Cooking Thanksgiving Turkey

Cooking Thanksgiving turkey need not strike fear in your heart...even with a Mother-in-Law hovering around.

Our Traditional Turkey - is the moistest, most delicious holiday turkey ever.

This No-Thaw, - bake from frozen turkey really works, very moist and so easy.

Making Turkey for a Crowd? Here’s how caterer’s do turkey for large numbers.

Ah, the turkey - wonderful when it’s moist, awful when it’s not. We baste it with butter, cover it with gravy, inject it with God knows what... - all to kep moisture in the meat. Forget about it! Time for Turkey Perfection - the easy way!

Here are our Caterer’s Secrets for the perfect turkey:

Salt Marinade - also called “brine.” A salt soak tricks the turkey meat into retaining moisture.

Time - We’re not slow cookers. No time for that. Let’s get it done ASAP.

Temperature. Turkey is done at 165°f internal. Overcook it and you get a dry bird. You’ll need a thermometer to get this right.

Portions/Servings

These recipes will feed 12 people, and will easily double or more. Read about Party Food Quantities and how to plan for the right amounts.

Roast Turkey Recipe Shopping List
for 12 People:

___ 16 pound frozen turkey, must not be a “pre-basted” (butterball)

___ 1 gallon vegetable broth, or chicken stock*, or both

___ 1 cup sea salt - no substitute

___ 1 gallon water, or 3/4 gal water and one bottle white wine

___ 5 pounds ice

___ Up to a half cup of your favorite dried spices

___ We add 4 ounces Soy Sauce (but that’s us)

*Professional caterers use “meat first” bases for broths and stocks. (No, we don’t sit around cooking veggies all day...) Check out the variety on Amazon - it’s the same kind we use. Usually one pound of base will influence 4-5 gallons of water. Once you start using bases, you’ll never go back. And remember - these are not bullion cubes - this is the real deal.

Procedure:

One Week Before the Party:

Get the bird out of the freezer. Don’t take it out of the plastic, leave it in the bag. Put it in a pan, on the lowest part of your refrigerator so that any drippings won’t land on food underneath.

Thawing will take 3-4 days. No less. If you forget, and you need to skip the thawing part, go to our No-Thaw Turkey recipe.

The Day Before the Party:

Before you get the bird out of the fridge, have a plan for the marinade.

Turkey Marinade

Find a pot big enough to hold the turkey. It needs to be big enough for the turkey and the liquid to completely cover it.

TIP: Don’t have a huge pot? Use a pail, old or new. Paint stores sell them. Wash out an old one real well, and use a plastic bag/liner if you need to.

In another large pot, big enough to hold some of the liquid marinade, combine the stock and stock. Heat this on the stove until the salt dissolves. Allow it to cool completely.

Pour the cooled stock/salt mix into the large pot/pail. Add the remaining ingredients and spices, etc., and half the ice.

Unwrap the turkey in the sink, removing the plastic cover and any organs, wires, etc. Save the organs for your stock or gravy. Wash the bird with cold water.

Carefully lower the bird into the marinade mix, making sure that the marinade gets into the cavity of the turkey. Add the remaining ice and more water if needed to completely cover the bird.

Cover the pot/pail with a lid or foil, and return it to the refrigerator.

TIP: Don’t have enough refrigerator space? Np. Use a picnic cooler. Park the pot/pail in the cooler and pack ice around and on top. The lid probably won’t close, but’s that’s OK as long as there is lots of ice around and on top. Got a safe place to keep this outside?

It will take 12 hours for the marination to finish. Keep the turkey cold the whole time. The salt creates a reaction to the bird’s meat, causing it to retain it’s natural moisture. The result is a very moist, flavorful bird.

Don’t worry about the salt. Most of it stays in the water. But - don’t use a “flavor” injected, pre-basted bird, like “Butterball,” because they use sodium, and the salt marinade you’re using would be to much.

The Day of the Party:

From the time you put the turkey in the oven, it’s going to be 5 hours or so until you can serve it. Plan.

Time for Stuffing! Pick a good one and stuff that bird. Or not - up to you.

Use a Rack. It really helps to keep the bird out of it’s own fat as it cooks. You can use a rack for other types of poultry and meats too.

This under $20 investment is money well spent.

In a roasting pan, place the turkey on the rack - breast up or down? That depends on who you ask. With breast down, or “upside-down” - the idea is that gravity lets the natural juices flow down to the breastmeat where it is most needed, as it roasts.

However, doing it this way may leave rack marks on the breast, which doesn’t help that picture-perfect turkey look you might be looking for. And, many would say that it doesn’t matter one way or the other. FYI, we go breast down when presentation isn’t an issue. Your call.

Water in the pan - not a lot, maybe 1 inch or less. Brush the top of the turkey with oil.

Oven time. 325°f - total of 4+ hours for the 16 pound bird - depends on your oven.

After 2-1/2 hours, remove the turkey and fit some foil shields to the stuffing and the legs - this protects them from drying out.

Back to the oven. Don’t keep the turkey out of the oven for more than 3 minutes. Think pit stop.

