Thread 21666821

Is it actually possible to make a GOOD thanksgiving turkey?
I mean, the stuffing can be great, the side dishes can be great, you can make the skin crisp, I know all that, but a lot of the meat will be just dry. And I'm not sure if injecting brine is much more than a meme.
So in essence, is it possible to make a thanksgiving turkey where every last bit is tasty and juicy?
t. Someone who never cooked turkey but is just curious.

My turkey is always good every year and I don't know what I'm doing differently from everyone else's dry-ass turkey.
I don't brine it.
I don't roast it upside-down.
I don't tent it.
I don't pray to Pavonus, the god of turkeys and I don't sacrifice my first born in offering; I don't sacrifice anyone else's first born in offering, either.
I don't even do the traditional turkey-roasting dance to ward off the Drying Sprites from ruining the bird.
None of it. No woo.
I just slather it under the skin with spiced-and-herbed mayonnaise and roast it like a chicken because that's basically what it is: a big fucking chicken. Don't overthink it and you'll be fine.

Brine it for a few days
Cook it upside down so the breast doesnt overcook then flip it over near the end to get the skin crispy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNyHqRjMx7o I've used that recipe the last two years and it's fucking great. None of that brining shit, just a lot of butter and fresh herbs.

>>21666841
>t. never actually roasted a turkey

>>21666848
I do a wet brine but roast it right-side up with foil on the breast until the last 30-45 minutes

>>21666837
>>21666843
So, just to clarify: There is a way where turkey breast meat is not dry?

>>21666821 (OP)
Spatchcock that bitch, then brine it or slather it or whatever you want to do, doesn't matter really, just add some flavor. Pull the breast at 155°, pull the dark meat at more like 175°. Yes, degrees F, only Americans give a shit about turkey.

>>21666843
>Turkey slammed full of fruit inside and caked in a layer of herb butter
If this were anyone besides Chef JP doing it I'd call it a meme but I trust that man with my life.

>>21666929
As >>21666947 said spatchcock and keep an eye on the internal temp with an instant-read or probe thermometer and pull it a little before to allow the carryover heat to finish it off.
https://www.seriouseats.com/butterfiled-roast-turkey-with-gravy-recipe
And if you do spatchcock it then brine as follows:
https://www.seriouseats.com/quick-and-dirty-guide-to-brining-turkey-chicken-thanksgiving
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-the-truth-about-brining-turkey-thanksgiving

>>21666821 (OP)
>deep fry

Juice maxxed. But hazardous.

>powdered milk rub

Tenderizes. Better at lower longer Temps (finicky Maillard management, especially. grilling.)

>proper wire holder, not just inna pan

If the tits' juice is the concern, have some standoff (foil, bed of taters) and/or very generous tallow applicationtmay8

>>21666957
Imagine over complicating something so simple. You don't need a thermometer or to brine it. If you don't want it to be dry then baste it every 2 hours. That's literally it. Ignore all these nerds.

>>21666947
Europoor detected. Enjoy your curry Ahkmed.

>>21667015
Howdy. I'm >>21666837
I don't baste it, either. It's just a giant chicken and basting doesn't do shit anyway. It just dribbles back down again.

>>21666821 (OP)
The main issue people have with turkey is drying it out
It's a big bird, you need to cook it for longer
Cooking it for longer evaporates moisture; dries up.
You have to cook it with alot of fluid around it;
-Brine it
-Seal it in foil wrap
-You could baste it, but that lets out moisture from the oven every time you open it. So you'd be basting it a lot to compensate.
-You could salt bake it, but that's ALOT of salt and it makes the bird ..salty.

Unless you are carving it as a centerpiece I would advise to cut the meat off the bird and cook it in smaller parts, bone in or out

Dry brine it for 2 days and blast it at 450f
This one was a genetic monstrosity so the thighs read 170f before the breasts were even 120f
Personally it was perfect because i prefer overcooked thighs that fall off the bone

>>21666821 (OP)
I make Gordon's recipe and it's pretty damn good.

https://youtu.be/XO5DF8soxwM

>>21667245
oh and this was my result this year

>>21666929
>There is a way where turkey breast meat is not dry?
Tiny window, but turkey breast meat is spectacular second-day sandwich fare, so if you fuck it up, hit the thighs, where the flavor is on thanksgiving, then eat delicious breastmeat sandwiches for the next three weeks..

>>21666821 (OP)
I've smoked turkeys that turned out really well. Also had some fried turkeys that were great.

Just stuff under the breast with a shit load of butter and baste every 45-60 minutes.

Use a low temp (325F) and have a meat thermometer to check when it's ready to come out.

And finally rest the turkey for at least 15 minutes, but up to 30-45 minutes if it's a larger bird (18+ lbs) It'll continue rising in temp by ~5-10 degrees for at least 10 minutes after coming out of the oven, so feel free to pull your bird out a bit "early" if you're near your desired doneness temp.

>Spatchcock
>Season
>Cover in a lemon and herb butter
>Baste it
Wala.

>>21666837
>hot mayonnaise

I could see herbed and seasoned butter though.

>>21666970
>Juice maxxed. But hazardous.
it's perfectly safe if you do it right and arent retarded.

>>21666821 (OP)
Brining is not a "meme". I hate threads like this where the OP is completely clueless and shows up here like a baby wanting to be spoonfed.
Go watch a video or something. You don't inject brine. Just submerge the entire thing. Or dry brine it really well for 36 hours. You need to get salt deep into the meat.
Methods are not memes, equipment isn't memes, and ingredients aren't memes. Grow up.

>>21666970
>cutesy cringe language

KYS

>>21667681
Well wook at big tuff and scawy anon. Oh noes! Go sodomize your grandparents, ultra faggot.

Do Julia Child's Turkey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBY_moYQdN4
It's idiot proof.

>>21667678
Shut the fuck up.