How Do You Cook Your Turkey?

[JoeyGee]

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. I have successfully cooked a turkey before (for an Easter dinner) but honestly don't remember how I did it. I'm sure I didn't do much more than putting it in roaster and turning it on (the roaster, not the turkey). I do know I made the stuffing separately. I have heard putting it in the bird lengthens cooking time and absorbs precious moisture.

Anyway, having been successful in the past with this method (I planned to call my mom to get any details I missed, since she helped me the last time), I had planned to do it again. Now, LOML (I actually do most of the cooking) has decided SHE wants to make the turkey and has been watching a lot of the Food Network. To me, turkey is turkey, but she has all sorts of crazy things she wants to do with this poor bird.

I'm not looking for advice, I am just curous to see how others prepare and cook their turkeys for Thanksgiving.

I am sure I'll win on this one, since starting the turkey involves getting up very early--and that's NOT happening for her .

[Uncle Cracker]

Injected, dry-rubbed and deep fried... YUMMMM!

[DaveS]

I usually brine my turkey, and then roast it.

I follow the recipe/procedure from the Good Eats show on the Food Network. It turns out perfect every time.

[Tom Slick]

brine and smoke. I have also BBq'd them with success. Brine really does make a difference.

[Ed62]

Injected, dry-rubbed and deep fried... YUMMMM!

I don't do any cooking, but they're sure good that way! And I usually don't care much for turkey.

Ed

[leehljp]

Hickory Smoked! Put it on at 7:00 AM and it is ready at 1:00 PM. Juicy and flavored!

But I love oven roasted (in a bag) and also deep fried.

[Richard in Smithville]

We have two ways. One is let my MOL cook it, or we let my mum cook. Actually my wife still cooks a nice turkey dinner but for major holidays we still do the family thing.

[crokett]

My brother has done fried the last few Thanksgivings and it is good, but I will always prefer a roasted turkey. Roasted means gravy from the drippings, stuffing cooked inside the turkey and most important crispy skin to munch while you are carving it.

[Cheeky]

My 3 favorite ways


Roasted in an oven bag (no mess inside the oven, crispy and juicy)
Roasted after brining
Deep-fried

[Knottscott]

I've cooked several, and I'd have to say the most important thing I do is to cook it in a roaster oven as opposed to the big oven in our stove. Always moist and tender that way.

[LinuxRandal]

Never had a deep fried yet, but have some friends that do it.

Norrmally roasted (don't really know anything about the brine as my late Grandmother did it, then my mother, normally as family tradition).

I had a friend whose father BBQ'd a turkey for his birthday one year on July 4th. I would LOVE to have that again. Most of the "bbq'd" turkey legs are just smoked. And the place where they normally are, are a precooked, and heated things (not good, not always done).

Had Fresh wild turkey a couple of years, that may be what they are serving this year (out at my brothers farm).

I will probably have a burrito this year, weather is supposed to get bad the day before, and I don't have a 4x4, which is really needed to get over to his place.

[Scottydont]

Brined and smoked. Nutin' better IMHO.

[reddog552]

Misquite smoked done in grill saves space for PIES in oven

[JeffW]

Brined for about 20 hours and slow smoked at 225 degrees using cherry wood.

[cgallery]

My wife uses her convection oven. It has a meat thermometer that plugs right into the turkey and into the side of the oven and she really has the temperature down so it doesn't overcook. The outside is always crispy, and the inside is always juicy.