My Best Turkey yet!! Salting beats Brining in my book!!

This is largely a copy of my post in Turkey Talk but its more of a "recipe" so I thought I should post it here. It's long but through and has several key takeaways.

1) Get the best quality unbrined bird you can for the best results and taste- it makes a difference.

2) Salting poultry, when properly done and with enough time is, in my opinion, a much better method than brining. Brining, wile a great way to inject different flavors into a bird, often gives a somewhat mushy meat and compromises the skin.

3) Rotisserie cooking is my favorite method for cooking poultry in general because of the self basting effect. One can still get good results with the grill but far and away Rotisserie seems to me to be the ideal cooking medium for Turkey and Chicken.

I'm not a set in my ways kind of guy so while these are my current best practices if you don't agree or have other opinions please add to this as that's what makes this board amazing!!


I'm a pretty particular guy when it comes to my food and really love a good Turkey but over the years...many years I've struggled to come up with the best combination of a quality Turkey, a best practices for preparation before cooking of said Turkey, and finally a best method of preparing the Turkey. I'll break each down one at a time here because I have never been happier with Turkey than I am with what I made for Christmas this year!!

Starting with the quest for a great Turkey it is really kind of sad that Turkey is bred to taste so bland. I've all but given up on the big commercial birds..the Jenny-O and Butterball etc.. I rule out previously frozen birds as I think you lose too much moisture and while even fresh birds are usually stored below freezing and still called fresh they still are much better in My opinion. In Wisconsin we have a local produce company I had been using for about ten years called Hinstocker and sold under the brand name Turkey Tyme. The birds are raised locally and then sent to Iowa to be processed and shipped back to be distributed. These were the best I could find but in the last few years they have gone downhill. I had some that were badly bruised, some with clipped wings... and the flavor while better than the commercial birds by far was still not quite what I was looking for. I wanted Turkey that has taste!!

Last year I posted about finding an amazing bird through Whole Foods. Our Wholefoods in Milwaukee started getting Turkeys from Larry Shultz Farms in Minnesota. I believe that they are also available through a high end chain grocer in the Minneapolis area as well. These birds are free range cage free organic birds. I've cooked three of them now two in the oven at moms for the last two Thanksgivings and one at home. All were really good thought the meat on this years Thanksgiving bird was a bit stringy but I believe that was an overcooking issue and a lack of proper preparation combined with a less than ideal cooking method. Overcooking Turkey is the second worst thing you can do to a Turkey, the first being undercooking because of health issues (IMO). Still the Taste of the meat is discernibly richer. Not gamy but it has a great flavor and tastes really good. These birds aren't cheap at $2.99/lb so a 12-14 lb bird costs around $36-$42 But seriously for a special occasion it really is worth it to me. What can be more special in life than sharing your best with family over the holidays?? (ok the day they all go home is pretty good too but that's just holiday fatigue setting in here)

Link to Whole foods page on their Turkey suppliers below

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.co...calstories/index.php

For prepping the bird I've tried brining with OK results but didn't like how it makes the meat mushy. I want firm moist breast slices and whenever I brine a bird I don't like how the skin comes out when I brine a bird. But I want the tenderizing effect and the enhanced flavor that the salt brings to the game. So I turned to Cooks Illustrated and looked at their articles on salting Turkey over the last few years. The November 2006 Roasted Salted Turkey became my starting point for preparation on the bird. I rinsed the bird and then carefully with my hands made space between the skin and the meat on the breast from both the front and back as well as the legs and thighs then salt them with Kosher salt. These measurements are based on a 12-14 lb bird Rub 2 tablespoons salt evenly inside cavity of turkey, 1 tablespoon salt under skin of each breast half, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt under skin of each leg. Wrap turkey tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 24 to 48 hours.

IMPORTANT!! all brands of kosher salt are not equal as is well discussed on this board.
If you have Morton's Kosher Salt, which is denser than Diamond Crystal, use only 4 1/2 teaspoons of salt in the cavity, 2 1/4 teaspoons of salt per each half of the breast, and 1 teaspoon of salt per leg.

I only had 24 hours and this is the first time I have salted a bird so others may be able to comment on the befits of salting longer. The general idea is that initially the salt draws moisture out of the meat but eventually with enough time the chemistry changes and moisture is drawn back into the meat with the salt. The benefit according to cooks illustrated is it helps proteins retain their own natural juices.

