No fuss Overnight Turkey Recipe - it cooks while you sleep! (meat, cooking)

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by Caligula1

Whats the difference between Stuffing and dressing??

Acording to Food network stuffing is from inside the bird..
If it's cooked seperately it's called dressing.. I just heard this last night.

Yes, that's what I've always heard as well. We just kind of use the two terms interchangeably, but we do usually refer to it as dressing. Since no one I know actually puts it in the bird, everyone just assumes whichever term you use, it's being cooked in a separate baking dish.

SIL and her family always called it filling. I haven't heard anyone else refer to it like that.

[Katsmeeyow]

I have cooked my turkey this way for 20 years - I learned it from my mother. The only difference is that I cook it on 500 for one hour, then turn the oven off. THREATEN TO KILL ANYONE WHO OPENS THE OVEN DOOR! However, since I have a convection oven now, I am afraid to turn the oven off totally, so turn down to 200. I also cook mine breast side down. When you try to move the turkey, it simply falls to pieces and the bones will pull out. The meat including the white meat is sooooo juicy and tender. I have told many people how to do this, and they are amazed at how good and easy this is. I make sure the turkey is stuffed with as many onions as I can get in there! It is so wonderful to get up to that smell of turkey!

[michelleleigh]

I cooked a roast with this method. i used to date a guy who would make the turkey on a gas grill, it cooked all day and never was dry and nobody got sick. I am thinking odf doing the slow method too on the turkey also. What is the differance of doing poultry in a crockpot low heat long cooking then doing a trukey this way in a oven

[JROZ]

BASMATI RICE will go good with your 22 pound turkey and your PANERA bread !!! ....Cherry, make sure you season the inside of the turkey. ......ALSO Cherry, make sure your pan of water is boiling hot underneath the turkey so the OVEN TEMP is not reduced by the pan of water.

[Supplies]

I would never cook a bird that big on low temperature

[momtothree]

OP, where do you keep it while waiting to serve it?

We eat around 7PM and they like it hot from the oven. Do you reheat it to a certain temp right before serving?

[Dirt Grinder]

The low-and-slow method of cooking turkeys has been used successfully by BBQers for years - the one imperative in the process: the turkey must reach 140°F within the first four hours. After that, smooth sailing for another 4 - 6 hours.

Gotta love that sweet, tender bird enhanced by a bit of apple wood smoke.

BYW - the temperature in my BBQ pit is 225°F - 250°F.

[nuts2uiam]

Another thought for this thread. I buy a fresh turkey as opposed to frozen and I saw on TV last year and again this year that WASHING a turkey is a big no-no. It spreads bacteria into the sink etc, I noticed that even the label it does not mention washing the bird. I find that pretty scary as well.

[NJ2MDdude]

Originally Posted by Dirt Grinder

The low-and-slow method of cooking turkeys has been used successfully by BBQers for years - the one imperative in the process: the turkey must reach 140°F within the first four hours. After that, smooth sailing for another 4 - 6 hours.

Gotta love that sweet, tender bird enhanced by a bit of apple wood smoke.

BYW - the temperature in my BBQ pit is 225°F - 250°F.

I've grilled turkey outdoors on my Weber kettle grill for years. I use charcoal and indirect heat for at least 4-5 hours. Then I put the turkey in the oven for the last hour. I've never had any problems.

[justanokie]

Originally Posted by Caligula1

I wouldnt cook a turkey like this myself and i'd be sure my instant read thermometer read at least 165 allowing for a 10 degree carry over cooking temp after it was covered with foil out of the oven.
I wouldnt feel comfortable going to bed with my oven on most likely it would keep me awake.
Dont ask me what I'd do if I had a wood burning stove to heat my home in the winter.

165 is plently....175 is too much....I hate dry turkey and 175 is sure way to get dry turkey.

Originally Posted by B4U

To each his own, I say.
Thank you for your post & ideas, Elnine.

I, however wouldn't do this.
1.) I too wouldn't/don't leave the oven on overnight.
2.) I would get alittle heebie-jibbie with low-temp cooking. Even though you have stated you've done this and must be healthy & still kicking.

3.) No stuffing in the bird. NO STUFFING IN THE BIRD!!??? Are you kidding me? My family would slaughter me like the bird! I make stuffing on the side too, but is never as tasty as from the bird, and we all fight over "bird stuffing".

4.) We look at "waiting for the bird", as an opportunity. We drink, smooze, eat nibbles (appetizers), fight over the liver I cook in alittle butter, S & P, and generally relax.
It's a day experience. Not just a meal to be done & over. It's tradition.

But to those who don't have the luxury of that, your idea is good.

ENJOY YOUR MEAL.

My method is actually kind of close to the OP but I cook at a higher temp for longer then turn it down low for several hours.

There is no way to make good stuffing/dressing if you cook it in the bird. yep. I use a huge braising pan and use a wire rack in the bottom to lift the bird up off the bottom of the pan about 2 inches. I toss in some butter, good chicken stock, seasoning, carrots, celery and onion. All the drippings from the turkey wind up in that pan so when the turkey is almost done I drain off all the liquid from the pan and use that and stir it into crumbled cornbread to make dressing and to add into making the giblet gravy. No stuffing in the bird to mess with the cooking and still get dressing that tastes like it was cooked in the turkey.

I grew up with a wood stove/fireplace in the living room that was lit all winter so I don't have a problem with leaving a stove on all night. I never though about it really but I would probably be more wary of an electric one..but mine is gas.