Every year I try to perfect my Thanksgiving turkey and try new tips and tricks. We're out of town visiting family this year, so I won't get to make my turkey for Thanksgiving...but I think I'll still cook one when we get home just so we can enjoy the leftovers! :)
Doesn't Martha produce some beautifully photographed turkeys? And delicious recipes, too!
Some tips that have worked out great for me so far:
1. Find a great roasting pan that you love. I purchased the largest, deepest, sturdiest pan I could find a couple years ago and I'll never go back. I like it so much more than the electric roaster that I used to use.
2. Take a stick or two of butter and smear it underneath the skin as well as on top. This helps with browning as well as a juicy breast.
3. Injecting the turkey with flavor. Last year I purchased an inexpensive plastic turkey injector from the grocery store and I LOVE it! This helps to produce a juicy breast as well as some added flavoring. I think this year I'll experiment more with spices in the injector.
4. Placing a melted butter-soaked cheese cloth over the turkey breast while cooking. I found that this gets in the way of browning a beautiful turkey, but helps a lot with tenderness. I learned this last year. If you place the butter under the skin as mentioned in #2, then the breast will brown rather quickly and you can add the cheese cloth after the browning takes place.
5. What's your secret?
I'd love to hear from you! Do you have any tips or tricks that I can try?
Lots of love,
Mary
Sometimes instead of making a whole turkey I will just use the breast portion and put in in my crock pot... I season and butter up just like normal add some chicken stock at the bottom leave it for 6 to 8 hours and you've got Thanksgiving anytime of the year :) plus a delish scratch gravy
Lots of helpful information. I have bookmarked your site.