🍴Dry as Death Valley, Turkey Breast🍴

[justaprogressive]

Last edited Tue Nov 14, 2023, 08:01 PM - Edit history (1)

One of the most horrible eating experiences one can have at Thanksgiving is
being subjected to a dry as sandpaper, piece of turkey breast.

Oh sure, you can bury it in wonderful gravy, mix it with the stuffing, but you're just
fooling yourself; it still won't taste GOOD.

So.. how do YOU avoid this?

I TURN THE TURKEY UPSIDE-DOWN ON THE ROASTING RACK AND COOK.
TURN IT RIGHT-SIDE UP FOR THE LAST 45 MINUTES TO BROWN THE SKIN.




This has been my solution for the past 30 years:

* Zxkf zit zxkatn xhlort-rgvf gf zit kgqlzofu
kqea qfr egga. Zxkf oz kouiz-lort xh ygk zit
sqlz 45 dofxztl zg wkgvf zit laof.

*Yes it's in code, I want to hear your solutions...of course if you can break the code
you'll know...I'll post it in plain text after some replies (if any!).

[stopdiggin]

1. well for one thing - if your bird looks ANYTHING like that ..

when it comes out of the oven (or cooker, whatever) ...
You done F'ed up! No sympathy ...

[justaprogressive]

2. true, but just an

EXTREME example!

[elleng]

3. I agree, and I haven't actually cooked such in years.

so likely to avoid it THIS year.

ONE year did order from Greenberg Smoked Turkey, gobblegobble.com, and not bad, they've written me this year.

Had a 'special' celebration, 2 daughters, one in college, one out, and their guys, 10? years ago, and not bad. Did Brussel sprouts too!

[justaprogressive]

4. Cooking third turkey this season, today

and roasting potatoes , onions and Brussel sprouts to go with it...

[Bayard]

5. There's a little thing called basting....

[justaprogressive]

9. Great for the skin

does nothing for the breast.

[Kali]

6. 2 ways

cook upside down for first half to 2/3s of cook time. or...covered (or both breast down and covered). that pretty, golden, whole bird lasts about 30 seconds and we never serve a whole bird for carving at the table, so why bother? if you roast covered, everything gets done and is tender and juicy. sure, the white meat shreds more than makes good slices but we just don't care.

[justaprogressive]

10. Ding ding ding

upside down.

[dweller]

7. For the 1st half of cooking time

Roast breast down … flip breast up for 2nd half to brown

Good luck


✌🏻

[justaprogressive]

11. Ding ding ding

Upside down.

[MOMFUDSKI]

8. Use a classic black, speckled roaster and

keep the lid on the entire time. Turkey comes out wonderfully brown and juicy.

[justaprogressive]

12. Covered Turkey

Is that hard to time? Cooking time in a closed roasting pan will be greatly decreased...

[Warpy]

13. Turkey is not a flavorful meat, period

no matter what gyrations you perform while cooking it. It gained popularity as a holiday staple because it feeds a houseful of people more cheaply than other meats.

If you've got an ice cold garage that can be secured against wildlife, you can brine the damned thing, and that will help a little Turning and basting does nothing and unless you want to butcher it down and cook its various parts separately, the breast will be dry while the dark meat is barely done.

It requires that gravy, cranberry relish, or salsa (mango is good) to have any flavor at all. Since people eat with their eyes, too, I prefer to have the presentation of the turkey with that browned skin, serving plenty of sides so that people can get it down.

I think I've posted this video every year it's been out.

[justaprogressive]

14. While this part is true "it feeds a houseful of people more cheaply than other meats. "

I take issue with this:

"It requires that gravy, cranberry relish, or salsa (mango is good) to have any flavor at all"



It is absolutely possible to prepare the bird with additional elements in the
cooking which will render the flesh delicious.

You're stuck in a rut. No offense.

[The Polack MSgt]

15. A brine with equal amounts of salt and sugar hydrates the turkey quite a bit

I add peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves and herbs to the brine for flavor.

This also flavors the drippings - making the gravy easier.

I cook the bird in a covered roaster for about 3/4 of the recommended cook time for that weight, then uncover and baste with melted butter mixed with a splash of soysauce.

I use that to paint the skin a nice color as well as crisping it a little

I let it finish uncovered so the skin loses that spongey texture a covered roaster gives turkey and allows the soy sauce to cook in - browning it up for presentation

[The Polack MSgt]

17. From memory, and all amounts are approximate

1 to 1.5 cups Kosher or sea salt (No iodized salt please)
Equal amount or white sugar
small handfull of black peppercorns (a mounded table spoon in my hand)
3 cloves (or MORE) garlic cracked, not smashed or minced just pressed until teh clove splts open
2 bay leaves
in cheesecloth or linen herb bag add good pinches of rosemary, savory leaves, and basil.

In a stock pot bring water to a boil and add everything
stir until salt & sugar are disolved
turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes

I use an igloo cooler to marinate the bird, scrupulously cleaned. A 5 gallon bucket will also work for medium large-ish birds
Add the brine to enough cold water to fully submerge the bird. Do not put the bird in hot brine - it screws up the skin

Let sit over night

[justaprogressive]

19. Very nice

love to see a pic of the fished bird!

