Thread: Turkey- How big; how hot and how long

"Jim Elbrecht" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
>I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
> is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
> wondering how folks made out here.
>
> We do a few turkeys a year & I can't remember one being dried out. I
> buy a 20ish pound frozen Butterball, or whatever is on sale. Thaw it
> out for a week in the frig.
>
> Take it out of the frig an hour or so before cooking to pat it down,
> tie up the wings and slather some more butter on it.
>
> I cook in a big old enamelware roaster with a rack. Add 2 cups of
> broth, cover, and put in a 325 oven. I take the cover off in an
> hour or so- and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. When it starts
> to brown up I start taking its temp- shooting for 170F or so in the
> thigh. It took about 4 hours this year.
>
> Then I move it to the top of the stove, draw off the liquid for gravy
> and tent or cover it.
>
> I use the oven for an hour or so at 425- so the stovetop is toasty--
> an hour later I'm burning my fingers while removing the steaming
> breast. Thigh joints pop apart with ease & all is well cooked, but
> moist.
>
> Summary;
> 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
> 325F -
> about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
> was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>
> What works [or doesn't] for you?

180 is way too hot. 160 is quite acceptable. 20 pounder for me cooks at
375 for about 3 hours.

Paul

On Nov 27, 2:40*pm, "Paul M. Cook" <pmc...@gte.net> wrote:
> "Jim Elbrecht" <elbre...@email.com> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]..
>
>
>
> >I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
> > is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
> > wondering how folks made out here.
>
> > We do a few turkeys a year & I can't remember one being dried out. I
> > buy a 20ish pound frozen Butterball, or whatever is on sale. * Thaw it
> > out for a week in the frig.
>
> > Take it out of the frig an hour or so before cooking to pat it down,
> > tie up the wings and slather some more butter on it.
>
> > I cook in a big old enamelware roaster with a rack. * Add 2 cups of
> > broth, cover, and put in a 325 oven. * * I take the cover off in an
> > hour or so- and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. * *When it starts
> > to brown up I start taking its temp- shooting for 170F or so in the
> > thigh. * *It took about 4 hours this year.
>
> > Then I move it to the top of the stove, draw off the liquid for gravy
> > and tent or cover it.
>
> > I use the oven for an hour or so at 425- so the stovetop is toasty--
> > an hour later I'm burning my fingers while removing the steaming
> > breast. *Thigh joints pop apart with ease & all is well cooked, but
> > moist.
>
> > Summary;
> > 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
> > 325F -
> > about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
> > was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>
> > What works [or doesn't] for you?
>
> 180 is way too hot. *160 is quite acceptable. *20 pounder for me cooks at
> 375 for about 3 hours.
>
> Paul

The free range 13 pounder was done perfect in a hour and 45 minutes.
We flash cook it at 500 for 30 minutes then about an hour and 15
minutes. Perfect!

On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:40:53 -0800, "Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
>"Jim Elbrecht" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]. .
>>I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
>> is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
>> wondering how folks made out here.
>>
>> We do a few turkeys a year & I can't remember one being dried out. I
>> buy a 20ish pound frozen Butterball, or whatever is on sale. Thaw it
>> out for a week in the frig.
>>
>> Take it out of the frig an hour or so before cooking to pat it down,
>> tie up the wings and slather some more butter on it.
>>
>> I cook in a big old enamelware roaster with a rack. Add 2 cups of
>> broth, cover, and put in a 325 oven. I take the cover off in an
>> hour or so- and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. When it starts
>> to brown up I start taking its temp- shooting for 170F or so in the
>> thigh. It took about 4 hours this year.
>>
>> Then I move it to the top of the stove, draw off the liquid for gravy
>> and tent or cover it.
>>
>> I use the oven for an hour or so at 425- so the stovetop is toasty--
>> an hour later I'm burning my fingers while removing the steaming
>> breast. Thigh joints pop apart with ease & all is well cooked, but
>> moist.
>>
>> Summary;
>> 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
>> 325F -
>> about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
>> was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>>
>> What works [or doesn't] for you?
>
>180 is way too hot. 160 is quite acceptable. 20 pounder for me cooks at
>375 for about 3 hours.

