Best way to cook turkey?

[karen.bigman]

I've read several different approaches to cooking turkey for Thanksgiving. High heat (450-500) the entire time, high heat (450) followed by low heat (325) or low heat the whole time. No matter how I make it, the middle is never cooked. Does anyone have any recommendations for the "perfect" bird?

[carbonaraboy]

1. Don't put stuffing in it -- this slows down the cooking. Herbs, onions are OK
2. 325 degrees is right
3. Use a rack
4. Roast on one side for about 1/3 of the estimated cooking time, then the other side for the same amount of time, then breast side up until done.

The flipping allows the dark meat to get exposed to the heat so it cooks a little faster.

[karen.bigman]

How much time/pound? also, do you brine or not?

[dmd_kc]

Go by temperature, not by time. I've had turkeys get done surprisingly faster than the guidelines.

Brine only if you get a fresh or farm turkey. The frozen supermarket varieties have already been essentially brined with a sodium solution. There's nothing wrong with them, in my opinion.

[carbonaraboy]

Yes, go by temperature for the final doneness, but you still need an estimated cooking time for the flipping that I did not give. A crude estimate which is good enough for the flipping is 14 minutes per pound for an unstuffed bird. Very large turkeys (over 20 lbs.) probably 16-18 minutes per pound.

I do not brine, but it shouldn't matter if you go by temperature.

--Rich

[Brunhilde]

Are you using a meat thermometer?

[sparkareno]

Let it come to room temp before roasting. Maybe the inside is still cold/a little frozen and that's why the middle isn't cooking. just a thought.. Also cook it unstuffed.

[Phurstluv]

In the past, a chef friend of mine came over to cook for us, and he used a cooking bag. It came out really well, and I'm pretty sure he just followed the bag's instructions.

I like to dry brine my bird for a few days, and that helps dry out the skin, which helps with the browning, so I keep it at a relatively low temp, 325* the whole time. Then, when it's got about 20 mins left, I will turn the convection on to help roast it a little quicker and crisp the skin a little more, if needed.

[fourunder]

Myself, I'm a proponent of the low and slow method......and would suggest it to anyone who has the time to do so. The turkey will be moist and there is minimal shrinkage. I brown the skin at the end with butter and high heat.

As for making sure it's cooked through....consider taking the legs and thighs off, and also cutting the back off or taking the breast off and cooking it on a rack. This is how many commercial kitchens roast for easier carving. You can take the neck and back to make your stock and gravy ahead of time

[greygarious]

I agree with the lower heat - there's a school of roasting that calls for roasting a piece of meat at the temperature you want it to reach when it's done, but not many ovens will maintain a 160-180 temp, and it takes a very long time. Since Tday and Xmas here are cold weather, I wet-brine in a bucket on the porch for at least 12 hrs, then air-dry in fridge or outside if the temp is right (I put the bird in a Vari-Kennel, which is an airline shipping crate for a dog - quite a sight, and psychological torture for my 3 hounds!). Brining speeds cooking time a bit, and also provides a cushion in that if the final temp is a tad too high, the meat will still be juicy.

[dmd_kc]

Good lord, I'm laughing out loud at thought of three dogs salivating at the door of your kennel.