When you take the bird out you rinse away any excess salt and then carefully dry with paper towels any excess moisture between the skin and the meat taking extra care not to tear the skin. This is important to have that so important tasty crispy skin, one of my favorite parts of roasted turkey.

One of the most difficult things about cooking turkey is that the white breast meat cooks faster than the dark legs and thigh meat. Also thigh meat needs to be cooked to 170 while breast meat only needs 160. I would be very disappointed if I had overcooked breast meat.

Final prep before cooking the bird involves icing the breast while letting the thigh and legs (dark meat ) come up a little in temperature. Take a couple of gallon bags of ice loosely filled and put them in a roasting pan and put the turkey breast side down on top of the ice being careful that the ie only touches the breast and not the legs or thighs. Then take a two quart bags and fill loosely with ice putting one in the cavity of the bird again positioned on the breast meat and another in where the neck was on the exposed breast meat. leave the bird sit on the counter for one hour.

A have both a 22in and 18in WSM as well as several 22in kettles two with rotisserie attachments. I've never been happy with smoked turkey because I don't like rubbery skin. I've had better results using indirect heat in a 22 in kettle but nothing beats the rotisserie for cooking poultry. The self basting effect is so beneficial and the skin turns out perfect. The largest I've done on the rotisserie is a 14lb bird. I prefer a bit smaller. The hope is that we can get Breast meat to 160 at the same time the thigh hits 170.

Start 3/4 of a weber chimnney of charcoal (I use a separate grill to start to make sure to not get any loose newspaper ash in the grill I'm cooking on). When the coals are ready dump them into baskets setting up the grill for indirect cooking and complete the setup of the rotisserie by putting a drip pan in the middle. I prefer a drip pan that is deeper than the weber drip pan to reduce the possibility of ash contamination in the wonderful pan juices that will make a killer gravy.

Its simple from here. Remove ice from the bird one more paper towel patting between the skin and truss the bird folding back the wings and put on the rotisserie skewer.

Put one or two small chunks of oak and or cherry or your wood of choice. I wanted to be careful to not overpower the taste of the turkey so I used two small chunks of oak. Cook on the rotisserie until the Breast is approaching the desired 160 check to see if the legs/thighs have reached the important 170 temp. Check your coals after an hour you will likely need to add a few on each side but do this carefully to not create any ash cloud or ashes flying into the drip pan. Regardless of the thigh temp take the bird off when the bird gets to 160 and rest tented in aluminum foil on a cutting board for 15 min before slicing. If the thigh's still need some heat carefully cut the thigh/leg in one piece and throw a grill grate on the grill and leave the them on the grill while the breast rests. I find the thigh/legs don't benefit from the resting time anywhere as much as the breast does.

I did not season the outerskin. If you do I would not use salt in the rub. It doesn't need anything and for me this was about tasting turkey. Also no need to baste as the rotisserie is a selfbasting process.

Sorry this was so long but since this really hit it out of the park and was worth all the hassle. Feel free to add ideas to this but this was for me the best darn turkey I ever had or made (sorry Mom)

Note from Moderator: Fixed broken link to Whole Foods.

For anyone looking for photos, especially on how to separate the skin, the Salted Turkey article contains a few. The article follows the same Cook's Illustrated process that Tom has described so well in his post.

Regards,
Chris

I agree totally. Here's my recipe:

Dry Brined Turkey
--
Based on the Dry Brined Turkey method published in the LA Times by Russ Parsons, which, in turn, was inspired by Judy Rodgers, Zuni Cafe, San Francisco. I've added some inspiration from my previous recipes of choice from Wolfgang Puck and Alton Brown, and I've added my gravy recipe.

1 16 pound turkey, (recommended: Fresh turkey that is not pre-injected wth a tenderizing / brine solution)
kosher salt, for dry brine
olive oil, for drizzling
vegetable oil spray
Compound Butter:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
Aromatics:
1 red apple
½ onion, quartered
1 stick cinnamon
4 sprigs rosemary
1 cup water
vegetable oil
Mirepoix:
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 onion, medium, coarsely chopped
Gravy:
Turkey Stock from Raw Giblets, See related item
3 quarts turkey stock, (recommended: turkey bone stock from last year, See related item)
roast turkey meat drippings, defatted
roast turkey fat drippings, should be about 1 1/2 cups
Wondra flour, same volume as fat drippings, plus more if needed

Method

1. Dry Brine (Begin on the evening, 4 days before cooking):
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).

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.

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.

Place the turkey in a large 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. This time should end on the evening before you are going to cook.

