Do you think dry brining the turkey will help get a crispier skin when my mom insists that we have to baste it in a frankly unimaginable amount of butter?
Blake TDo you have enemies then?Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered Userregular
Dry brining it will help the skin but it will need more than 8+hours.
I usually dry brine my turkey when I do it for Christmas, but I vac seal it and then sous vide it. Cook it forever then dry off the skin and again and finish it using the grill setting in the oven.
Do you think dry brining the turkey will help get a crispier skin when my mom insists that we have to baste it in a frankly unimaginable amount of butter?
I've read just about everything Kenji Lopez Alt has written on turkeys, which is easily a hundred pages or more.
The short of it is to do a dry brine of approximately 1/2 TSP Kosher Salt per pound of bird rubbed over and underneath all the skin and refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Just prior to roasting rub it all over, above and below the skin with vegetable oil.
Wet brining will achieve worse skin, but similar flavor.
Basically all additives (butter, herbs, other spices in the brine) don't really flavor anything, but can season like immediate surface of the bird. At this point you're just better off making a flavorful gravy with whatever additives you want.
The problem is my mom says she won't eat it if we don't baste it with butter during cooking which makes the skin cook all uneven especially on the underside which kinda ends up swimming in butter and drippings because I don't own a rack.
Basically the way we usually do it together she just rubs the whole thing with like two sticks of butter immediately before it goes in and bastes from the bottom every hour or so until it's done. It tastes good. But I wish the texture of the skin was better.
The problem is my mom says she won't eat it if we don't baste it with butter during cooking which makes the skin cook all uneven especially on the underside which kinda ends up swimming in butter and drippings because I don't own a rack.
Basically the way we usually do it together she just rubs the whole thing with like two sticks of butter immediately before it goes in and bastes from the bottom every hour or so until it's done. It tastes good. But I wish the texture of the skin was better.
Yeah the liquid butter is going to trap moisture which is going to lead to parts of the bird steaming instead of roasting which gives you the shitty texture.
My mother is an unreasonable cook from whom I had to annex Thanksgiving. I don't know if I've ever seen her more pissed at me than when I got numerous compliments from our family on the bird my first year hosting (following Alton Brown's guidance that year).
I'd tell you to do that bird with a dry brine, but then make some kind of herbed clarified butter for her on the side.
Or, fuck it we will do it live, buy the smaller turkey you can find for her to fuck up and you do a properly brined bird yourself.
Well it's only the three of us me my mom and claw so even one bird is honestly usually overkill. Not that claw and I don't eat the leftovers.
We normally cook together and watch the turkey day mst3k marathon and eat.
I just want to try the bird a different way.
I kinda want to dry brine and spatchcock it then make a really rich buttery gravy for her.
This is a fantastic idea. Make sure you check frequently on the temperature when you go spatchcock a bird. It can be ready surprising how much faster it'll cook (doubly fast if you've got a convection oven).
Lost Salientblink twiceif you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered Userregular
So far:
Dried Figs with Black Pepper
Sesame-crusted feta with black lime honey syrup
[One more appetizer]
Turkey (dry-brined)
Mashed Potatoes
double cranberry relish
Gravy (duh)
Smooshed carrots with coriander pistachio pesto and pickled onions (maybe)
Brussels sprout and parmesan salad with lemon dressing
Mushrooms and chestnuts with za'atar
Classic stuffing with chicken livers
romaine and kale caesar with crunchy bits and radish
fiery sweet potatoes... maybe https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012865-fiery-sweet-potatoes
caramelized apple pie
Is this too many salads? Maybe I should skip the caesar. but man i love salad
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
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Blake TDo you have enemies then?Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered Userregular
their skin crisping conclusions i think are a little suspect because how you get to crispy skin matters. if it doesn't color deeply and blister it's not worth it but if you can get it to that stage it's worth it.
"Grip 'em up, grip 'em, grip 'em good, said the Gryphon... to the pig."
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Kane Red RobeMaster of MagicArcanusRegistered Userregular
My mother in law hosts Thanksgiving for us and she's very extra about it but I am thankful that she realized very early on that I'm a mediocre cook but an excellent baker so I'm on dessert duty. This year I'm going to make pumpkin cheesecake instead of pie and a dutch apple pie for the philistines in my extended family who don't like pumpkin.
