cooking a turkey 10 points?

Question

do i take the skin off the turkey be for i cook it??? and if so how do i go about doing that?????? thanks

Answer 1

NO! it will be very very very dry if you do that.

Take the skin off before you eat it and after you cook it.

Answer 2

I take it this is your first turkey so lets start at the beginning. If you are getting a frozen turkey you must thaw it in the refrigerator for about 24hours for each 10 lbs of weight. Once thawed remove the giblets and neck from the turkey, set them aside for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cool water and pat dry. Season the inside of the bird. I have a mixture I like but poultry seasoning works very well. Fasten the legs together. To help keep the turkey moist slip some butter under the skin in various places. Do this by putting a small slit in the skin. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Put your turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Cover loosely with aluminum foil, Roast the turkey approximately 1 hour for every 4 lbs of weight, until a meat thermometer measures 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh. If you stuff the turkey it will take longer to cook and you will have to check the temperature of the stuffing. It should be 165 degrees. Oh by the way do not skin the turkey at any time let your diners decide if they want to eat the skin.

Answer 3

It is best to leave the skin on. It acts as a protective coating to keep the meat from drying out. As the skin gets crisp it seals in juices. That's why it is best to start with a hot, hot, hot oven to sear the outside then reduce the heat shortly there after to continue cooking. Also do not poke holes in the skin. The juices will run out. Check the internal temp with a meat thermometer from the crease where the thigh meets the body. Get the thermometer to go down to the bone and it should read 165 degrees. After removing the turkey from the oven you must let it rest for at least 20 minutes so the hot juices can distribute themselves through the meat. If you carve the turkey too soon the juices will run right out and you will have defeated your purpose of leaving the skin on.
After the resting period and probably after the turkey is carved you can remove the skin.
I don't eat skin either but on thanksgiving I make an exception and eat just a small piece of the crunchy part because it is so good I can't resist.
If you absolutely have to remove the skin you can do so by taking your fingers and loosening it from underneath and kind of peel it off. Your turkey will be very dry though.
Turkey is dry by nature anyway, Be sure to cook it uncovered and baste every hour or so.
Happy Holiday!

Answer 4

No. It helps hold in the juices. Always cook your turkey according to the weight. There are directions on the bag. Never cook it overnight. This causes the turkey to become dry. The best way to cook it is in a bag. This ensures the turkey will be moist.

Answer 5

I cook the turkey with the skin on. However, this recipe is if you want to cook the turkey quickly at a very high temp. -- the skin is discarded after cooking, as it will blacken from the high temp.
(I'm not wild about the skin, myself.) Happy Thanksgiving :-)

Blast Furnace-Roasted Turkey
Serving Size : 23

1 (12-pound) turkey
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 cups rock salt

Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey under cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat from turkey. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting one hand, palm side down. Gently push hand beneath the skin and against the meat to loosen skin.

Combine 1 tablespoon salt and the next 6 ingredients (1 tablespoon of salt through pepper) in a bowl; stir well. Rub herb mixture on breast and drumsticks beneath the skin. Tie ends of legs together with cord. Lift wing tips up and over back, and tuck under turkey.

Spread rock salt in bottom of a shallow roasting pan. Place turkey, breast side up, on rock salt. Insert meat thermometer in meaty part of thigh, making sure it does not touch bone. Bake at 500° for 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer reaches 165°. Cover turkey loosely with aluminum foil; let stand 15 minutes. Discard skin before serving.

Yield: 23 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 145(25% from fat); FAT 4.1g (sat 1.4g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 24.9g; CHOLESTEROL 64mg; CALCIUM 26mg; SODIUM 213mg; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 0.3g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1995


NOTES : Although this turkey is cooked at an unusually high temperature (hence, the term "blast furnace"), you'll be amazed how tender and juicy it is. The skin blackens somewhat, but it is discarded. The rock-salt layer in the roasting pan cuts down on any grease that may splash in the oven. Surprisingly, the salt doesn't add any sodium to the recipe.

Answer 6

You can but, I can't imagine why you want to do that. The skin helps hold in natural juices during the cooking process. But, if you want to then just begin by loosining the skin at the cavity breast first it won't take much to get iot going and then just use a knife to get the skin loose fron around the legs and wings.

Answer 7

It's best to leave the skin on. It has more flavor & won't dry out as much.
As for cooking, it depends mostly on the size.
This site should help.

Answer 8

you could but i wouldnt advise it. LOL
just take the skin off after you cook it.

Answer 9

why the h*&( would you do that?????