Holy cow, a WHOLE TURKEY!

[becca]

Well, this year I decided to spend my Thanksgiving by myself, just me and the puppers. Was going to make a nice LITTLE dinner for us, including a turkey BREAST, taters, stuffing the works. HOWEVER my BF had gotten a coupon for $20 towards the purchase of a turkey "product." Of course, it was a certain brand and OF COURSE they don't sell breasts in that brand. So I ended up with an 11lb turkey!!  Seeing as how I am not exactly known for my cooking I am kicking myself right now  What did I get myself into!? I don't know how to cook a turkey!! Not to mention its 11lbs!! What am I going to do w/ 11lbs of turkey!?  I swear sometimes my bright ideas don't seem so bright later. This one should be interesting to say the least!! Any tips would be GREATLY appriceated! Thank goodness for my cook book!!

[CA_Trixie]

Now you've gone and done it.  Hey, no problem do what they did on Grey's Anatomy. 

[becca]

Dog-gonit!! Where's Burke when I need him!?

[lunakat]

Get an oven bag, they make big ones for turkeys, I used that my first year, it worked out pretty well. Good luck!

[CA_Trixie]

ITA with the oven bag the turkey turns out a beautiful color and moist too.    I had forgotten that little trick.

[wittlepawz]

What am I going to do w/ 11lbs of turkey!?

Um.....Er......I could be wrong on this one but.....Are you trying to invite us over for dinner? I will bring the mashed taters and turnip.  What is everyone else bringing?

[April]

It's not really so bad.  Honestly just don't get scared!  You'll just have leftovers.  Wash it and salt it (inside and out) then you can put it in an oven bag or just seal it up in a pan with foil for a few hours.  I think its 12 minutes per pound so that would be about 2 1/2 hours baking time at 350.  If you use foil instead of the bag just take it off the last half hour or so to let it brown.  It's done if you can wiggle the leg easily.  :-) 

[Jeri]

Turkey takes awhile to bake, but with an oven bag it is really easy, so don't intimidated.  Just be sure to check it with a meat thermometer every 20 minutes or so until the thermometer reads 180 when you insert it deep into the meaty part of the thigh.  Do not leave the thermometer in the meat, pull it out each time after you take a reading.  I know this from experience ; )

Turkey freezes well, so just divide the leftover into meal sized portions and freeze the amount you won't want to eat over the the next three days. 

The first year I made a turkey, it was just Kevin and me and I wanted to get just a breat.  But with the sales, it was cheaper to buy the whole bird, so that's what I did.

Relax, you'll do fine!

[becca]

Um.....Er......I could be wrong on this one but.....Are you trying to invite us over for dinner? I will bring the mashed taters and turnip.  What is everyone else bringing?

Janet you are more than welcome! Too bad you live too far away!! I appreciate all the advice! Looks like i need to go grab a turkey bag today. Craig was so worried he had his mom email me too to tell me how to cook it!!  Maybe this will be the beginning of "Chef Becca!"

[BridgetLouise]

I completely agree with the oven bag idea.  Esp. for a first timer. Rub it down with real butter.  It makes it so much easier and the turky just falls apart.  Really 11 pounds won't be that daunting for 2 people.  They say to buy a bird calculating 2.5 pounds per person.  By the time you figure in the bones, cartlage and all the waste of the carcass, you'll have plenty for dinner, and some tasty leftovers.  Good luck kiddo!!! and just have fun with it!

[becca]

Really 11 pounds won't be that daunting for 2 people. 

That's the funny thing...its just me eating it! I'm sure BF will get leftovers but I am spending the glorious holiday all to myself, well I can't forget the puppers of course!! But this 11lb turkey is just for lil ole me!! 

[oceangirls]

I know 2 things about turkeys:

(1) Turkeys need to be thawed.  They apparently take A LONG TIME to thaw.  If it is not thawed by Thanksgiving AM, you will not be having turkey for Thanksgiving 

(2) There's a little plastic bag of organs and other strange things that is stuffed inside the turkey.  Take the little bag OUT before proceeding with any other plans you may have for the turkey.

That is the extent of what I know about turkeys.  Aren't I helpful??  The oven bag is a BRILLIANT suggestion.

Go Becca!  Go Becca! 

[Jacqueline]

LOL, I was just thinking....no one mentioned that it needed thawing, and that's usally the thing first timers forget.    And it can't just leave it out on the counter to thaw, either. 

If it's not thawed by now.....either put it back in the fridge and plan to have it later....or start giving it cold water baths, changing the water every half hour.....and no....not fun.   Make sure the inside is thawed, too.

There's alway the butterball hotline if you run into trouble.  Trust me, they have heard it all.

[BridgetLouise]

OMG!!!!! ok, yeah, that's a lotta bird for one person!  But just think of the turkey sandwiches, turkey pot pie, turkey salad...... I could go on and on, but really, lets hope the BF likes leftover turkey a LOT!!!