I don't like basting because I don't like opening and closing the oven constantly, I feel like it fucks with the cooking time. I will also apologize in advance because I know this sounds, but I don't feel like turkey is a super complicated thing. We wet brine it, put it in a hot oven for a little while and then turn the heat down and let it cook until the dark meat is done and it comes out pretty great, it's barely any fuss at all. I don't say that to say that people shouldn't tinker, I'm all for tinkering, but more to say that I think people psych themselves out about turkey in a way they wouldn't about other things and I don't think you need to be worried about it.
I don't like basting because I don't like opening and closing the oven constantly, I feel like it fucks with the cooking time. I will also apologize in advance because I know this sounds, but I don't feel like turkey is a super complicated thing. We wet brine it, put it in a hot oven for a little while and then turn the heat down and let it cook until the dark meat is done and it comes out pretty great, it's barely any fuss at all. I don't say that to say that people shouldn't tinker, I'm all for tinkering, but more to say that I think people psych themselves out about turkey in a way they wouldn't about other things and I don't think you need to be worried about it.
I think a lot of it has to do with it's like the one big family meal for a lot of people so you don't want to fuck it up. Add that on top of decades of shitty food trends (turkey in a bag, that pop up thermometer bullshit) and the boomers raised to not actually know how to cook anything because their parents lives through the great depression leads to just a shit experience for a lot of people.
Take me for example. No stuffing is ever as good as Stoeffers because that's what I was fed for years once a year and there are some things you can't un do.
I am in the business of saving lives.
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tzeentchlingDoctor of RocksOaklandRegistered Userregular
Sausage Stuffing is widely considered the most important part of the Thanksgiving experience
Awww yeah! ;-)
No but really though Thanksgiving is one of my faves. I don't know if I'm gonna host it or my mom now that I have my own place nearby.
Also these are a crucial part of any Thanksgiving:
I don't like basting because I don't like opening and closing the oven constantly, I feel like it fucks with the cooking time. I will also apologize in advance because I know this sounds, but I don't feel like turkey is a super complicated thing. We wet brine it, put it in a hot oven for a little while and then turn the heat down and let it cook until the dark meat is done and it comes out pretty great, it's barely any fuss at all. I don't say that to say that people shouldn't tinker, I'm all for tinkering, but more to say that I think people psych themselves out about turkey in a way they wouldn't about other things and I don't think you need to be worried about it.
I think a lot of it has to do with it's like the one big family meal for a lot of people so you don't want to fuck it up. Add that on top of decades of shitty food trends (turkey in a bag, that pop up thermometer bullshit) and the boomers raised to not actually know how to cook anything because their parents lives through the great depression leads to just a shit experience for a lot of people.
Take me for example. No stuffing is ever as good as Stoeffers because that's what I was fed for years once a year and there are some things you can't un do.
Stoeffers is legit delicious though. As it should be, its full of msg. And msg is delicious. So what I'm saying is, make stoffers, and ALSO a home made with msg (brand name is "accent" in the states cause people got scared of msg) and everyone wins in the taste test.
I don't like basting because I don't like opening and closing the oven constantly, I feel like it fucks with the cooking time. I will also apologize in advance because I know this sounds, but I don't feel like turkey is a super complicated thing. We wet brine it, put it in a hot oven for a little while and then turn the heat down and let it cook until the dark meat is done and it comes out pretty great, it's barely any fuss at all. I don't say that to say that people shouldn't tinker, I'm all for tinkering, but more to say that I think people psych themselves out about turkey in a way they wouldn't about other things and I don't think you need to be worried about it.
I think a lot of it has to do with it's like the one big family meal for a lot of people so you don't want to fuck it up. Add that on top of decades of shitty food trends (turkey in a bag, that pop up thermometer bullshit) and the boomers raised to not actually know how to cook anything because their parents lives through the great depression leads to just a shit experience for a lot of people.
Take me for example. No stuffing is ever as good as Stoeffers because that's what I was fed for years once a year and there are some things you can't un do.
Stoeffers is legit delicious though. As it should be, its full of msg. And msg is delicious. So what I'm saying is, make stoffers, and ALSO a home made with msg (brand name is "accent" in the states cause people got scared of msg) and everyone wins in the taste test.
Two years ago I did this homemade oyster cornbread stuffing that took like way too much effort. Last year I did Serious Eats sausage stuffing and that was a nice balance of work and reward.
I took this threads advice and rather than get a meal from Whole Foods I went with a local restaurant. The best part is they're also a brewery so I'll grab a growler when I pick up.
now the real question is what is the best beer to go with turkey and drinking all day.
