How do you prepare your turkey?

cloneluke80

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
1,772
52
48
West Des Moines, IA
So I am doing the turkey this year. Which I like to do, but I have done the whole throw it in the oven thing... it was just meh...

I will still cook in oven
I am going to brine it the night before

Should I stuff it?
Any other tips?

I'm not a big turkey fryer guy or grill guy, you guys can talk about it but I want more of the oven advice...
 
Last year was my first year frying (& also first year of me doing the turkey rather than my mom or some other female relative). Everyone loved it. Definitely will be frying them each year now. I used cajun dry rub last year & will probably do the same again. I'm adding some injected marinade this time.
 
So I am doing the turkey this year. Which I like to do, but I have done the whole throw it in the oven thing... it was just meh...

I will still cook in oven
I am going to brine it the night before

Should I stuff it?
Any other tips?

I'm not a big turkey fryer guy or grill guy, you guys can talk about it but I want more of the oven advice...

I'm still a novice (roughly five years as turkey-maker) and I typically go by the book, too, but a couple of things that have worked for me:

*If you aren't cooking the stuffing inside the bird, put some chopped onion & garlic in the cavity.
*Put turkey in oven, then mix a bloody mary.
 
So I am doing the turkey this year. Which I like to do, but I have done the whole throw it in the oven thing... it was just meh...

I will still cook in oven
I am going to brine it the night before

Should I stuff it?
Any other tips?

I'm not a big turkey fryer guy or grill guy, you guys can talk about it but I want more of the oven advice...

Here's all you need to know.

[video=youtube;HcpjP8vHLKY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcpjP8vHLKY[/video]
 
The first thing I do is my wife tells me what kind of turkey she bought. Then around 9:00 or so on Thanksgiving I wake up and my wife tells me that the turkey is in the oven. Then when she tells me to I take the turkey out of the oven. Then we eat the turkey. Anything that happens inbetween those steps is anyone's best guess.
 
The first thing I do is my wife tells me what kind of turkey she bought. Then around 9:00 or so on Thanksgiving I wake up and my wife tells me that the turkey is in the oven. Then when she tells me to I take the turkey out of the oven. Then we eat the turkey. Anything that happens inbetween those steps is anyone's best guess.

I'm glad you've effectively established roles.
 
Seems like we never have enough for leftovers so this year I decided to try out Famous Daves. They will do a cherry wood smoked turkey for like $40 (12-14 lbs). So I'll be picking that one up and then the ladies will do one with just the breasts because they don't like the dark meat. Darn racists! :wideeyed:
 
Stuff and put in a cooking bag. Cooking bags are one of the best things that ever happen to preparing Turkey.
This. It's the most fool proof way to make a perfect bird. Put a little flour in the bag along with some onion and celery. Butter the bird, and stuff it. Place in bag and cook until popup timer pops. Use the juice for some killer gravy.
 
After the turkey is cleaned up I put a bit of oil and butter on it. I then put on just a bit of garlic, some black pepper, oregano and parsley. Next I put the turkey inside a bag and pour beer in the bag, probably about a half a can and drink the rest. About every 30 minutes I check to make sure it is cooking well and add a bit more beer. All told I probably end up with 1.5 beers poured over and around the turkey and it is ALWAYS juicy and falls right off the bone.

I usually do this every year for our friends when we gather. We all agree it is the best turkey ever and generally cannot eat the turkey at our family gatherings.
 
The first thing I do is my wife tells me what kind of turkey she bought. Then around 9:00 or so on Thanksgiving I wake up and my wife tells me that the turkey is in the oven. Then when she tells me to I take the turkey out of the oven. Then we eat the turkey. Anything that happens inbetween those steps is anyone's best guess.
Sounds like she is a keeper.
 

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