I thought so, too, but 180 (thigh) is the temp that was on the
roasting instructions that came with the bird (Butterball). So I
checked their site:

http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-t...-tos/roast#one

But all my other cookbooks/recipes said 165 (meat temp, not stuffing
temp).

"BlueBrooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:40:53 -0800, "Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Jim Elbrecht" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected] ..
>>>I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
>>> is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
>>> wondering how folks made out here.
>>>
>>> We do a few turkeys a year & I can't remember one being dried out. I
>>> buy a 20ish pound frozen Butterball, or whatever is on sale. Thaw it
>>> out for a week in the frig.
>>>
>>> Take it out of the frig an hour or so before cooking to pat it down,
>>> tie up the wings and slather some more butter on it.
>>>
>>> I cook in a big old enamelware roaster with a rack. Add 2 cups of
>>> broth, cover, and put in a 325 oven. I take the cover off in an
>>> hour or so- and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. When it starts
>>> to brown up I start taking its temp- shooting for 170F or so in the
>>> thigh. It took about 4 hours this year.
>>>
>>> Then I move it to the top of the stove, draw off the liquid for gravy
>>> and tent or cover it.
>>>
>>> I use the oven for an hour or so at 425- so the stovetop is toasty--
>>> an hour later I'm burning my fingers while removing the steaming
>>> breast. Thigh joints pop apart with ease & all is well cooked, but
>>> moist.
>>>
>>> Summary;
>>> 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
>>> 325F -
>>> about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
>>> was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>>>
>>> What works [or doesn't] for you?
>>
>>180 is way too hot. 160 is quite acceptable. 20 pounder for me cooks at
>>375 for about 3 hours.
>
> I thought so, too, but 180 (thigh) is the temp that was on the
> roasting instructions that came with the bird (Butterball). So I
> checked their site:
>
> http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-t...-tos/roast#one
>
> But all my other cookbooks/recipes said 165 (meat temp, not stuffing
> temp).

180F is the USDA recommended temperature to make the lawyers happy. Well
the defense lawyers anyway. Nobody ever died eating turkey cooked to 160.
Any more than 160 and you're talking shoe leather.

Paul

On Nov 27, 4:44*pm, Chemo the Clown <bhansen1...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Nov 27, 2:40*pm, "Paul M. Cook" <pmc...@gte.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Jim Elbrecht" <elbre...@email.com> wrote in message
>
> >news:[email protected]. .
>
> > >I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
> > > is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
> > > wondering how folks made out here.
>
> > > We do a few turkeys a year & I can't remember one being dried out. I
> > > buy a 20ish pound frozen Butterball, or whatever is on sale. * Thawit
> > > out for a week in the frig.
>
> > > Take it out of the frig an hour or so before cooking to pat it down,
> > > tie up the wings and slather some more butter on it.
>
> > > I cook in a big old enamelware roaster with a rack. * Add 2 cups of
> > > broth, cover, and put in a 325 oven. * * I take the cover off in an
> > > hour or so- and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. * *When it starts
> > > to brown up I start taking its temp- shooting for 170F or so in the
> > > thigh. * *It took about 4 hours this year.
>
> > > Then I move it to the top of the stove, draw off the liquid for gravy
> > > and tent or cover it.
>
> > > I use the oven for an hour or so at 425- so the stovetop is toasty--
> > > an hour later I'm burning my fingers while removing the steaming
> > > breast. *Thigh joints pop apart with ease & all is well cooked, but
> > > moist.
>
> > > Summary;
> > > 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
> > > 325F -
> > > about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
> > > was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>
> > > What works [or doesn't] for you?
>
> > 180 is way too hot. *160 is quite acceptable. *20 pounder for me cooks at
> > 375 for about 3 hours.
>
> > Paul
>
> The free range 13 pounder was done perfect in a hour and 45 minutes.
> We flash cook it at 500 for 30 minutes then about an hour and 15
> minutes. Perfect!

