Ok my fellow 4042ers

I need some advice, I am cooking my first turkey this year and need some good advice. I hate a dried out turkey, what tips do you have for me! :allears:

 

Use a cooking bag to retain all the moisture.

 

do they make them that big?

 

I know my mom cooks them several ways...depends on her mood... I've only cooked a turkey once. But maybe if I throw her methods out there, someone can elaborate on them, or you can research them some on the internet.

Cook the turkey breast side down - all the juice/fat juices from the darker meat will drain down through the breast meat keeping it moist.

OR

Cook it in a paper bag


Thats all I got, but they always come out nice and juicy, not dried out at all.

 

Cook it upside down. (Breast side down) Makes it moist, moist, moist!!!!!

 

:iagree:

 

paper bag? now that is interesting..

upside down, good point

thanks all, keep them coming!

 

agree!! i met bandmom last week.....she is precious!!!

 

According to Alton Brown, you should brine your turkey for optimum moistness.

 

Inject with Bar-b-que sauce and put it on the grill !!!

 

Another tip I saw that will help keep the breast meat moist... lift the skin carefully and slip some pats of herb-seasoned butter under it.

 

I read that somewhere else to, will for sure do this!

 

i think martha puts an apple and orange inside the big bird.

 

Do you cook it upside down the whole time, or turn it over at the end to brown on top?

 

good question thanks kds

 

I did that one year, followed his instructions exactly. Thought it was more trouble than it was worth.

 

The whole time.

 

18 lb bird,
use the cooking bag from Reynolds wrap.
Have had good results with that method in the past.
+ use a MEAT Thermometer to be sure it's all done.

The FAM will be here on Sat. at 4 for Round #1 --- wish me luck.

 

I've searched it online, and the sites I hit said that if you want to brown the skin you can flip it back over for the last 20-30 minutes at atleast 300 degrees for browning to occur. Someone posted that if browned crispy skin from the breast isn't so important to you, that there is some good skin on the bottom that gets crispy for picking at too.

 

I think i read 180 degrees on the thermometer stuck in the thigh area??