[hildiesmom]

LOL Don't feel bad, I am cooking a 22 lb bird! You'll actually be surprised at how little is leftovers and how much is bones. Use the bones to make soup stock--the gift that keeps on giving.  :thumb:

When in doubt, Turkeyhelp.com
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/turkeyhelp/

But here's my favorite step by step: 

Step 1: Go buy a turkey

Step 2: Take a drink of whiskey, scotch, or JD

Step 3: Put turkey in the oven

Step 4: Take another 2 drinks of whiskey

Step 5: Set the degree at 375 ovens

Step 6: Take 3 more whiskeys of drink

Step 7: Turn oven the on

Step 8: Take 4 whisks of drinky

Step 9: Turk the bastey

Step 10: Whiskey another bottle of get

Step 11: Stick a turkey in the thermometer

Step 12: Glass yourself a pour of whiskey

Step 13: Bake the whiskey for 4 hours

Step 14: Take the oven out of the turkey

Step 15: Take the oven out of the turkey

Step 16: Floor the turkey up off the pick

Step 17: Turk the carvey

Step 18: Get yourself another scottle of botch

Step 19: Tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey

Step 20: Bless the saying, pass and eat out!

hehehe

MaryAnne

[oceangirls]

My stepmother e-mailed me a fruitcake recipe that is very much like that.  It is a VERY highly alcoholic fruitcake 

I was feeling all virtuous because I am making a SIMPLE (thank you, Rachael Ray of the Food Network) turkey breast... but due to a breast shortage at one store (what kind of fool buys the turkey the night before Thanksgiving??), I have a recipe requiring 2 boneless breasts and I have one (1) frozen boneless breast and one (1) thawed breast with bones.  Fortunately it is just for DH and me, so I can get creative.

[LUVMYGUNNER]

Yep,  definately the bag and make sure you take out the giblets and neck. My first turkey I made I couldn't find them and when we cut the turkey there they were.

[becca]

I LOVE the turkey recipe Mary Anne!! Just cracked me up! I was actually thinking on the way home from work that I didn't get any celebration beverages :( Thankfully I ALWAYS have a bottle of Khaluah on hand.    Luckily I was smart enough to get a fresh turkey, so no thawing. Thanks for all the helpful tips. I got the bag on the way home and the beans I forgot for my bean casserole. I will let you know how it went tomorrow!! 

[wittlepawz]

Dearest Becca,

WE EXPECT PICS!    Lots and lots of Pics!  Good and Bad!

MaryAnne:  YOur a HOOT!    I had to Print that one!

[becca]

Turkey is almost ready to go into oven. I have to go see if turkey hill is open b/c i forgot to get a camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hopefully they are so I can take lots of pics!!! BTW No one told me how disgusting this was!!! This just might be the first and LAST turkey I ever do!! I better get to the store before the snow really picks up. Hope eveyrone is having a wonderful day!!

[oceangirls]

Oh, good - you got the thing figured out, and into the oven!  Now you get to do the same thing I'm doing with the turkey breast - continually sticking the meat thermometer in to see if it's done or not because the package instructions do not seem to have been written using my oven.

I do know that if you cover the wing tips with foil they won't burn before the rest of the thing is done...

[becca]

TGFW in otherwords, thank god for walmart!! The stupid bird didn't come with one of those pop up things so I had to run out and get a meat thermometer!! Picked up a camera too so I will get  pleanty of pictures!! Its been in for about a half hour now, and I just checked on it...starting to smell good!!!!! Too bad the bird takes up the whole oven...not exactly sure how i'm going to cook the green bean casserole too.  Oh well, at least now I can sit back and cuddle w/ the puppers and watch the Interpreter.

[CA_Trixie]

Too bad the bird takes up the whole oven...not exactly sure how i'm going to cook the green bean casserole too. 

When the bird is done take it out and cover it with foil, that should keep it warm until the casserole is done, OR do the casserole in the microwave.  Good luck!

[becca]

Well...the fun part is over, now the clean up begins. BTW did I mention I didn't know how to carve a turkey!?  Wait til you see the pics of that!! HAHA Turned out really good. I am quite proud of myself!! Everything was timed just right...while the bird was doing its 20 min of just sitting there staring at me, I put the green beans and stuffing balls in. Taters were already done, just reheated them in the micro. Everything turned out just perfect!! The dogs each enjoyed a SMALL skinless piece and loved it. They got extra pumpkin to make up for all the other goodies they couldn't eat. Once the clean up is over, I might finally have room for the pie I baked yesterday!!! Thanks again for all the wonderful advice/tips! I hope your meals were as tasty as mine!!

[lotsadox]

Congrats on a successful first turkey!   :thumb:  Can't wait for the pics.