Any ideas out there on what I could cook with my turkey?

Question

Im looking for ideas on what to cook with my turkey, I mainly add carrotts and celery, but was kinda looking for a few other options this year, kinda something different.. All and Any ideas welcome!

Answer 1

Use a brine. Soak your turkey in the simple solution starting on Wed. This one is really good!

ROASTED BRINED TURKEY

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water

For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

--Alton Brown, Food Network
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This recipe is also good b/c of the lemons and other aromatics in the cavity. Helps make the turkey really flavorful.

Perfect Roast Turkey

1 fresh turkey (12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch of fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
3 Spanish onions
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/2 cup good olive oil
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
10 red new potatoes, halved
3 heads fennel, fronds removed, cut into wedges through the core (I usually omit)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, one of the onions (quartered), and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with 1/4 cup olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey.

Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Toss the carrots, potatoes, and fennel with 1/4 cup olive oil and add to the roasting pan. Continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.

Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables. Serves 8.

--Ina Garten, Food Network

Answer 2

He's likely a Commie or secretly a Canadian. Go quote Ben Franklin at him. " the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”

Answer 3

a super easy thing to jazz up your turkey is to heat a orange or two in the micro wave for about 45 secs to 1 min,, just enough to warm it up,, then carefully poke some holes in it with a knife, put the oranges inside the turkey where you usually but the stuffing ,, add some fresh sage, rosemary, basil. you can also carefully pull the skin up on the breast then gently push some cut up butter, more fresh herbs and some bacon slices,, it keeps the breast very moist and adds a great flavor!!!!

Answer 4

With the turkey in the pot, place onion and apple to flavor the turkey nicely.

Side dishes: the choices are many. Happy Thanksgiving!

Answer 5

i usually just bake the turkey by itself then use the drippings for gravy and dressing. This year my husband is going to deep fry one for us. I have never had it so i am hoping it is good because we will be having a housefull of people to feed.

Answer 6

Check out some great tips and ideas here:

http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/thanksgiving-dinner-menu.html

Happy Holidays

Answer 7

not hard to cook thanksgiving turkey ... its very easy ... i read a good topic explain cooking turkey ... this is the link below

Answer 8

I've used orange peels, apples, & raisins.

Answer 9

Sweet potato casserole!!!!

Answer 10

food