Here is an idea I've tried twice and regrettably didn't take pics, but will try to explain it in the event some are interested in putting it into effect tomorrow.
[Edit: there is now a pic below.]
The idea is to deal with the heavy load of turkey juice that collects in the body cavity if one goes for the classic Norman Rockefeller Turkey (i.e. the whole bird, breasts up, classic presentation). And, the idea is for folks like me who believe that from a purely cooking perspective, spatchcocking is best, since that method gets even air circulation and heat all around the meat. Can we have the best of both worlds?
I'll leave that to you. But what I do now with turkeys is cut out 3 1-inch by 2-inch sections from the back/spine of the turkey. That is, I cut out 3 1"x2" chunks of the spine, with an inch between them. I then cook the bird as Meathead suggests (but I'm in Canada -- so indoors!), with the bird on a rack, open and not trussed and without stuffing inside, and a drip pan sitting on a rack underneath. I'll make the stock today. Dry brine today and then Simon 'n Garf the bird tomorrow. The cool thing is that virtually all the body juice drips through the cut-outs along the spine into the drip pan as the bird cooks, and not all over the shop as you try to get the bird out of the oven (or off a BBQ). My theory is that this helps air circulation inside the bird and therefore helps with even cooking. And you get a Normie Rockefeller to display to all assembled! The taste and texture result has been great, as is presentation.
Happy ho ho everyone! Love to hear if anyone tries this, and how it goes.
Evan
[Edit: there is now a pic below.]
The idea is to deal with the heavy load of turkey juice that collects in the body cavity if one goes for the classic Norman Rockefeller Turkey (i.e. the whole bird, breasts up, classic presentation). And, the idea is for folks like me who believe that from a purely cooking perspective, spatchcocking is best, since that method gets even air circulation and heat all around the meat. Can we have the best of both worlds?
I'll leave that to you. But what I do now with turkeys is cut out 3 1-inch by 2-inch sections from the back/spine of the turkey. That is, I cut out 3 1"x2" chunks of the spine, with an inch between them. I then cook the bird as Meathead suggests (but I'm in Canada -- so indoors!), with the bird on a rack, open and not trussed and without stuffing inside, and a drip pan sitting on a rack underneath. I'll make the stock today. Dry brine today and then Simon 'n Garf the bird tomorrow. The cool thing is that virtually all the body juice drips through the cut-outs along the spine into the drip pan as the bird cooks, and not all over the shop as you try to get the bird out of the oven (or off a BBQ). My theory is that this helps air circulation inside the bird and therefore helps with even cooking. And you get a Normie Rockefeller to display to all assembled! The taste and texture result has been great, as is presentation.
Happy ho ho everyone! Love to hear if anyone tries this, and how it goes.
Evan
and Merry Christmas!
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