That time of year again, Recipe testing!!!

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by Demented

Estimating the amount of time the bird needs to be in the oven at a given temperature is a good starting point. Cooking at the right temperature, in the proper manner gets us closer.

That's where I end up with problems. My first TG turkey was a mess, the second was good, but took longer to cook than I thought. Last year's was pretty close, might have finished a little earlier than I planned.

I don't stuff my birds, and I do keep a mixture of wine and other deliciousness in the bottom of the roasting pan, so dryness has never been a problem. After that first year I figured out how to PROPERLY use a probe thermometer, so now they get cooked all the way (I do like the digital display, I've gotta get one of those).

What I can't figure out is where you've found a roasting pan big enough to hold a turkey with the lid on? The sides on my pan are only ~5" tall, the turkey is an awful lot bigger than that. A simple tin foil tent has done the trick for me.

Originally Posted by Mark C

might have finished a little earlier than I planned.

Closest I've come to the bird being done when it was estimated to is about 40 minutes. Out of the oven the bird needs to rest 15 to 30 minutes for the flesh to relax and the juices to redistribute before carving.

Originally Posted by Mark C

What I can't figure out is where you've found a roasting pan big enough to hold a turkey with the lid on?

Restaurant Supply

[Langod]

I just did a test run a week ago. Made a 12 lb turkey and tried a Porcini butter to coat/baste the turkey.
I brine my turkeys -- it always results in a very moist, flavorful turkey.
I never cook the stuffing in the bird for the reasons Demented outlined above.

Anyway, the Porcini butter, while flavorful before cooking didn't translate to a flavorful, porcini-infused crispy skin as I expected. It also gave a mottled appearance to the skin. Oh well, I'll do something else on turkey day. Perhaps a coffee-chili rub.