A big Post-Thanksgiving THANKS

[ShallowsNole]

to Tootsie and the others who discussed brining the turkey...it was awesome. Mr. SN is a believer! :clap_1:

Now, a bit of advice...never use a deep-fry thermometer with a plastic cap and plastic clip. We had a mercury scare after the cap melted off..

 

[30A Skunkape]

I was listening to a food critic/conversationalist who comes on the radio here and he described a method of baking your turkey upside down which results in an ugly turkey with the juiciest white meat you ever tried. Anyone want to try this?

 

[Cil]

I always do my roast chicken the Julia Child way, where you turn it every which way while roasting. I've even done that with turkeys, but didn't this year cuz we had a huge bird. The brining was a success here, as well.
A way to avoid doing the brining yourself is to purchase kosher poultry (not necessarily an easy feat in northwest Florida ;-)).

 

[Jdarg]

I was listening to a food critic/conversationalist who comes on the radio here and he described a method of baking your turkey upside down which results in an ugly turkey with the juiciest white meat you ever tried. Anyone want to try this?

YES! I don't know if it was the brining, or cooking it upside down, but our turkey was unreal.

Brined it in saltwater with brown sugar, thyme, and rosemay thrown in. Cooked it upside down for 2 hours, then flipped it, and it was beautiful looking, not ugly! I'm doing another one to have over the holidays- this time I am going to get a big mofo ostrich size turkey!!

 

[Teresa]

I always do my roast chicken the Julia Child way, where you turn it every which way while roasting. I've even done that with turkeys, but didn't this year cuz we had a huge bird. The brining was a success here, as well.
A way to avoid doing the brining yourself is to purchase kosher poultry (not necessarily an easy feat in northwest Florida ;-)).

YES! I don't know if it was the brining, or cooking it upside down, but our turkey was unreal.

Brined it in saltwater with brown sugar, thyme, and rosemay thrown in. Cooked it upside down for 2 hours, then flipped it, and it was beautiful looking, not ugly! I'm doing another one to have over the holidays- this time I am going to get a big mofo ostrich size turkey!!

Yes, start breast down and then turn to each side, and then finish the last half of roasting breast up - I didn't realize this was the julia child method! we need to read up on her stuff! I've only done this a few times, but it always turns out beautiful and browned all over. not to mention tasty!

 

[Teresa]

to Tootsie and the others who discussed brining the turkey...it was awesome. Mr. SN is a believer! :clap_1:

Now, a bit of advice...never use a deep-fry thermometer with a plastic cap and plastic clip. We had a mercury scare after the cap melted off..

so, SN - you brined and fried? how did it turn out, after the scare?

 

[Jdarg]

Yes, start breast down and then turn to each side, and then finish the last half of roasting breast up - I didn't realize this was the julia child method! we need to read up on her stuff! I've only done this a few times, but it always turns out beautiful and browned all over. not to mention tasty!

I thought you were describing my beach tanning method in years past. I fried much better after brining too.

 

[Teresa]

I thought you were describing my beach tanning method in years past. I fried much better after brining too.

definitely! brine using plenty of beer or margaritas with lots of salt, and then roast on the beach, rotating periodically! boy, I wish I had not done this to myself, but guilty!

 

[ShallowsNole]

so, SN - you brined and fried? how did it turn out, after the scare?

Heh heh...not only did we have thermometer malfunction, there was also an issue with the oil...I didn't go to Sam's and buy the mofo 20-lb jug of peanut oil this year. Instead, I got two jugs of the Duke's peanut oil at Publix. Showed them to spouse; he said oh that's plenty. Thanksgiving morning he pours them into the bottom of the fryer and it only comes about 2 inches up. Of course, Publix is now closed.

SO, we fried the turkey in (1) peanut oil, (2) a quart of vegetable oil, (3) a small tub of Crisco, (4) the neighbor's quart of vegetable oil, and (5) just enough well-strained oil from the last time we fried fish to cover the turkey. Despite our best efforts to totally f it up, it turned out EXCELLENT!!! Beautiful and browned, with just a hint on the skin of old fish and melted plastic. We nicknamed it Chernobyl Turkey.

Past the skin, though, it was glorious. Brining actually saved the day!

 

[Teresa]

Heh heh...not only did we have thermometer malfunction, there was also an issue with the oil...I didn't go to Sam's and buy the mofo 20-lb jug of peanut oil this year. Instead, I got two jugs of the Duke's peanut oil at Publix. Showed them to spouse; he said oh that's plenty. Thanksgiving morning he pours them into the bottom of the fryer and it only comes about 2 inches up. Of course, Publix is now closed.

SO, we fried the turkey in (1) peanut oil, (2) a quart of vegetable oil, (3) a small tub of Crisco, (4) the neighbor's quart of vegetable oil, and (5) just enough well-strained oil from the last time we fried fish to cover the turkey. Despite our best efforts to totally f it up, it turned out EXCELLENT!!! Beautiful and browned, with just a hint on the skin of old fish and melted plastic. We nicknamed it Chernobyl Turkey.

Past the skin, though, it was glorious. Brining actually saved the day!

wow! it sounds wonderful!!! I wonder if this blend of oil added to the flavor....