At 4 hours, open the oven and slide the bird out far enough to read the temperature with your thermometer. Gotta use a thermometer. Even seasoned chefs can’t tell the internal temps. We carry thermometers in our pockets. (...think of family, sick in the bathroom, vowing never to come to your home again...) Use a thermometer!

You’re looking for 165°f, in several places. Make sure the stem of the thermometer doesn’t touch a bone, or the bottom of the pan.

Up to temperature? Out it comes to rest before serving.

See the foil covers for the turkey legs, added to protect the color and the temperature.

Presentation: Your Eyes Eat First

You will pull the cooked turkey out of the oven about 20 minutes before serving, so it can “stand” or rest. If you don’t, and try to cut it right from the oven, it will fall apart. Give it time.

TIP: Use the turkey’s resting time to bake something else in the oven. If need be, you can cover the turkey with foil and “stall it” for an hour. That way you can use the oven time, like for Stuffing.

It’s up to you. If you brush the skin with oil, and slide the turkey under the broiler for a bit, you’ll get that photogenic turkey we dream about. Or you can butter up the skin and increase the oven temp for the last bit of baking - all in order to get the “look.” But, the more you cook it, the drier it gets.

Or, it is what it is, served on a decorated platter with greens and such.

Or, it’s nicely cut and ready to enjoy.

We have so much to be thankful for.

Leftovers:

What would T-Day be without leftover turkey?

Best thing is to get it off the table and back into the fridge as soon as reasonable. The cooked bird will freeze nicely; wrap it tightly with film to enjoy another day.

Our personal favorite is to get the meat off the bones, gather up the leftover stuffing, and build small casseroles. This mix of turkey and stuffing, frozen together in meals for two - great to have in the freezer.

Maybe you forgot to plan, or maybe you’re not the planning kind. T-Day is tomorrow and your bird is frozen rock hard solid. Now what?

Not to worry. Truth is, our No Thaw way is so easy (and so good!) you might do Thanksgiving like this forever!

You’ll need a flavor injected, “pre-basted” style turkey, often a Butterball, as large as possible, usually 14 pounds. Ideally, you’ll find one that is pre-stuffed.

Portions/Servings

This recipe will feed 12 people, and will easily double or more. Read about Party Food Quantities and how to plan for the right amounts.

No Thaw Turkey Recipe Shopping List
for 12 People:

___14+ pound frozen Butterball, Stuffed turkey (or similar)

Procedure:

The Day of the Party:

Out of the freezer and into the sink. Run cold water on the plastic packaging for a minute or two, enough so it loosens up and can be removed. Rinse the bird with cold water.

Use a Rack. It really helps to keep the bird out of it’s own fat as it cooks. You can use a rack for other types of poultry and meats too.

This under $20 investment is money well spent.

In a roasting pan, place the turkey on the rack - breast up or down? That depends on who you ask. With breast down, or “upside-down” - the idea is that gravity lets the natural juices flow down to the breastmeat where it is most needed, as it roasts. However, doing it this way may leave rack marks on the breast, which doesn’t help that picture-perfect turkey look you might be looking for. And, many would say that it doesn’t matter one way or the other. FYI, we go breast down when presentation isn’t an issue. Your call.

Water in the pan - not a lot, maybe 1 inch or less. Brush the top of the turkey with oil.

Into a 325°f oven for longer than usual - a total of 6 hours for the 14 pound bird - depends on your oven.

After 4 hours, remove the turkey and fit some foil shields to the stuffing and the legs - this protects them from drying out. Back to the oven. Don’t keep the turkey out of the oven for more than 3 minutes. Think pit stop.

At 5 hours, open the oven and slide the bird out far enough to read the temperature with your thermometer. Gotta use a thermometer. Even seasoned chefs can’t tell the internal temps. We carry thermometers in our pockets. (...think of family, sick in the bathroom, vowing never to come to your home again...) Use a thermometer!

You’re looking for 165°f, in several places. Make sure the stem of the thermometer doesn’t touch a bone, or the bottom of the pan.

Up to temperature? Out it comes to rest before serving.

Presentation: Your Eyes Eat First

You will pull the cooked turkey out of the oven about 20 minutes before serving, so it can “stand” or rest. If you don’t, and try to cut it right from the oven, it will fall apart. Give it time.

TIP: Use the turkey’s resting time to bake something else in the oven. If need be, you can cover the turkey with foil and “stall it” for an hour. That way you can use the oven time, like for Stuffing.

It’s up to you. If you brush the skin with oil, and slide the turkey under the broiler for a bit, you’ll get that photogenic turkey we dream about. Or you can butter up the skin and increase the oven temp for the last bit of baking - all in order to get the “look.” But, the more you cook it, the drier it gets.

Or, it is what it is, served on a decorated platter with greens and such.

Or, it’s nicely cut and ready to enjoy.

We have so much to be thankful for.

Leftovers:

What would T-Day be without leftover turkey?

Best thing is to get it off the table and back into the fridge as soon as reasonable. The cooked bird will freeze nicely; wrap it tightly with film to enjoy another day.