I stuffed the turkey with hot stuffing, and cut the drumsticks part
way from the thighs so I could bend it forward and tuck the ends under
the lifting handles in the roasting pan from my electric roaster.
http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/roaster...ffet-pans.html
I didn't use the electric unit, but put it in the oven at 475F, breast
up, but with the breast well tented, the wing tips tucked under, and
the neck over the tent. I used the gizzard to cap the back end of the
thoroughly stuffed cavity, and the heart to cap the neck hole, which
I'd also stuffed, and put in some Trader Joe's turkey broth. I did
this for about a half hour or a bit longer, then reduced the heat to
325 for about an hour. Then I put the legs and wings back into their
regular position for another half hour or so, then took the foil off
the breast, added more broth, and gave it another half hour. When the
breast was just browned, I took it out of the gas oven and put it in
the roaster with two containers of TJ's turkey gravy, and set the
roaster at 200 for another 45 minutes or so, then turned the roaster
off and didn't carve for another 15 minutes. That freed up the oven
for other stuff. Other than the stuffing being too soggy, and a bit
too salty for others' tastes, it was close to perfect. The other
imperfection with the stuffing was that I parboiled the celery for too
long.
The gravy was admittedly far less than perfect, but I am really
impressed by the quality of TJ's carton pack gravy when added to the
drippings in the pan.

--Bryan

On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:35:51 -0500, Jim Elbrecht wrote:

> I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
> is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
> wondering how folks made out here.

Don't believe everything you see/read in the news. People are
easily manipulated by the news.

-sw

"Chemo the Clown" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

On Nov 27, 2:40 pm, "Paul M. Cook" <pmc...@gte.net> wrote:
> "Jim Elbrecht" <elbre...@email.com> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]..
>
>
>

The free range 13 pounder was done perfect in a hour and 45 minutes.
We flash cook it at 500 for 30 minutes then about an hour and 15
minutes. Perfect!


OK, 30 mins @500oF, then 1 hour 15 mins @ what temperature is that at?

-- Bigbazza (Barry) Oz

Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well
lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision
of hope.

BlueBrooke <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:40:53 -0800, "Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>
>>"Jim Elbrecht" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected] ..
-snip-
>>> Summary;
>>> 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
>>> 325F -
>>> about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
>>> was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>>>
>>> What works [or doesn't] for you?
>>
>>180 is way too hot. 160 is quite acceptable. 20 pounder for me cooks at
>>375 for about 3 hours.
>
>I thought so, too, but 180 (thigh) is the temp that was on the
>roasting instructions that came with the bird (Butterball). So I
>checked their site:
>
>http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-t...-tos/roast#one
>
>But all my other cookbooks/recipes said 165 (meat temp, not stuffing
>temp).

The 'cook' on one of the morning shows Thursday said the stuffing
should be 165, too. she recommended taking it out of the bird when
the thigh reached 165 and finishing it in the oven if it wasn't 165.

She also said that the old recommendation was 180, but 165 was good,
now.

I was aiming for 170 with the thigh-- 180 was an overshoot. But the
bird was perfect- everything cooked, and nothing dry. I think 325 is
more forgiving.

Jim

On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:36:32 -0800 (PST), Bryan
<[email protected]> wrote:

> The gravy was admittedly far less than perfect, but I am really
> impressed by the quality of TJ's carton pack gravy when added to the
> drippings in the pan.

I saw turkey *broth*, they also had gravy?

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:20:19 +1100, " Bigbazza" <[email protected]>
wrote:

> "Chemo the Clown" wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> On Nov 27, 2:40 pm, "Paul M. Cook" <pmc...@gte.net> wrote:
> > "Jim Elbrecht" <elbre...@email.com> wrote in message
> >
> > news:[email protected]..
> >
> >
> >
>
> The free range 13 pounder was done perfect in a hour and 45 minutes.
> We flash cook it at 500 for 30 minutes then about an hour and 15
> minutes. Perfect!
>
>
> OK, 30 mins @500oF, then 1 hour 15 mins @ what temperature is that at?
>
> -- Bigbazza (Barry) Oz
>
> Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well
> lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision
> of hope.
>
Barry, since you're not going to get a proper news reader that inserts
the proper quote marks when it should.... would you please take the
time to do it yourself?