PSN: mxmarks - WiiU: mxmarks - twitter: @ MikesPS4 - twitch.tv/mxmarks - "Yes, mxmarks is the King of Queens" - Unbreakable Vow
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tzeentchlingDoctor of RocksOaklandRegistered Userregular
Drinking all day you probably want something lighter in alcohol content. Perhaps a pilsner or marzen style, maybe a dunkel if you want something a bit darker.
Drinking all day you probably want something lighter in alcohol content. Perhaps a pilsner or marzen style, maybe a dunkel if you want something a bit darker.
I can’t drink all day for Thanksgiving because it’s just Thursday here.
And I can’t drink all day on Saturday because the in-laws will be there all day.
But Dec 25th is a Saturday this year.
Gonna plan a simple “stay home and day drink” stay-cation with the missus, me-thinks, spend all day making cocktails and drinking chocolate stouts.
Well because the turkeys I can get look well disappointing which I did have the heads up about months ago. My brother and I have been arguing what to have since a whole ham is a little much for two people and the dogs only eat so much
I do get a three day weekend next week and I can get a bottle of 18 year Macallan for $65 so I just need a glass then
I do stay home since I lack a car and riding a bike sometimes is questionable
Well because the turkeys I can get look well disappointing which I did have the heads up about months ago. My brother and I have been arguing what to have since a whole ham is a little much for two people and the dogs only eat so much
I do get a three day weekend next week and I can get a bottle of 18 year Macallan for $65 so I just need a glass then
I do stay home since I lack a car and riding a bike sometimes is questionable
Ham keeps. Have some Thanksgiving ham and leftovers for a week (or two).
I made basically a whole Thanksgiving meal on Saturday while my parents were here, it was just me doing prep (so that my mom could take my wife and kids shopping, as is right and proper) so everything was pretty basic and nothing to brag about but in case anyone needs to know oyster mushrooms are pretty good when you roast them. The portabellas I also roasted were cut a little bit thick, they didn't quite do what I wanted but they were still good, but those oyster shrooms were just great.
My work gives out a turkey or ham to everyone before Thanksgiving. I always get the ham. It's a nice bone-in around 15 lbs (I don't recall exactly but somewhere from 12-18lbs). This year they aren't coming in until Monday. What are the odds I can (safely) defrost a huge ass ham by Thursday morning?
Sous vide that shit. Straight from freezer to bag to in the water, can't over cook cause it can't get hotter than the water. If you don't have one...ham in wrap in a bowl of cold water with a trickle of cold water from the faucet over it is about as fast as you can get it while being safe.
Hadn't thought about sous vide. I do have a machine I got from Satan a few years back. Do you think the bag the ham comes in would be safe to cook it in, and would it work in a 5 gallon bucket? It's all hypothetical right now since I won't see the ham until next week, but I'm certain it won't fit in the container I normally use to sous vide. Also, I'll be taking the ham to my parents so it'll have to live in a cooler for a couple hours on Wednesday while I drive down.
-edit-
The more I think about it, this might just have to be a Christmas ham instead.
Hadn't thought about sous vide. I do have a machine I got from Satan a few years back. Do you think the bag the ham comes in would be safe to cook it in, and would it work in a 5 gallon bucket? It's all hypothetical right now since I won't see the ham until next week, but I'm certain it won't fit in the container I normally use to sous vide. Also, I'll be taking the ham to my parents so it'll have to live in a cooler for a couple hours on Wednesday while I drive down.
-edit-
The more I think about it, this might just have to be a Christmas ham instead.
I think it'd be fine, I do tenderloins in their pouch all the time. As for 5 gal, depends on the sous vide, but wrap the bucket in some blankets so it doesn't have to fight the air to stay warm, maybe some ping pong balls floating on the water for extra insulation, and it'll probably handle it.
Posts
I usually dry brine my turkey when I do it for Christmas, but I vac seal it and then sous vide it. Cook it forever then dry off the skin and again and finish it using the grill setting in the oven.
Satans..... hints.....
I've read just about everything Kenji Lopez Alt has written on turkeys, which is easily a hundred pages or more.
The short of it is to do a dry brine of approximately 1/2 TSP Kosher Salt per pound of bird rubbed over and underneath all the skin and refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Just prior to roasting rub it all over, above and below the skin with vegetable oil.
Wet brining will achieve worse skin, but similar flavor.
