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Personally, I like the other white meat, HAM!
I'm with you! My mother makes a small ham for me and my sister because we both hate turkey.
although for some reason, on a sandwich with a lot of mayo I don't mind it.
Hate Turkey WHAT????
Hate Turkey WHAT????
Shit's dry as hell, doesn't have a whole lot of flavor and makes you tired. What's not to love?
Then you haven't had it cooked properly. And the dark meat tastes better, has more flavor. If it's dry, it's overcooked. I have heard -- although have not tried myself -- that the deep-fried turkey is really good.
I'd do cornish game hens as well, but please God, no more ham. I'm sick of it.
My last office, we'd organize a Thanksgiving potluck and one of the guys would bring in his turkey deep-fryer. It's amazing.I have heard -- although have not tried myself -- that the deep-fried turkey is really good.
Dry turkey? Secret to that. Brine.
Sounds good to me. I don't know if I've had one cooked in brine (which I just saw today in a jar in the store; not sure I've ever seen it before, or more likely didn't notice), but mom and my MIL all make good turkeys. The only dry ones I've had were dry because they were overcooked.
Indeed. I remember the first time I had a kosher turkey (my step-grandmother brought one over--she only bought Empire Kosher Turkeys; till then I'd only had my mother's turkey, standard from the market). I remember being astonished. It wasn't like my mom's turkey--this was meltingly delicious; buttery, moist, flavorful.Kosher turkeys are brined.
Indeed. I remember the first time I had a kosher turkey (my step-grandmother brought one over--she only bought Empire Kosher Turkeys; till then I'd only had my mother's turkey, standard from the market). I remember being astonished. It wasn't like my mom's turkey--this was meltingly delicious; buttery, moist, flavorful.
The secret of why it was so good remained a secret until brining became the "in" thing for Thanksgiving turkeys some ten or fifteen years back.
Currently, the "in" thing is dry brining. I haven't tasted two turkeys (one wet, one dry brined) together and so can't say which is better (or if they're equal)--but the dry brine is certainly easier, and avoids the risk of some wet brined turkeys of tasting salty. You rub some salt on the outside of the turkey, wrap it up tight and let it sit in the refrigerator for a good 72 hours (plus 8 more after you release it from the plastic). Then you roast as usual.
The Dry Brine recipe (from L.A. Times):
1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey
Kosher salt
1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).
2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.
3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.
4. Place the turkey in a 2½-gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.
5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface, and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.
6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2¾ hours total roasting.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.
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