The night before the turkey is to be cooked, 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 overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
2. Preparation to Roast:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. If there is not a metal or plastic leg restraint on the bird, use kitchen twine to tie the legs together. This will make a compact shape and will create a great presentation. Remove the wing tips.

While the turkey is warming up, begin making the turkey stock from the giblets, neck and wing tips. (See related item.)

Once the stock is simmering, make the compound butter by mixing together the softened butter and chopped rosemary. Using your hands, loosen to the skin from the breast by gently inserting your fingers between the skin and the flesh. Stuff the compound butter underneath the skin and spread it around.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish, cover lightly, and microwave on high for 2 minutes. When cool enough to handle, insert the aromatics into the cavity of the turkey.

Make a 2 layer foil Turkey Triangle that can be quickly added to cover the breast after 30 minutes of cooking. Wipe the underside with canola oil or use non-stick foil. Then preform it to the breast so that it can be easily added to a hot turkey.
3. Roasting:
In a shallow vegetable oil-sprayed roasting pan, place the mirepoix (coarsely chopped, not to be served). Add the roasting rack, spray it as well, and nestle it into the vegetables.

Place the turkey on the rack, breast-side DOWN. Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and rub it into the skin.

After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

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.) Insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast from front toward the back. Return the turkey to the oven and roast until the thermometer reads 161 degrees, about 3 hours total roasting.

Remove turkey from the oven and lift it and roasting rack from the roasting pan and place them on a sheet pan to cool. Tent with foil. Let it rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.
4. Gravy:
This recipe makes about a gallon of gravy, with the idea being to have enough to serve it with turkey, dressing (See related item) and mashed potatoes. Remove the vegetables from the roasting pan with a slotted spoon. When the fat and drippings have cooled a bit, pour them into a fat separator and split the fat and meat drippings. The fat drippings will include not only the rendered turkey fat but also the butter from under the skin, about 1 1/2 cups total.

Add the fat drippings into a saute pan, straining to remove any solid bits if needed. Using a volume of Wondra flour equal to the amount of fat, make a light roux, cooking very gently just to remove the raw flour taste. The roux should not darken.

In a large pot, add the turkey stock, the stock from the giblets and the meat drippings, strained to remove any solid bits if needed. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer. While whisking, begin adding the roux. Keep the gravy at a simmer or a low boil so that the flour can do its job. Depending on how thick you want the gravy, you may not use all of the roux. Or you may want to add additional Wondra flour after using up all of the roux.
5. Carving:
Use an electric knife.

Cut off the legs by cutting down through the skin separating the thigh from the body. When you get to the joint, use your hands with a paper towel to bend the joint down and pop the socket. Cut through and remove leg and thigh as one piece.

From the front, inward, parallel to the table, from just above the wing, cut inward toward the rib and then up, tracing a line along the wishbone to the base of the keel bone.

You can slice the breast meat or, starting at the keel bone, cut down until you feel resistance and then out, removing the entire breast half. Slice the breast as a boneless hunk into 1/4" or so slices.

Cut off the wings

Separate the thigh from the leg and cut the dark meat from the thigh. Serve legs whole.
6. Separate the thigh from the leg and cut the dark meat from the thigh. Serve legs whole.
7. Cut off the wings
Notes

Be sure and save the carcass to make stock for next year's gravy!



Turkey Bone Stock

Servings/Yield

1 3/4 gallons from a 17 lb turkey carcass
I adjusted the veggies and set a basis for pot to stock volume. I also sautéed the vegetables

1 leftover turkey carcass
2 onions, chopped
6 carrots, peeled, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped. Try to get celery with lots of greens, and add the celery tops with the water.
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
salt
water, to cover

Method

1. Using a sharp knife, cut the carcass into smaller pieces.
2. Heat a large pot, (can use multiple pots, see Note) and add a turn of olive oil. Saute the carrots and celery for about 5 minutes. Add the onions and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Add the carcass, garlic, celery tops, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns. Season with salt. Cover with water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered for 2 hours. Add water if needed. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove most of the solids. Strain, eventually through cheesecloth, to remove remaining bits.

Notes

You can split the carcass between multiple pots. Plan on about 2 quarts of pot volume for every 1 quart of final stock.
A 16 lb carcass can make almost 2 gallons of stock; 15 to 16 quarts of pot volume.

Wow does that sound good!!! next year if we cook at Grandma's (4th floor retirement community center ...somewhat impractical for a outdoor cook) that looks like a phenomenal recipe!!
thanks for adding to this!!