Are you ready to Roast?

[Meadow Skipper]

Maybe I just need to move farther out into the sticks.

[~mikey b]

No. You could have one there. But you'd need to give it it's own space and space to run. It would destroy your wonderful space if given the chance. You could walk it in your 'hood.

[Meadow Skipper]

You could walk it in your 'hood.

Huh, I learned something here:


But still, I think I'd rather walk a cat.

[bodywhomper]

last year
first on the gas grill. gravy pan under the bird. chip pouch next to that:


ready for carving:

[iceman]

Haven't read the whole thread, but who's got brine recipes? I usually just throw 1 part salt 1 part sugar and a bunch of aromatics together (peppercorns, bay leaves, sage, thyme) mix it with water until it won't dissolve and starts to settle out of suspension and call it good but if anyone has something more scientific I'm all ears.

[Dantheman]

Anyone have a proven cornbread stuffing recipe? That's my assignment from the in-laws this year and I've never made one.

[~mikey b]

I've got one I'll dig it out.

[KQ]

Haven't read the whole thread, but who's got brine recipes? I usually just throw 1 part salt 1 part sugar and a bunch of aromatics together (peppercorns, bay leaves, sage, thyme) mix it with water until it won't dissolve and starts to settle out of suspension and call it good but if anyone has something more scientific I'm all ears.

Epicurious from Barbecued Maple Mustard Glazed Turkey (this is the one I use)

6 quarts water
2 large onions, quartered
1 cup coarse salt
1 cup chopped fresh ginger
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
4 large bay leaves
4 whole star anise
12 whole black peppercorns, crushed
1 13- to 14-pound turkey, giblets discarded

Combine first 8 ingredients in very large pot. Bring mixture to simmer, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Cool brine completely.

Rinse turkey inside and out. Place turkey in brine, pressing to submerge. Chill overnight, turning turkey twice.



Cooks:

We offer two brine formulas: one for a 4- to 6-hour brine and another for a 12- to 14-hour brine. The amount of salt used in each brine does not change with turkey size. If you’re roasting a kosher or self-basting turkey, do not brine it; it already contains a good amount of sodium. Rotating the bird from a breast-side down position to a breast-side up position midway through cooking helps to produce evenly cooked dark and white meat. If you’re roasting a large (18- to 22-pound) bird and are reluctant to rotate it, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast-side up for the full time. If making gravy, scatter 1 cup each of coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot as well as several fresh thyme sprigs in the roasting pan at the outset; add 1 cup water to keep the vegetables from burning.

INGREDIENTS

Table salt
1 turkey (12 to 22 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for 4- to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three gallons. Add turkey and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.

2. Before removing turkey from brine, adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees for 12- to 18-pound bird or 425 degrees for 18- to 22-pound bird. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan.

3. Remove turkey from brine and rinse well under cool running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure, and tuck wing tips behind back. Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Set turkey breast-side down on prepared V-rack; brush back with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Roast 45 minutes for 12- to 18-pound bird or 1 hour for 18- to 22-pound bird.

4. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat); reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees if roasting 18- to 22-pound bird. Using clean potholders or kitchen towels, rotate turkey breast-side up; continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer for 12- to 15-pound bird, about 1 1/4 hours for 15- to 18-pound bird, or about 2 hours longer for 18- to 22-pound bird. Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes (or up to 40 minutes for 18- to 22-pound bird). Carve and serve.

[KQ]

Anyone have a proven cornbread stuffing recipe? That's my assignment from the in-laws this year and I've never made one.

Cooks recipes will not fail you as far as coming out as they should - it's possible you won't like the dish but that's not because something went wrong with the recipe.

GOLDEN CORNBREAD

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Our best cornbread recipe for stuffing is relatively lean (just 4 tablespoons of butter), with buttermilk for tangy flavor.

MAKES ABOUT 16 CUPS CRUMBLED CORNBREAD

If you are using this cornbread for your stuffing, you will use about three-quarters of the recipe—the rest is for nibbling. For best flavor and texture, dry the cornbread, add a little half-and-half, and let it soak for at least an hour.

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing baking dish
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 1/3 cups milk
2 cups yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon table salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9- by 13-inch baking dish with butter.

