Going to be cooking a turkey for the first time this Thanksgiving. Looking for some tips. Been watching some youtube videos and have some good ideas already, but do have a question. The videos suggest that I make a garlic herb butter and rub that inside the skin and outside the skin all over the bird. Here's my question. Does the bird taste like butter after it's cooked? My mom hates the taste of butter as weird as that sounds.



What do you put in the cavity? Videos all suggest a couple halved onions and a halved lemon and maybe some bay leafs.


Gordon Ramsey says you should rest the bird for 2.5 hours to make sure it retains all it's juices. Another video said 30 minutes, but in that video when they carved the bird it definitely lost a lot of juices.



Any tips for gravy? Planning to make a gravy from the drippings and chicken stock etc.

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respond with logic to just about any Caller Bob post

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I've done about 6 full size turkeys on charcoal, indirect heat. Some butter and olive oil under the skin helps keep the skin moist, but will not make the bird taste like butter. As you let the bird sit out before you cook it, put a couple of ziplock bags of ice over the white meat. Keeping that cool will help the white and dark meat finish cooking around the same time, no dry breast meat.

Definitely go with a lemon or orange in the cavity. You can use whatever other aromatics you want, but the citrus fruit also helps keep the meat nice and moist. You should not notice any sort of citrus taste.

2.5 hours seems crazy, but definitely get the bird off the grill/oven, cover loosely with foil, and don't touch the thing for 30 minutes. I've always done 30-40 and its been great.

Have a couple of those packets where you add water and make instant gravy on stand by just in case.

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A Hershey's kiss?

Make sure you stuff with 2-3 bags of Hershey's Kisses. I like to leave the foil on.

Edit: Dammit K!

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Dry brine the bird in the fridge for at least one day before you cook it. That means you salt the shit out of the bird inside and out and let it hang out in your fridge. Tenderizes and seasons the meat, plus you don't lose any flavor which is the main draw back to wet brining.

That's pretty much all you need to do. All other stuff (butter rubs, herbs and garlic under the skin, etc.) is window dressing.

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yep, will do that. The dry salt 24 hour brine was in the video I watched.

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thanks, interesting info about the bags of ice on the white meat. And having extra gravy on hand is a good idea too.

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I learned the high temp roasting method from my dad. It was later confirmed by Julia Child

Preheat oven to 500°

Rub butter under the skin and in cavity.

After 30 minutes reduce temp to 450°

Add 2-4 cups of water and the veggies to the pan.

Once the skin has browned, tent with foil.

This method cuts the cooking time in half and keeps the meat juicy.

I used to stuff the bird but now bake my stuffing in bread pans or larger casserole pans.


Some other pro-tips drape a woven mat of bacon over the top of the bird.

This is going to be a different sort of Thanksgiving this year. We usually have 40+ friends and family. My sister just moved to florida so my nephew could play football during covid. Covid is going to keep it down to a small family gathering.

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I don't know what it is like in your area but I find that the turkey tastes much better when you find a local large farm that provides them rather than the national brands in the freezer section. They have them here at the local supermarket though obviously they cost more.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

yep, there's a poultry store called Harrison's in Glenview. Tehy have their own farm where they get their birds. Need to reserve in advance. Definitely doing that.

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Good call. Ramsey did the bacon thing and then used it in the gravy. he also did the high heat at the start to crisp the skin and then lowered the heat.

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get the cajun one from Popeye's

have you seen the lines at Popeyes?

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Use Martha Stewart's recipe for turkey and brine. Never fails.

https://www.marthastewart.com/353177/pe ... ast-turkey

You will not be unhappy with this.

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@audioidkid

Not sure if anyone has spatchcocked a turkey before but that is the best way to cook one. Cooks even and perfect every time. My wife wont let me do it for the actual meal because she said no one wants to eat turkey that looks like that. I personally dont give a shit what it looks like if it tastes great. I always buy a second one to cook the next day while she is out shopping so I can watch football and eat turkey sandwiches with the kids.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZxWF0VyK60

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Mulli is Howard Stern in his prime compared to Haugh.

I may try my hand at fully boned and stuffed this year.

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She made me feel real good for awhile!

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Shoot me a text, we can pick up our birds and grab lunch

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I was just there last saturday. My wife usually picks up our little family thanksgiving turkey from there

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

we order ours from a farm in Wisco.

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@audioidkid

It’s a good recipe.

I've always wanted to make her egg nog recipe, but I don't hate my liver THAT much.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I may try this one this year.

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Martha likes her booze.

Metal 5gal bucket of vegtable oil, heat to 400deg, drop in frozen turkey, walk away

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

i use a simple wet brine, spatchcock the bird, ice the breasts for an hour, then smoke.

sounds kinky

Sounds like my last date.

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