Our personal favorite is to get the meat off the bones, gather up the leftover stuffing, and build small casseroles. This mix of turkey and stuffing, frozen together in meals for two - great to have in the freezer.

Here is our method to serve in very large quantities. The largest number we have done is over 800 - but it could be many more as needed.

As usual, the secret is planning. You will need to be several days ahead, thinking through what you will need when. The goal is to have the turkey cooked, cooled, off the bone and ready to serve as needed.

Portions/Servings

This recipe will feed 100 people or more. Follow our guidelines below, and read about Party Food Quantities how to plan for the right amounts.

Turkey for a Crowd Recipe Shopping List

___Turkey, frozen, figure 1.5 pounds frozen for every person

___ Salt, pepper and garlic as needed

Procedure:

One Week Before the Party:

Get the birds out of the freezer. Don’t take them out of the plastic, leave them in the bags. Put them in pans in the fridge, with nothing underneath.

Thawing will take 3-4 days. No less.

Three Days Before the Party:

Unwrap the turkey in the sink, removing the plastic cover and any organs, wires, etc. Save the organs for the stock. Wash the bird with cold water.

Using a sharp knife and strong hands, cut the turkey into quarters. It is very similar to a chicken, but with larger bones and tougher membranes.

Onto pans covered with foil for easy cleaning, first spray with vegetable oil release and then arrange the quartered birds, cut side down. Put a bit of water in the pan, maybe 1/2 inch or less.

Bake in a preheated 400°f oven for 2 hours, then check the temperature with your thermometer.

You want 165°f internal, in the thickest part of the meat. Check several places - careful not to touch a bone or the bottom of the pan.

When done, remove and cool quickly in the refrigerator. Do not let them stand out at room temperature - right into the fridge, hot.

After several hours, remove each quarter, one at a time, and wrap tightly with film. Return to the fridge right away.

Pour all pan drippings, oil, everything into a pot, and keep it refrigerated too.

Two Days Before the Party:

One at a time, remove the quarters and cut the bones out.

Careful to get all the tendons and other material out of all the meat.

Be careful to keep the breastmeat intact, so that it will be easily sliced later.

As each quarter is boned, save the bones in the pot with the drippings. ReWrap the boned quarters in film and refrigerate. Carry on until all the quarters are done and back in the fridge.

Now make stock by adding water to the pot(s) with bones and drippings, enough to cover the bones. Bring it to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Continue this cooking as long as you safely can, up to 12 hours.

When the stock is finished cooking, carefully remove and discard the bones. Strain the stock, and put in into the refrigerator to cool.

The Day of the Party:

As the stock cools, the fat will rise to the top of the pot. Ideally, this fat will solidify and be easily removed, or not - one way or another, skim the fat from the stock. Save the fat in the refrigerator - you can use it to make gravy.

Make gravy. Using the turkey fat you saved, mix it with flour to make a thick roux (paste), heating it in a pot big enough to hold all the gravy you plan. Melt/heat the fat and flour, stirring constantly, cook for 4 minutes, then add to some of the turkey stock you made. Don’t use more than 75% the stock for gravy. You’ll need the stock later. Read on.

Gravy TIPS: If you need more fat, use butter. If you need more stock, use chicken stock that you made, or bought pre-made, or you made from base.

Keep the gravy warm over hot water in a double boiler, or in a food warmer.

Here’s how The Serving works:

Spend some time arranging your food service line. No matter if its tens or hundreds of people - be organized.

Heat the remaining stock and keep it hot. Not enough stock left? You can water it down a bit, or add chicken stock. We like to throw in a head or two of celery, some whole onions and a couple pounds of carrots, which stay in the pot. (Then we fight over who gets to eat those veggies when the meal is over...!!) Totally too good.

Place the stock near the serving area, or have the serving area near the stove - plan it out. The stock needs to stay hot, on the stove is best. Think of a way to safely organize your activities (and crew) so you can serve the turkey efficiently - especially when you’re doing larger numbers.

If you need to serve all the meat at the very same time, slice each quarter up and rewrap it with film, then return to the refrigerator. It should all be sliced and ready before hand.

If you have a buffet line, and you’re not completely certain how many people will attend, then you can have 75% of the meat sliced and ready to serve before, and then slice more as needed.

If you’re serving finished plates to order, then slice as you go, as needed.

In any event - you never want to have a lot of turkey out at room temperature. You want to have it either in the refrigerator, or being sliced, or in the stock. Control the temperature.

Careful on the soak: Too long, and the meat will toughen up - especially the white meat. Not long enough, and it cold. Use your thermometer and check for 165°f same temperature you used before.

See how this works? It’s a totally doable way to serve many people large home parties, or volunteer suppers, fundraising events, homeless/USDA programs - you name it.

If you have questions, please use Ask-a-Caterer - we’ll be glad to help.

Leftovers:

The turkey can be easily frozen, so can be the stock.

How about some Desserts?

Check out some Appetizers!

Ready for some Dinner and Entrée ideas?