2. Beat eggs in medium bowl; whisk in buttermilk and milk.

3. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in large bowl. Push dry ingredients up sides of bowl to make a well, then pour egg and milk mixture into well and stir with whisk until just combined; stir in butter.

4. Pour batter into greased baking dish. Bake until top is golden brown and edges have pulled away from sides of pan, 30 to 40 minutes.

5. Transfer baking pan to wire rack and cool to room temperature before using, about 1 hour.


CORNBREAD AND SAUSAGE STUFFING

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For a moist and flavorful cornbread stuffing recipe, we started with homemade cornbread, torn into bite-size pieces and dried in a low oven for one hour. Then we soaked the cornbread in an egg, stock, and half-and-half mixture for one hour for moisture and added sautéed onions, celery, and fresh thyme and sage for flavor. Pork sausage added nice pockets of texture and a meaty punch to our cornbread stuffing recipe without overpowering the balance of flavors.

MAKES ABOUT 12 CUPS, SERVING 10 TO 12

In this recipe, the stuffing is baked outside of the turkey in a baking dish. If you want to stuff your turkey with it, prepare the stuffing through step 2, then follow the directions for microwaving the stuffing as described in the recipe for Roast Stuffed Crisped-Skin Turkey. To make the stuffing a day in advance, increase both the chicken stock and half-and-half by 1/4 cup each and refrigerate the unbaked stuffing 12 to 24 hours; before transferring it to the baking dish, let the stuffing stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes so that it loses its chill.

INGREDIENTS

12 cups cornbread broken into 1-inch pieces (include crumbs), spread in even layer on 2 baking sheets, and dried in 250-degree oven 50 to 60 minutes
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for baking dish
1 1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage, broken into 1-inch pieces
3 medium onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups)
3 ribs celery, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place cornbread in large bowl. Whisk together stock, half-and-half, and eggs in medium bowl; pour over cornbread and toss very gently to coat so that cornbread does not break into smaller pieces. Set aside.

2. Heat heavy-bottomed, 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter to pan and swirl to coat pan bottom. When foam subsides, add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage loses its raw color, 5 to 7 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to medium bowl. Add about half the onions and celery to fat in skillet; sauté, stirring occasionally, over medium-high until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to bowl with sausage. Return skillet to heat and add remaining 6 tablespoons butter; when foam subsides, add remaining celery and onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, sage, and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds; add salt and pepper. Add this mixture along with sausage and onion mixture to cornbread and stir gently to combine so that cornbread does not break into smaller pieces. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 10 by 15-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch square or 11 by 7-inch baking dishes). Transfer stuffing to baking dish; pour any liquid accumulated in bottom of bowl over stuffing and, if necessary, gently press stuffing with rubber spatula to fit into baking dish. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.


************************************************** ******

SPICY CORNBREAD STUFFING WITH RED PEPPERS, CHIPOTLE CHILES, AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE

MAKES ABOUT 12 CUPS, SERVING 10 TO 12

In this recipe, the stuffing is baked outside of the turkey in a baking dish. If you want to stuff your turkey with it, prepare the stuffing through step 2, then follow the directions for microwaving the stuffing as described in the recipe for Roast Stuffed Crisped-Skin Turkey. To make the stuffing a day in advance, increase both the chicken stock and half-and-half by 1/4 cup each and refrigerate the unbaked stuffing 12 to 24 hours; before transferring it to the baking dish, let the stuffing stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes so that it loses its chill. Andouille is a spicy smoked Cajun sausage. If you cannot find any, chorizo makes a fine substitute.

INGREDIENTS

12 cups cornbread broken into 1-inch pieces (include crumbs), spread in even layer on 2 baking sheets, and dried in 250-degree oven 50 to 60 minutes
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for baking dish
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 medium onions, chopped fine (about 3 cups)
3 rib celery, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 - 5 chipotle chiles en adobo, chopped (about 4 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place cornbread in large bowl. Whisk together stock, half-and-half, and eggs in medium bowl; pour over cornbread and toss very gently to coat so that cornbread does not break into smaller pieces. Set aside.

2. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heated skillet; when foam subsides, add red bell peppers to skillet along with a third of the onion and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes, and transfer to medium bowl. Return skillet to heat and add remaining 4 tablespoons butter; when foam subsides, add remaining onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chipotle chiles en adobo, along with thyme, sage, and garlic. Add this mixture, along with sautéed onions and celery and andouille sausage, into cornbread and mix gently so that cornbread does not break into smaller pieces. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 10 by 15-inch baking dish (or two 9-inch square or 11- by 7-inch baking dishes). Transfer stuffing to baking dish; pour any liquid accumulated in bottom of bowl over stuffing and, if necessary, gently press stuffing with rubber spatula to fit into baking dish. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

[Dantheman]

Huh, I actually have an ATK subscription and checked there first. A search for "cornbread stuffing" came back with nothing last night.

[KQ]

Anyone have a proven cornbread stuffing recipe? That's my assignment from the in-laws this year and I've never made one.

Also check out this link to Epicurious (be sure and read the reviews as cooks often give good hints or tweaks to the recipes):

Results for "Corn Bread Stuffing"

[KQ]

Huh, I actually have an ATK subscription and a search for "cornbread stuffing" came back with nothing last night.

That recipe is from November 2000. Maybe it's one of their "premium recipes"? I have an online membership for all their stuff - Cooks, Cooks Country and what ever that special one is - I think it's called "Chef's Choice".

[~mikey b]

Just buy The Joy of Cooking and be done with it.



Mine's a little haggard.

[~mikey b]

[KQ]

Yo Ice - here's a brine for you:

Malt-Beer-Brined Turkey with Malt Glaze

Brine, turkey, and aromatics:

4 quarts water
2 cups Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt or 1 1/2 cups Morton coarse kosher salt
3 12-ounce bottles stout beer (such as Guinness)
1 1/2 cups barley malt syrup
1 14- to 16-pound turkey
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 peeled onions, quartered
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
1 bunch fresh sage
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 unpeeled head of garlic, cut crosswise in half
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups (or more) water

Just buy The Joy of Cooking and be done with it.



Mine's a little haggard.

LOL!!! My Victory Garden Cookbook looks like that. My Joy of Cooking is still in one piece however it's a bit stained (and I still have the cover)

[Captain Awesome]

Haven't read the whole thread, but who's got brine recipes? I usually just throw 1 part salt 1 part sugar and a bunch of aromatics together (peppercorns, bay leaves, sage, thyme) mix it with water until it won't dissolve and starts to settle out of suspension and call it good but if anyone has something more scientific I'm all ears.

This year, I'm going with a "dry brine," which, aside from being a stupid, nonsensical name, is super easy.

There's something on it here: http://www.latimes.com/la-fo-saltedturkey-story.html

I picked up my birds last night. Asked for 2 10 pounders, ended up with a 12.5 and a 14.5 lb bird. I'll be happy for the leftovers, but wasn't keen on the extra cost. They're local, pasture-raised, turkeys, and not inexpensive.

Started the dry brine last night, and will air dry starting tomorrow night to have ready to cook on Thursday. Doing one in the oven, one on the smoker.

[Boissal]

Any opinions about butterflying a turkey as opposed to roasting it as is??
I've been reading about that process and it seems to result in more homogeneous temperature, shorter cook time, and overall all parts of the bird being cooked evenly. I've only done one small bird in the past (I know, I know - Thanksgiving isn't a thing where I'm from) and it came out great. I'm a bit concerned about botching the roasting on the 22 pounder the ladyfriend brought home yesterday. We're hosting this year and one of her friend's dickhead husband is already rambling about not being able to do things his way, how foolish it is to let a foreigner cook a bird, etc etc etc... That fucker is the king of variably cooked birds with half raw stuffing but apparently he's not aware of that fact... I'd prefer to enjoy my drunken haze without hearing any of this bitching so I'm tempting to try and spatchcok the bird. Thoughts?

[~mikey b]

Tell him to bugger off.

[iceman]

Well it might be a little hard logistically (cutting it and finding something big enough to lay it out flat on) but other than that why not? I can't remember the last time I roasted a chicken without spatchcocking it, and some of them have been pretty big. Reliably good for everything from Cornish Hens to big roasting chickes, can't see why it wouldn't be good for turkeys.