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 20:43:12 -0500, Jim Elbrecht <[email protected]>
wrote:

>BlueBrooke <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 14:40:53 -0800, "Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"Jim Elbrecht" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>news:[email protected] ...
>-snip-
>>>> Summary;
>>>> 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
>>>> 325F -
>>>> about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
>>>> was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>>>>
>>>> What works [or doesn't] for you?
>>>
>>>180 is way too hot. 160 is quite acceptable. 20 pounder for me cooks at
>>>375 for about 3 hours.
>>
>>I thought so, too, but 180 (thigh) is the temp that was on the
>>roasting instructions that came with the bird (Butterball). So I
>>checked their site:
>>
>>http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-t...-tos/roast#one
>>
>>But all my other cookbooks/recipes said 165 (meat temp, not stuffing
>>temp).
>
>The 'cook' on one of the morning shows Thursday said the stuffing
>should be 165, too. she recommended taking it out of the bird when
>the thigh reached 165 and finishing it in the oven if it wasn't 165.
>
>She also said that the old recommendation was 180, but 165 was good,
>now.
>
>I was aiming for 170 with the thigh-- 180 was an overshoot. But the
>bird was perfect- everything cooked, and nothing dry. I think 325 is
>more forgiving.

I'm (still) finding 175-180 for the thigh, and 165 for the breast.
Seems to be all over the place, which would make sense if it's a
mixture of "old recommendations" that haven't been updated yet.

But I think you're right -- 325 is more forgiving. That's the temp I
was using. I went by time/temp and it was a great turkey, so that's
all I'm worried about. :-)

I usually cook a 14 pound turkey unstuffed at 325 or 350 and it cooks
in 2 1/2 hours.

This year I decided to try something different and stuff the turkey
with aromatics; I quartered an onion, and cut an apple, orange, lime
and lemon into wedges and stuffed the turkey with that. I was worried
that the juices which rendered in the cooking bag would taste like
citrus juices and not turkey juices, but they did not and the gravy I
made from the drippings was delicious. It took a lot longer to cook
this year, maybe 3 1/2 hours but the turkey was very moist and
delicious. Needless to say when I removed the turkey from the bag I
discarded the fruit and onion.

In article <[email protected]>,
Jim Elbrecht <[email protected]> wrote:

> What works [or doesn't] for you?
>
> Jim

Turkeys are big.
What works for me is 10 minutes per lb. at 375 on a rack in the Roaster
oven.
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or
no influence on society. -- Mark Twain

In article <ics1e4$hr9$[email protected]>,
"Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Jim Elbrecht" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
> >I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
> > is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
> > wondering how folks made out here.
> >
> > We do a few turkeys a year & I can't remember one being dried out. I
> > buy a 20ish pound frozen Butterball, or whatever is on sale. Thaw it
> > out for a week in the frig.
> >
> > Take it out of the frig an hour or so before cooking to pat it down,
> > tie up the wings and slather some more butter on it.
> >
> > I cook in a big old enamelware roaster with a rack. Add 2 cups of
> > broth, cover, and put in a 325 oven. I take the cover off in an
> > hour or so- and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. When it starts
> > to brown up I start taking its temp- shooting for 170F or so in the
> > thigh. It took about 4 hours this year.
> >
> > Then I move it to the top of the stove, draw off the liquid for gravy
> > and tent or cover it.
> >
> > I use the oven for an hour or so at 425- so the stovetop is toasty--
> > an hour later I'm burning my fingers while removing the steaming
> > breast. Thigh joints pop apart with ease & all is well cooked, but
> > moist.
> >
> > Summary;
> > 20 pound turkey- not stuffed
> > 325F -
> > about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
> > was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
> >
> > What works [or doesn't] for you?
>
> 180 is way too hot. 160 is quite acceptable. 20 pounder for me cooks at
> 375 for about 3 hours.
>
> Paul

Perfect. ;-)
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or
no influence on society. -- Mark Twain

In article <[email protected]>,
BlueBrooke <[email protected]> wrote:

> >180 is way too hot. 160 is quite acceptable. 20 pounder for me cooks at
> >375 for about 3 hours.
>
> I thought so, too, but 180 (thigh) is the temp that was on the
> roasting instructions that came with the bird (Butterball). So I
> checked their site:
>
> http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-t...-tos/roast#one
>
> But all my other cookbooks/recipes said 165 (meat temp, not stuffing
> temp).

