Group Discussions

Thanksgiving Turkey and a confession

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  Ok, confession - I've never made Thanksgiving turkey
  
  We're probably not hosing at our house this year either but we might have an after Thanksgiving dinner with some friends and I am considering making a turkey - they have no family here so it might be their holiday dinner.
  
  Now I need some help from you guys - any really easy but tasty recipes?

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 11th November 2007
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  This one is my fave:
  
  one turkey
  a pound of butter
  a bottle of your favorite white wine
  your favorite turkey spices
  salt
  pepper
  cheesecloth
  roasting pan
  basting brush
  
  Shove butter and spices (like sage, thyme and rosemary) under the skin. Put cheesecloth on top that has been soaked in melted butter and wine, add salt and pepper. Stuff the inside with cut oranges. Add a half bottle of wine to pan then every 30 minutes or so baste with butter/wine mix. Oh, start the bird at 450 and after 30 mins turn it down to 350. After 3 hours carefully remove the cloth then keep cooking until it's done (depends on the size of your bird). The juices are great for gravy (hello, butter and wine = yum!).
  
  This is a variation on something I saw Martha Stewert do about 8 years ago. Use as much wine as you need to as sometimes the juices just dry up. It's an easy and tasty bird that doesn't take much thought (good if you imbibe while cooking).
  
  FYI - I always cook and extra bird, sometimes days before, b/c there is never enough bird in this house. I don't bother to use stuffing with the extra bird which makes it easier to cook as well. The oranges (or other fruit, like apples) give it a nice extra flavor and add some extra juice.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Mandy Nelson - Dandysound on 11th November 2007
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  Look up "brined" turkeys- easy and delicious!
  
  But, unless you're hosting a large party, you may want to just get turkey breasts. It'll be a lot faster and easier.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by heels on 13th November 2007
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  also - around here you can order a cooked bird from the grocery story (do you have Wegmans?) and pick it up, heat up in the oven LOL easiest by far!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kate on 13th November 2007
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  Mandy - thanks, that looks pretty easy actually. I'm all for buying turkeys ready and roasted, but I kind of feel like now that I have a real kitchen - vs what we had in NYC - I should make something, you know?

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 14th November 2007
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  I bake my turkey over night on 250 degrees
  
  I use butter
  onion powder
  poultry seasonig
  sea salt
  pepper
  
  rub the turkey with butter, season.......I put water in the pan .....cover with foil
  
  in the morning pull the foil off and let it brown
  This allows me to start my ham, venison, pies and baked sweet potatoes
  
  My mother has done it this way since I was a kid and the house smells sooo good.
  I stuff nothing in the cavity when I bake the bird.
  
  I make my stuffing from scratch
  and stuff it in the bird for looks when we all set down
  I feed 24 people

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kim Begnaud on 17th November 2007
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  OOh, that sounds really good too!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 17th November 2007
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  Kim, that sounds delicious!
  
  I forgot to mention something that may save you money and you might not have thought of if you've never cooked a bird: simmer the carcass after it's been plucked clean. I put mine in our huge pot (that comes out 3 times a year), cover it with water and simmer for several hours. Let cool, skim the fatt hen put two cups in each freezer bag and lay them flat in the freezer. This gives me broth for a couple of months which saves me some cash. Or you can just throw it out and not think twice, which I did last year... but then I regretted it.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Mandy Nelson - Dandysound on 18th November 2007