[::: :::]

Any opinions about butterflying a turkey as opposed to roasting it as is??
I've been reading about that process and it seems to result in more homogeneous temperature, shorter cook time, and overall all parts of the bird being cooked evenly. I've only done one small bird in the past (I know, I know - Thanksgiving isn't a thing where I'm from) and it came out great. I'm a bit concerned about botching the roasting on the 22 pounder the ladyfriend brought home yesterday. We're hosting this year and one of her friend's dickhead husband is already rambling about not being able to do things his way, how foolish it is to let a foreigner cook a bird, etc etc etc... That fucker is the king of variably cooked birds with half raw stuffing but apparently he's not aware of that fact... I'd prefer to enjoy my drunken haze without hearing any of this bitching so I'm tempting to try and spatchcok the bird. Thoughts?

haven't done it on a turkey but had great success with chicken
i don't see why this shouldn't work
if you're worried about juiciness, you could brine it overnight

[Boissal]

I'm thinking is worth a try then... I'll post a TR of the prep and the resulting fisticuffs when the bird had turned to charcoal...
The size issue is a good point, I wonder if there's any hope of laying a 20 lbs bird in a regular size oven...

[Cruiser]

IMO if you're going to spatchcock it anyway (thus ruining the classic Normal Rockwell appearance on the table) then you might as well go all the way and quarter it. That way you can bone out the thighs and cook them a little longer without bothering to ice the breasts.

[::: :::]

[KQ]

got sidetracked there somewhere, didn't read it all yet. But yeah what I've done works fine but can't hurt to ask.

edit: I see where I got sidetracked last time, in the cornbread stuffing area of the thread.

cornbread stuffing will do that to you. Here is a scientific response from Cooks:

Does less salt really make for a more efficient brine?

We’ve always been big advocates of brining (soaking meat in a saltwater solution). As salt is drawn into meat, the protein structure of the meat changes, reducing its overall toughness and increasing its capacity to hold on to water and stay juicy during cooking. A brine also thoroughly seasons meat all the way to its interior.

We generally recommend brining in a solution that’s roughly 9 percent salt by weight (9 grams of salt for every 100 grams of water). Several scientific studies, however, have shown that meat absorbs the most moisture at a salt concentration of about 6 percent.

When we compared chicken breasts brined in 6 percent and 9 percent salt concentrations, the 6 percent sample indeed soaked up slightly more salt water. But overall, tasters still preferred the chicken brined in a 9 percent solution because they liked its somewhat saltier taste. Our conclusion: A 9 percent solution might be slightly less than optimal in terms of saltwater absorption, but it still provides the best balance among a brine’s threefold effects, producing meat that’s tender, juicy, and well seasoned.

And:

Why should I take the time to brine my meat?
We find that soaking turkeys (as well as chicken and even pork chops) in a saltwater solution before cooking best protects delicate white meat. Whether we are roasting a turkey or grilling chicken parts, we have consistently found that brining keeps the meat juicier. Brining also gives delicate (and sometimes mushy) poultry a meatier, firmer consistency and seasons the meat down to the bone. (We also find that brining adds moisture to pork and shrimp and improves their texture and flavor when grilled.)

To explain these sensory perceptions, we ran some tests. We started by weighing several 11-pound turkeys after they had been brined for 12 hours and found an average weight gain of almost ¾ pound. Even more impressive, we found that brined birds weighed 6 to 8 ounces more after roasting than a same-sized bird that had not been brined.

Our taste buds were right: Brined birds are juicier.

How does brining work? Brining promotes a change in the structure of the proteins in the muscle. The salt causes protein strands to become denatured, or unwound. This is the same process that occurs when proteins are exposed to heat, acid, or alcohol. When protein strands unwind, they get tangled up with one another, forming a matrix that traps water. Salt is commonly used to give processed meats a better texture. For example, hot dogs made without salt would be limp.

In most cases, we add sugar to the brine. Sugar has little if any effect on the texture of the meat, but it does add flavor and promotes better browning of the skin.

We usually list both kosher and regular table salt in recipes that call for brining. Because of the difference in the size of the crystals, cup for cup, table salt is about twice as concentrated as kosher salt.

[butterscotch]

thanks KQ and cruiser for the great info in this thread.

not sure yet if i'll do the big green egg or not. if I do the oven, I may give this method a shot:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/b...uicy-meat.html