°F. Watch the temperature and stop when the meat reaches that point. This is the biggest little secret of bird success, but there's two more below also.

Oh, and what about those "pop-up" thermometer gimmicks that come with some birds? Truth is, they have a spring contained inside a plastic tube that is secured by an epoxy glue designed to fail at 175°F and above. So, when the plastic thermometer finally pops up, it is already at too high a temperature. The "carryover" effect will take it beyond 180°F providing you remove the turkey right then! However, most people don't notice it for a while, and by the time they spot the "pop up", the turkey has been overcooked.

The trick is to use your own probe thermometer and monitor it. Stop cooking the turkey when it indicates 170°F. The carryover effect will take it up a couple of more degrees, but it should be just fine. After a short rest period, start carving and serve the danged thing!

Are you going to brine your turkey this year? This is the next best kept little secret. Shucks, just overnight in a salt brine will add so much moisture to the bird you won't believe it. Place 3/4 cup of salt and 3 tablespoons of sugar per gallon of water and make enough brine to cover the turkey. This will give you a 21°SAL solution. I just make it in a clean Coleman cooler and add half a bag of cubed ice to the solution. After six hours, I add another 1/4 cup of salt to the water and a little more ice while I agitate the turkey just a little.


If you really want to kick it up a notch, add a litre of 7-Up or Sprite to the brine. This is the third little secret. Fourteen to sixteen hours in a brine really makes a difference in the turkey. If your wife is doing the cooking, ask her to bake it to only 170°F, being sure not to go over that temperature. Your guests will rave about the moist meat and texture. Your local newspaper may turn you into some kind of culinary genius once the word gets out! Heck, they'll probably erect a monument and sculpture of you in the town square. Perhaps the governor will.... awww... you get the idea! There just isn't any reason for dried out turkey on this great holiday.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

[Gulyás]

Thank you C.W.

Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

[Big Guy]

That sounds great CW. We are in our Florida home now we had our first party yesterday. Smoked some jerk chicken on the Weeber . For thanks giving we will celebrate with daughter#2 and her beau and our neighbours. They are going to do a deep fried bird we will do the rest, I plan on a platter of smoked meats sausages and cheese as an appetizer. Good food, family, good friends, a few libations, football, it doesn't get much better. Have a great Thanksgiving where you are.

[NorCal Kid]

Great tips, CW!
We've been brining our turkeys for years and are always pleased with the resulting moistness of da' birds.
Regarding temps of 170°...... Probe location?
I've debated whether to keep it in the thigh or breast. When the breast meat reaches the 170° mark, I've found the thigh meat to be 'underdone'-even after the residual cooking time. When I use the probe in the thigh & hit the 170°, the breast meat winds up being 'overcooked.' Such is the problem of roasting 22+ pound bird bred with disproportionately large breasts not commonly found in nature. What I wind up doing is using a dual probe, one in each location, so as to keep an eye on BOTH sections and pull it when both near the 172° mark. This seems to result in an adequate compromise.
Comments?

Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone!

Kevin

[HamnCheese]

All the best to all the best!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lynn

[atcNick]

Im not turkey expert, but with chicken I always check near the thigh/leg joint. Also, I dislocate that joint before cooking. It breaks the blood vessel that runs through it that holds blood. Letting that blood out lets it cook a little faster and done at a slightly lower temperature. I've never tried it but Im sure it would be the same for turkey.

[ssorllih]

I probe them in several places as they roast.

[Chuckwagon]

Kevin... you sure are right about the difference of the light and dark meats. You bet, the white meat can be overcooked (and dry) because it becomes fully cooked at a lower temperature than does the dark meat portion of the bird. The last place the meat becomes thoroughly cooked is near the ball-and-socket joint of the thigh. Use a dial meat thermometer, inserting the stem close to the joint and be certain that the thermometer does not touch bone or the results will be inaccurate. The remedy? Do what professionals do. There is absolutely nothing wrong with removing the leg portions, boosting the heat ten degrees, and allowing them to cook ten minutes longer.

I`m convinced that the best temperature for perfectly cooked white meat is 165°F. with the probe place inside the breast. I've always cooked the legs a little longer because they are so moist naturally.

Excellent results may be achieved at 325°F. (162°C.) and once the temperature of the bird reaches 135°F. (57°C.), you may increase the oven temperature to 400°F. (204°C.) for a brief time for browning. At this point the turkey will finish cooking rapidly. If you decide to increase the oven temperature for browning it is important to pay close attention and constantly monitor the bird's internal temperature.


Goodness! I almost forgot the gravy!

"Chuckwagon`s Tidal Wave Turkey Gravy"
(The Best Turkey Gravy In The West!)

This recipe has so much flavor in it, you may wish to just drink it! Best of all, it may be made ahead and used a little at a time.

turkey neck & giblets (without the liver)
1 onion (chopped)
1 tblspn. vegetable oil
4 cups turkey broth* (see below)
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 tblspns. butter
6 tblspns. flour
salt and pepper

*If you are unable to make your own turkey broth, please use Swanson`s chicken broth as it is made using onions, carrots, and celery. Hey, my reputation is on the line here!

To make the Tidal Wave Broth, heat the oil in a large black skillet, and brown the giblets (without the liver) and the neck until they are nicely seared. Add the onions, cook them until they are softened, and then remove the skillet from the heat for fifteen minutes. Re-heat the skillet, adding the broth and herbs, and scrape the fond from the bottom of the skillet as the mixture begins to boil before turning it down to simmer half an hour. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth and discard the solids. Store the flavored broth in the refrigerator two days or freeze it until you are ready to cook Chuckwagon`s Tidal Wave Turkey Sausage (see the MRI) and sourdough biscuits.

To make the Tidal Wave Gravy, heat the refrigerated broth in a pan, and then melt the butter in a shallow Dutch oven over medium heat, whisking in the flour to make a roux. Cook the flour and butter roux, whisking it until it becomes the color of dark honey. Add the broth to the roux, a little at a time, as you continue to stir it with a wisk. Simmer the gravy until it thickens, stirring it constantly.

Note: If you wish to use this Tidal Wave Gravy with a freshly cooked turkey, add even more flavor by scraping up the browned bits of fond left in the roasting pan as you reheat the pan on the stove. Deglaze the roasting pan with a bit of white wine or water and then pour the drippings into a fat separator. When it has cooled, stir the fond-flavored defatted drippings into the gravy for even more richness. Simmer the gravy two minutes, finally seasoning it with salt and pepper.

Good luck, Let me know how your turkey turn out.
Best wishes,
Chuckwagon

[Chuckwagon]

Hey Turkey Cookers... Check This Out!
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Those of you who have followed Story28`s charcuterie story (opening a shop in D.C.), check out the interview in the Washington Post today! Congratulations Jason and Carolina. You make us proud! Here's a quick link:
http://scoutmob.com/washington-dc/scout ... =smDCtwart

[el Ducko]

...Are you going to brine your turkey this year? ...If you really want to kick it up a notch, add a litre of 7-Up or Sprite to the brine. ...Your guests will rave about the moist meat and texture. Your local newspaper may turn you into some kind of culinary genius once the word gets out! Heck, they'll probably erect a monument and sculpture of you in the town square.

Well, danged if you weren't right. Lookee here!

(Actually, this is in Blackduck, MN, but see how fast and far fame spreads?)