As we were sitting around the table in the staff lounge, our conversation turned towards Thanksgiving and the many ways one can cook a turkey. I was all ears, as I have yet to bake a Thanksgiving turkey. My MIL has the honor as she hosts Thanksgiving each year and in turn, I host Christmas. It's become our family tradition.
I was rather fascinated listening to everyones recipes. One gal said her husband and mother have very different views on how a turkey should be cooked. I got the feeling it's a source of contention around their place.
Someone else shared an interesting way of cooking a turkey. She said to bake the bird on 500 for the first hour then turn the temperature down and let it cook slowly for the duration, what ever time that was. I can't remember because the conversation continued with, "Oh wow, I guess with the temperature on that high you need to be careful. If your oven is dirty, all the grime will bake off and could land on the turkey."
That's a teacher for you, they're always thinking.
As I was taking all this in the school psych piped up and offered a positive statement. He said, "Well at least your oven will be getting cleaned while your turkey bakes. You'll be killing two birds.......
Before he could finish what he was saying, and the only thing I could contribute to the conversation was completing his sentence by adding....with one stove.
So my question to you is, what's your secret to cooking a turkey?
14 comments:
Loved the joke. We cook ours now by frying. My hubby and the other men of the family love gathering out near the barn and doing that. It makes for a really juicy turkey, too.
Great joke. My hubby marinates ours in a "special brine" for a day; then slow cooks.
btw - I cleaned my oven this week for the purpose of that joke. I am a little ADD. I wish I was going somewhere for Thanksgiving. It stresses me out!
Love the joke.
I cook my slowly with a cover on at first then I take the cover off and brown it . It always comes out very moist and tender every time.
JB
My secret is to let my husband cook the turkey!
Baahhhaaaa!
With one stove!
Perfect.
I've done turkeys but am always looking for better ideas.
This year I'm going to brine it.
Haven't done that before.
I figure...if they don't like the way it tastes, they can take me out for dinner.
Simple .... no fancy smatchcy stuff just put some garlic cloves in the center and roast it until the popper pops!!
Cute!
Its my hub's secret actually. He soaks the turkey in a special brine (no idea
what's in it) for 24 hours prior to baking. Its turns out so juicy and wonderful.
Happy Thanksgiving Saimi!
hahah
we tried all different ways...deep frying, roasting, brinning...I think it is just easy and the best to season and roast.
happy Thanksgiving!
Yes like Amy said the key is brining the turkey!! We have cooked the turkey for several several years now and this is the key to a moist yummy turkey. You soak in a Kosher Salt Water combo. Not sure of exact proportions at the moment but if you google it you can find it. So totally the way to go
Hah!!! I cannot cook a turkey to save my life. As for the grime falling down around your turkey, can I just say EW? I am glad my oven self-cleaned this past weekend!
No real secrets here. I purchased a pre~brined bird from Trader Joe's last year and it was good. I do like putting butter and fresh herbs under the skin as far as I can reach into the breast and thigh areas. My daughter is cooking the turkey this year... YEAH!
Haha this is cute! My sister puts a cheese cloth over hers--she swears by it. Another brines her's first. Me? I just do it the old fashion way---I rub butter on the outside and cook it according to the directions---but it usually cooks less than the pkg says, so I always get one with a pop-up button. I have been making Thanksgiving dinners for 25 years now and i have never had a dry bird--aways comes out perfect!
My mom or mother-in-law always takes care of the turkey, depending on who we're visiting that year, so I don't have any turkey-prep knowledge. I just read a blog post somewhere, though, about "spatchcocking" a turkey, and it sounded like a cool way to cook it. I think I might try it sometime, just for the fun of saying "spatchcock."
You are SCARY witty! I love that you came up with that on the fly! I would have come up with it about 5 minutes after everyone dispersed... then kicked myself all the way home :)
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