Basically all additives (butter, herbs, other spices in the brine) don't really flavor anything, but can season like immediate surface of the bird. At this point you're just better off making a flavorful gravy with whatever additives you want.
Basically the way we usually do it together she just rubs the whole thing with like two sticks of butter immediately before it goes in and bastes from the bottom every hour or so until it's done. It tastes good. But I wish the texture of the skin was better.
Yeah the liquid butter is going to trap moisture which is going to lead to parts of the bird steaming instead of roasting which gives you the shitty texture.
My mother is an unreasonable cook from whom I had to annex Thanksgiving. I don't know if I've ever seen her more pissed at me than when I got numerous compliments from our family on the bird my first year hosting (following Alton Brown's guidance that year).
I'd tell you to do that bird with a dry brine, but then make some kind of herbed clarified butter for her on the side.
Or, fuck it we will do it live, buy the smaller turkey you can find for her to fuck up and you do a properly brined bird yourself.
We normally cook together and watch the turkey day mst3k marathon and eat.
I just want to try the bird a different way.
I kinda want to dry brine and spatchcock it then make a really rich buttery gravy for her.
This is a fantastic idea. Make sure you check frequently on the temperature when you go spatchcock a bird. It can be ready surprising how much faster it'll cook (doubly fast if you've got a convection oven).
Well, that's a pretty childish position of her and you've gotta make that call based on your relationship with her, but I'd call her bluff.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Dried Figs with Black Pepper
Sesame-crusted feta with black lime honey syrup
[One more appetizer]
Turkey (dry-brined)
Mashed Potatoes
double cranberry relish
Gravy (duh)
Smooshed carrots with coriander pistachio pesto and pickled onions (maybe)
Brussels sprout and parmesan salad with lemon dressing
Mushrooms and chestnuts with za'atar
Classic stuffing with chicken livers
romaine and kale caesar with crunchy bits and radish
fiery sweet potatoes... maybe https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012865-fiery-sweet-potatoes
caramelized apple pie
Is this too many salads? Maybe I should skip the caesar. but man i love salad
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
This is honestly what I’d do.
If you want to baste it with something, buy some ghee, it’ll give it a bit of a butter vibe but won’t have any water content.
Satans..... hints.....
their skin crisping conclusions i think are a little suspect because how you get to crispy skin matters. if it doesn't color deeply and blister it's not worth it but if you can get it to that stage it's worth it.
I think a lot of it has to do with it's like the one big family meal for a lot of people so you don't want to fuck it up. Add that on top of decades of shitty food trends (turkey in a bag, that pop up thermometer bullshit) and the boomers raised to not actually know how to cook anything because their parents lives through the great depression leads to just a shit experience for a lot of people.
Take me for example. No stuffing is ever as good as Stoeffers because that's what I was fed for years once a year and there are some things you can't un do.
No but really though Thanksgiving is one of my faves. I don't know if I'm gonna host it or my mom now that I have my own place nearby.
Also these are a crucial part of any Thanksgiving:
Stoeffers is legit delicious though. As it should be, its full of msg. And msg is delicious. So what I'm saying is, make stoffers, and ALSO a home made with msg (brand name is "accent" in the states cause people got scared of msg) and everyone wins in the taste test.
Two years ago I did this homemade oyster cornbread stuffing that took like way too much effort. Last year I did Serious Eats sausage stuffing and that was a nice balance of work and reward.
now the real question is what is the best beer to go with turkey and drinking all day.
so I need to pick up a turkey breast I think!
I can’t drink all day for Thanksgiving because it’s just Thursday here.
And I can’t drink all day on Saturday because the in-laws will be there all day.
But Dec 25th is a Saturday this year.
Gonna plan a simple “stay home and day drink” stay-cation with the missus, me-thinks, spend all day making cocktails and drinking chocolate stouts.
I do get a three day weekend next week and I can get a bottle of 18 year Macallan for $65 so I just need a glass then
I do stay home since I lack a car and riding a bike sometimes is questionable
Ham keeps. Have some Thanksgiving ham and leftovers for a week (or two).
You have a fridge, right?
So probably need another 2 days of thawing after Thursday morning
-edit-
The more I think about it, this might just have to be a Christmas ham instead.
I think it'd be fine, I do tenderloins in their pouch all the time. As for 5 gal, depends on the sous vide, but wrap the bucket in some blankets so it doesn't have to fight the air to stay warm, maybe some ping pong balls floating on the water for extra insulation, and it'll probably handle it.
Exciting!