Yesterday was the second time in the last 3 months we’ve used the spatchcocking method. We’re sold that it is much less angst (after the surgery on the spine) , much more consistent and more controllable. That everything is cooked at the same time is great…a new experience.
The suggested method for the stuffing on the Kenji Alt recipe didn’t dry the stuffing out enough…but a minor quibble.
1/4’ed bird prepped for SV. I did the legs / thighs for a couple of hours at 170 then added the breasts and reduced the temp to 150 for 2.5 hours. Finished the leg/thighs in a Dutch oven braise and the breasts
Got colored up toward the end. Turned out
Great for a $.99 per # grocery store bird.
You didn’t find 150 to be a bit dry? I did 143 and I thought it was a touch dry after some coloring.
Nope, but this was a cheap grocery store bird that had been “treated” so I did nothing to the bird other than rinse it and dry it prior to putting in in the bag with a tablespoon of butter and some herbs.
The best way to cook a turkey is to have someone else do it. I’ll bring the wine. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
I want to thank everybody in this thread for your ideas. I’ve normally done my turkeys in the traditional way - while bird oven roast. Last year I got a heritage turkey and wasn’t prepared for the quite different ratio of white to dark meat and the white meat came out… well, dry.
I had another heritage bird this year and insprised by this thread I removed the legs and did them SV. Each leg salted and then placed in a separate bag with herbs from the garden, a couple pats of butter and a half cup of red wine I’d frozen in advance. Simply salted and herbed the breasts and oven roasted them. Legs were 170 for 5 hrs, then crisped in the broiler. Breast I went a bit lower than usual- I think 300 or so and it didn’t take long to cook through. Again crisped in the broiler.
Both came out perfect, and the liquid that was in each of the SV bags - a combination of turkey drippings, butter, red wine and herbs was an absolutely magical addition to the gravy. Thanks again all!!!
Used the spatchcocking technique for the first time this year and am solidly on the bandwagon. Dry brined, and performed the operation the day before. Used the spine for a turkey stock. Worked great to get some of that flavor into the stuffing without needing to stuff the bird. While taking out the spine was kind of a pain and looks (and sounds) pretty barbaric when you’re doing it, the results were worth it.
Use pruning shears. (If they fail, a few “brushes” with a Chinese feather-duster will encourage the bird to succumb.)
+1. I’ve been deep frying turkeys for years now. I season with half/half old bay and parsley and then throw in a bit of salt and pepper as well. Result is always juicy and cook time takes under an hour every time. Plus Australians aren’t accustomed to deep fried turkey so it’s always a curiosity when I fry a bird.