[Staph]

16. According to the good folk at America's Test Kitchen,

they spatchcock the turkey - remove the backbone with kitchen shears and then flatten the breastbone. After a few steps shoving a salt and sugar mixture under the loosened skin and refrigerating for 24 hours, you then roast the turkey on top of all the dressing you want. The juices from the turkey drip down onto the dressing. With the wings tucked under and the legs up in the air, everything actually cooks at the same time (covered with foil for the first 45 minutes and then uncovered until done).

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/15950-stuffed-spatchcock-turkey

I haven't actually roasted a turkey in decades, courtesy of Bob Evans heat-and-eat Farmhouse Feast. But this recipe tempts me!

[justaprogressive]

20. There's something about the shape of the bird

on the table...

[Marthe48]

18. Several methods

Butterball turkeys turn out the best, then Honeysuckle.

The roasting bags do a nice job of creating a juicy turkey

If you are using a frozen turkey, thaw it out entirely. Loosen the skin on the breast and put bacon grease, butter or oil under the skin. I've never roasted a turkey without covering it, either in a roaster, or foil. If you use a roaster, baste the bird every hour or so. You're probably stuck in the kitchen anyway If you use foil, be sure to grease the skin so the foil doesn't stick. About 1/2 hour before it is roasted, take the cover off and let it brown.

You can stuff the turkey or not, but unstuffed cooks faster. I usually roast it at 400 degrees if I haven't stuffed it.

I've probably roasted over a 100 turkeys over the years. When I had a bigger crockpot, I'd put a whole raw turkey breast in and cook it on high overnight. Just seasonings, no water, there's usually plenty in the meat. Wonderful

[justaprogressive]

21. Some great stuff there

thanks!

[yellowdogintexas]

25. I put bits of butter under the skin and paint the outer skin with butter

I have used the roasting bag with success, and have cooked a moist turkey without it.
Butterball is definitely the juiciest with Honeysuckle coming in second. I cover in foil for the last 45 minutes if I don't use the bag.

[Marthe48]

26. I've used butter

and bacon fat a few times. A long time ago, I had gotten 3 or 4 hypodermic needles from the vet, and had one left I didn't use for the cat's meds. Used it and injected mild brine into the breast meat. I think it turned out okay.

I learned a few years ago that if you put the dull side of the foil facing out, it absorbs heat. If you put the bright side out it reflects heat. I don't know if that's true, but it makes sense.

[Alliepoo]

22. I do the upside down thing too.

On fb some folks were discussing the use of cooking bags and said they loved using them for turkey because it keeps the meat moist and also lets it brown up nicely. I’ve never tried a cooking bag but now I’m thinking about giving it a whirl. Has anyone here tried the bags?

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

23. Yeah, I've been cooking turkeys for my family Thanksgiving dinner since I was 12 YEARS OLD...

1) I BRINE THE BIRD FOR 36 TO 48 HOURS, (My brine has salt & sugar along with herbs, (white sage, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, , finely diced purple shallots, parsley, GARLIC , (ALOT of it!), Lemon peel from at least 2 lemons, Onions)
2) ONCE IL TACCHINO is taken out of the bath, I place HERBED SAVORY COMPOUND BUTTER, between the skin of the breast and the meat.
3) I then brush/bathe OL'TACCHI in a herbal olive oil/butter blend, (not too heavy just enough to keep the skin moist & allow it to brown when I enter the home stretch of the roasting process)
4) Once finished, I use the drippings to make the gravy adding mushrooms, (usually a mixture of porcini, Morels, Oyster, black trumpet, etc), finely diced shallots, (purple), etc, adding corn flour to brown, making a roux, (medium brown), adding water & a DASH of worcestershire sauce,. I then finish it of with cream or half in half.

I have NEVER had a dry turkey...EVER.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

24. What temperature are you cooking the turkey to?

And how soon after removing from the oven are you carving it?

Those little pop-up indicators are designed to go off at 180 degrees, well into the dry as @#$% stage. Don't go by those. Get yourself a leave-in type probe thermometer, and stick the pointy end of the probe into the crevasse between the thigh and the breast of the trussed turkey (not touching any bone), set the oven to 350, pull it when it reads 155 degrees, cover it with aluminum foil and a towel, then let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes (without removing the thermometer probe) before carving. You can watch the temperature go up. You will be amazed by the juicy tenderness and flavor.

A large piece like a turkey has a lot of 'thermal mass' and the heat takes a while to get from the outer surface to the inner parts. This is what's known as 'carryover cooking'. The best temp for white meat is about 160, while the best for dark is 165 or so. Since the leg and thigh is more toward the outside, it will end up a higher temperature than the protected breast.

Dry meat is from the long strands of protein denaturing. They go from bundles of parallel strands to knotted up strands at a temperature that varies with the type of meat itself. When it goes all knotted up, the water is squeezed out, making the meat dry and tough. This is what you want to avoid.

You can find all sorts of more in-depth information on YouTube or by Googling. I hope this at least gives you an idea of what to look for.

Best wishes for a great Holiday season.