Simple roasted turkey for first timer

[Anonymous]

NP. If you roast a turkey is the day before and carve them, how do you best heat them up so they are warm in time for the dinner or lunch or whatever? Next day turkey is always so dry. I would worry that it would taste like leftovers if you make it a day in advance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just make sure it's totally thawed before you start. That's the error a lot of first timers make. It takes days for a frozen turkey to thaw in the fridge.

If your turkey is still partially frozen when you need to cook it, take it out of the plastic, stick it in a big bowl in the sink , and run hot water over it for 15-20 minutes. Thesalt the heck out of it to make up for washing away the brine most turkeys have.

Although this should be avoided if possible because it keeps the bird in the prime bacteria growth zone longer than is ideal.

It's not ideal but gets the bird unfrozen and actually cooking faster than throwing a frozen bird in the oven, so I think it's not so bad especially 15-20 minutes.

15-20 won't be enough to thaw the center of the bird.

This discussion right here is why so many people get poisoned by Thanksgiving turkeys. I say this as someone who did my food safety certs when I worked in catering in college.

The turkey partially thawed in the fridge but was frozen in the middle, I ran hot water into the cavity in the middle of the bird. Seemed like it totally thawed it, no one got sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’ve roasted plenty of chickens, you’re fine. This is just a big roast chicken.

Make sure it’s thawed, dry brine if you want to be fancy, or just stuff the cavity with an onion and a lemon, rub liberally inside and outside with butter, salt and pepper, and stick that dumbass in the oven.

11:30 drop-off at the office means you’d better roast and carve the night before. I mean, really. Do you want to me messing with turkeys at 5 a.m.?

Go get the freaking Wegmans turkey breast in a bag. Get two of those, and some legs. Roast it all before, carve it, transport it the next day and get over it. Or go to Honeybaked and get two roast turkeys. Your husband can go to hell if he doesn’t think that’s good enough.

Regarding the bolded, that animal sacrificed its life for the nutrition and benefit of humans. Have some respect!

NP. Have you ever raised turkeys?? They really are the dumbest animals I've ever encountered. I love them, and appreciate them giving their lives for my nutrition and enjoyment, but they are dumbasses.

[Anonymous]

The boss still has time to get a caterer to do this for the workplace. Your DH should bring his travel and cooking the turkeys up with his boss.

If you still plan to do this, use Reynolds Oven Bags to cook the turkeys. They’ll cook faster with no basting, and they’ll be browned, moist and tender. For 18 pound turkeys, you’ll probably need to put them in the oven by 8 a.m. to be ready before or by 11 a.m.

https://www.reynoldsbrands.com/sites/default/files/downloads/TurkeyOvenBag_Guidelines.pdf

You can probably transport them in the closed oven bags and then open them and place the turkeys on platters when you get to the workplace. Get some large cardboard boxes that’ll hold the hot roasting pans with the turkeys safely in your car.

Thawing will probably take a bit longer than what you’re planning, so put them in the refrigerator 5 days before you need to cook it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. If you roast a turkey is the day before and carve them, how do you best heat them up so they are warm in time for the dinner or lunch or whatever? Next day turkey is always so dry. I would worry that it would taste like leftovers if you make it a day in advance?

It’s a freakin’ work potluck, dude. Nobody has a Michelin star hanging in the balance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. If you roast a turkey is the day before and carve them, how do you best heat them up so they are warm in time for the dinner or lunch or whatever? Next day turkey is always so dry. I would worry that it would taste like leftovers if you make it a day in advance?

It’s a freakin’ work potluck, dude. Nobody has a Michelin star hanging in the balance.

What a helpful contribution.

[Anonymous]

At 18 pounds spatchcocking is likely your best bet. I’ve used Alton brown’s recipe on a 14 pounder and it turned out great. Invest in a probe thermometer, no shot otherwise. It will be dry or raw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just make sure it's totally thawed before you start. That's the error a lot of first timers make. It takes days for a frozen turkey to thaw in the fridge.

If your turkey is still partially frozen when you need to cook it, take it out of the plastic, stick it in a big bowl in the sink , and run hot water over it for 15-20 minutes. Thesalt the heck out of it to make up for washing away the brine most turkeys have.

Although this should be avoided if possible because it keeps the bird in the prime bacteria growth zone longer than is ideal.

It's not ideal but gets the bird unfrozen and actually cooking faster than throwing a frozen bird in the oven, so I think it's not so bad especially 15-20 minutes.

15-20 won't be enough to thaw the center of the bird.

This discussion right here is why so many people get poisoned by Thanksgiving turkeys. I say this as someone who did my food safety certs when I worked in catering in college.

The turkey partially thawed in the fridge but was frozen in the middle, I ran hot water into the cavity in the middle of the bird. Seemed like it totally thawed it, no one got sick.

Oh girl…you just got lucky. That’s nasty.

[Anonymous]

Here's a simple way.

Preheat oven to 325. Take turkey out of bag and place into roasting pan, and be sure to remove bag in neck/cavity with giblets and turkey neck. Rub on oil or melted butter and salt all over. Cut some onions in half and place in cavity. Cook 4 hours for 17 lb. turkey (unstuffed) [deepest part of the thigh registers 165 F]. Remove and let rest before carving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. If you roast a turkey is the day before and carve them, how do you best heat them up so they are warm in time for the dinner or lunch or whatever? Next day turkey is always so dry. I would worry that it would taste like leftovers if you make it a day in advance?

For a work pot luck that sent the person who is suppose to cook two giant turkeys, I would not worry about it being cold or dry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. If you roast a turkey is the day before and carve them, how do you best heat them up so they are warm in time for the dinner or lunch or whatever? Next day turkey is always so dry. I would worry that it would taste like leftovers if you make it a day in advance?

This is Ina Garten’s make-ahead turkey recipe:
https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/make-ahead-roast-turkey

Drizzle the sliced turkey with a little water before reheating to moisten it, and cover the pan tightly with foil to keep the moisture in while it’s in the oven. Use just enough water that the turkey slices will absorb it but not so much that the water pools in the bottom if the pan.

[Anonymous]

These instructions are foolproof and SO EASY. Just buy cheesecloth and butter and heat up your oven. Seriously, melt the butter in a saucapan, soak the cheesecloth in melted butter and wrap it around the turkey. Baste when cooking. Perfect every time.

https://www.cookwithclaire.org/search?q=turkey

[Anonymous]

All of the people saying to spatchcock or cut up the bird - that is NOT an easy thing for a first timer!!!

[Anonymous]

I've been using this recipe for Friendsgivings. It's pretty basic, and I'm not a strong cook. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/thanksgiving-pioneer-style-herb-roasted-turkey-recipe-1922607

[Anonymous]

Yeah the boss needs to have the turkey catered