Face up, or face down?

[71T Targa]

Getting the bird prepped for the roaster.

What's the general consensus? Breast up or down?

[Alan A]

Joint it. Cook breast and legs separate. Use back for stock.

[Bill Douglas]

Face up.

[billybek]

Spatchcock.
Sounds dirty but it is not.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by billybek

Spatchcock.
Sounds dirty but it is not.

Oh, did I really just quote myself?

You can also flip your spatchcock turkey. You might be chicken but try it anyway!

[legion]

It depends...does she have a butter face?

Wait....we're talking about turkeys? Should you be posting this in a public forum?

[SiberianDVM]

Agree with spatchcock. That's how I'm doing mine tomorrow.

[billybek]

I did a Hutterite chicken a few weeks ago on the big green egg.
Fricking fantastic. Kind of like a small turkey without the nap.
Did the spatchcock routine. So much faster to cook and more consistent temperatures.

[71T Targa]

Originally Posted by billybek

Spatchcock.
Sounds dirty but it is not.

Learned something today.

[Bill Douglas]

I do chickens on the Weber BBQ and tend to butterfly the chicken. That is roughly cut down the chest side and spread out flat.

[javadog]

Face up and tent the breast with foil after a while, to keep from overcooking it.

[dan79brooklyn]

Breast up and fold the wings under for support.

[sc_rufctr]

I've always cooked the turkey in our house.

Traditional face up with my secret stuffing. The secret is lower temp and time.

You can't rush a turkey. Spend a bit extra and buy the best quality available.

[PorscheGAL]

Serious Eats has a great article of why and how to spatchcock a turkey if you are interested.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2012/11/how-to-spatchcock-cook-turkey-thanksgiving-fast-easy-way-spatchcocked.html

[sc_rufctr]

Sorry Stephanie I don't mean to be rude but Spatchcocking a turkey may sound good but how would you fit it inside the average oven?

I've got a big oven and a turkey with some veggies barely fits.

(from the link)
This looks like a large chicken to me. Maybe US turkeys are smaller than AU ones but I seriously doubt this.

[craigster59]

From my dearly departed friend who was a sous chef for Jeremiah Tower.......

"Well, I brine it first, two days before. Submerse the turkey in water with about three cups of sea salt. Has to be sea salt. Then let it sit uncovered in your fridge overnight before cooking...

For even cooking, don't stuff the bird. It slows things down. You'll need a pan rack to keep the turkey out of its juices. Cook at 425-450. Start bird with it's back up for one and a half hours, On it's sides for an hour each. Then finish breast up. At each rotation, slather the bird with butter and thyme.

The roaster pan should have broth, celery, onions, garlic and carrots. And a whack of vermouth, if you got it. And some thyme. That's for the homemade gravy later on.

The Stuffing actually goes under the skin. So careful not to pop a hole in it, separate the skin from the breast with the dull end of a cooking spoon. Then down onto the legs and thighs if you can. Just be careful not the tear the skin...

The prosciutto stuffing is merely fine-minced proscuito, garlic, thyme and softened, unsalted butter. Mix it together and spoon it up under the skin, Then spread it out from outside the skin, getting it down onto the legs if you can.

The brining may sound like a sick amount of salt to use. That's what I thought too. But all it really does is seal the turkey meat, curing the outside. That and cooking on a rack makes the whole damn bird crispy. It also takes some of the gamey taste off the dark meat.

Save your gizzards, necks etc to make turkey broth. This is what I put in the bottom of the turkey pan with the vegetables. Maybe a cup and a half. But make sure they never dry out, so add stock as needed during the cooking period.

Your cooking time is greatly reduced by rotating the turkey and the fact that it doesn't have stuffing IN it. Do the stuffing in a separate bake pan. Use turkey broth instead of water, so make alot of it. After cooked mince up some of your giblets to add to your stuffing. It will taste like it was cooked inside the bird.

When the turkey's done, take it out of the pan. Skim the roasting pan fat and then process the veggies through a food mill or processor, put them back in the pan with giblets and a shot of vermouth and some turkey broth. Mix down, then add some corn starch to thicken it up.

Happy Holidays, Man!"

[LakeCleElum]

I'm not a cook. Happy T-giving to you and yours Joel.....

[PorscheGAL]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Sorry Stephanie I don't mean to be rude but Spatchcocking a turkey may sound good but how would you fit it inside the average oven?

I've got a big oven and a turkey with some veggies barely fits.

(from the link)
This looks like a large chicken to me. Maybe US turkeys are smaller than AU ones but I seriously doubt this.

That's a legit question: My bird is about 12 lbs. It fits fine but if I was doing a larger bird, it wouldn't work. Most years I don't use the oven, I smoke it on the grill. This year, the forecast was calling for rain so I didn't get charcoal. Of course the weather man was wrong and it's a beautiful day here so it's going in the oven.

[craigster59]

Ok, bird one is done.

I do go off the reservation on the above recipe. I brine with a jar you buy on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Rodelle-Turkey-Brine-25-Ounce/dp/B00O2ZXPEM/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=turkey+brine&qid=1574977402&s=grocery&sr=1-6

I stuff with a peeled orange, an onion semi quartered (cut halfway through) and one of those clumps of poultry herbs from the grocery store.

And for a 17 lb bird I do hour and fifteen down, twist on the side for 30 minutes each and breast up for one hour tented and un tented for 30 minutes.

Norman Rockwell would be proud.

[71T Targa]

Went face up in the roaster. Not as pretty as I would have liked but it was falling off the bone tender.