How are you preparing your turkey?

XD45ACP · Nov 26, 2014

I'm just curious how everyone else out there is preparing/cooking their birds this year. I'm letting the mother in law cook the bird tomorrow, even though I know I'll be coaching her from the couch. What's your techniques for brining, frying, smoking, injecting, etc?

Bonus points for your libation of the day.

gunz4me · Nov 26, 2014

I roasted a turkey a couple of weeks ago to make room in the freezer for the new turkey that my wife received from work.

For the brine, I used 1/2 gallon of water, 1.5 cups of salt, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, four bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of dried thyme, and a tablespoon of whole black pepper corns. I brought this mixture to a boil then simmered it for 5 minutes. After it was done simmering, I removed the bay leaves, added another 1/2 gallon of water, and let it chill. After it was chilled, I put the turkey in and let it soak over night.

The next day, I roasted it in a brown and serve bag according to the chart for the weight of the turkey, and it was one of the best roasted turkeys I ever had.

This past weekend, I made a brine for a whole chicken dubbing it my "autumn chicken". I used 1/2 gallon of apple cider, 1 cup of salt, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, two cinnamon sticks, the zest of one orange, and a cup of whole cranberries. I let that mixture come to a boil, simmered for 5 minutes, added another 1/2 gallon of apple cider, let chill, then put the chicken in. After soaking it overnight, I roasted it in a brown and serve bag. That was the juiciest and most flavorful whole chicken I had in a long time.

I want to try a variation of the first brine using Rosemary, thyme, lemon and some other herbs/spices to see if I can get the flavor closer to that of a greek chicken.

Regardless, I'll probably never roast a whole bird without using a brine. The flavor is awesome and it is better than buying processed lunch meat for sandwiches. While I don't know how much of the salt the chicken retains after cooking, it still appears to have WAY less sodium than the processed lunch meat.

gunz4me · Nov 26, 2014

doubletap, sorry

Dave328 · Nov 26, 2014

Frying of course. There are other ways to cook a turkey??!?

olivs260 · Nov 26, 2014

We're playing it low-key this year and just spending the day decorating (family's all out of town). I got a cajun smoked turkey and I'll warm some of it up for the family the eat, but then I'm making some bad-ass gumbo though :thumbsup:

RedStickChick · Nov 26, 2014

None, I'll be working a 14 hour shift and then going to a friends place for drinks and cards against humanity.

RedNeckRuger · Nov 26, 2014

Injecting tonight with cajun butter and smoking in the morning for 7 hours with hickory wood.

Makers Mark and New Belgium Accumulation White IPA in the evening.

KaCajun Boy · Nov 26, 2014

My grandmaw is baking the bird tomorrow. Can't have fried due to one of the family members being allergic to peanuts and the only way to fry a turkey is in peanut oil.

3fifty7 · Nov 26, 2014

KaCajun Boy said:
My grandmaw is baking the bird tomorrow. Can't have fried due to one of the family members being allergic to peanuts and the only way to fry a turkey is in peanut oil.

Give the Charbroil Oil Less Fryer it's a good option!

Last year I smoked one for 8 hours with pecan and apple wood.
I brined it overnight in a raw sugar, sea salt, peppercorn, bay leaf and whole garlic blend.
While smoking it I basted it with a TarGil BBQ oil.

Aside from cooking one corn dish Im just showing up.

ddeacon1 · Nov 27, 2014

I have used the charbroil oil less fryer for several years. I have done both turkeys and prime ribs in it. The wife brines and then Cajun injects them and they come out just delicious.

Jack · Nov 27, 2014

No turkey, eating a garlic and cilantro sofrito pork roast.

Ijaw · Nov 27, 2014

Deep fried bacon wrapped Turkey :beer:

luv1979 · Nov 28, 2014

Dave328 said:
Frying of course. There are other ways to cook a turkey??!?

My thoughts exactly!

How are you preparing your turkey?

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