Don't stuff the damned turkey!
That nearly always results in an overcooked bird...

Stuffing birds is a really bad idea. Always has been imho.
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or
no influence on society. -- Mark Twain

In article
<[email protected]>,
"Michael O'Connor" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I usually cook a 14 pound turkey unstuffed at 325 or 350 and it cooks
> in 2 1/2 hours.
>
> This year I decided to try something different and stuff the turkey
> with aromatics; I quartered an onion, and cut an apple, orange, lime
> and lemon into wedges and stuffed the turkey with that. I was worried
> that the juices which rendered in the cooking bag would taste like
> citrus juices and not turkey juices, but they did not and the gravy I
> made from the drippings was delicious. It took a lot longer to cook
> this year, maybe 3 1/2 hours but the turkey was very moist and
> delicious. Needless to say when I removed the turkey from the bag I
> discarded the fruit and onion.

Thanks for this! I've not yet cooked the bird. Was too tired Saturday
to do the feast thing.

I have cooked chicken to perfection using citrus and was considering it
for a turkey.

I was going to smoke it but the weather is bad at the moment, so I'll
more likely use the roaster.
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or
no influence on society. -- Mark Twain

On Nov 27, 8:22*pm, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:36:32 -0800 (PST), Bryan
>
> <bryangsimm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > The gravy was admittedly far less than perfect, but I am really
> > impressed by the quality of TJ's carton pack gravy when added to the
> > drippings in the pan.
>
> I saw turkey *broth*, they also had gravy?
>
Yes. Lots of boxes left when I picked up a few more on Friday.

--Bryan

On Sun, 28 Nov 2010 02:29:46 -0800 (PST), Bryan
<[email protected]> wrote:

> On Nov 27, 8:22*pm, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
> > On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:36:32 -0800 (PST), Bryan
> >
> > <bryangsimm...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > The gravy was admittedly far less than perfect, but I am really
> > > impressed by the quality of TJ's carton pack gravy when added to the
> > > drippings in the pan.
> >
> > I saw turkey *broth*, they also had gravy?
> >
> Yes. Lots of boxes left when I picked up a few more on Friday.
>
I need to go there today, so I'll take a look.


--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:35:51 -0500, Jim Elbrecht <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I see so many folks complaining about dried out turkey & it seems it
>is the theme of every news show for a week before T-giving so I'm
>wondering how folks made out here.
>
>We do a few turkeys a year & I can't remember one being dried out. I
>buy a 20ish pound frozen Butterball, or whatever is on sale. Thaw it
>out for a week in the frig.
>
>Take it out of the frig an hour or so before cooking to pat it down,
>tie up the wings and slather some more butter on it.
>
>I cook in a big old enamelware roaster with a rack. Add 2 cups of
>broth, cover, and put in a 325 oven. I take the cover off in an
>hour or so- and baste every 30 minutes thereafter. When it starts
>to brown up I start taking its temp- shooting for 170F or so in the
>thigh. It took about 4 hours this year.
>
>Then I move it to the top of the stove, draw off the liquid for gravy
>and tent or cover it.
>
>I use the oven for an hour or so at 425- so the stovetop is toasty--
>an hour later I'm burning my fingers while removing the steaming
>breast. Thigh joints pop apart with ease & all is well cooked, but
>moist.
>
>Summary;
>20 pound turkey- not stuffed
>325F -
>about 4 hours [that's only 12 minutes per pound-- but the thigh temp
>was 180 when I took it out of the oven]
>
>What works [or doesn't] for you?
>
>Jim

Brined the 22 lb turkey the night before. Rinsed the living h*ll out
of it. (About fifteen minutes of rinsing and draining, and don't
forget to drain those pockets of liquid under the skin.) On the rack
upside down, into a 325 oven for two hours. No basting, no butter, no
oil, no foil. No nothing.

Flip it (see other post), insert probe thermometer, back into the
oven. Go upstairs on the computer and read rec.food.cooking til the
thermometer hollers. ;-) (two more hours). The turkey is the easy
part of the day.
--
Best -- Terry