A few years ago we switched to breaking down the turkey and cooking it in parts. It’s great because it doesn’t take up the entire oven, goes quickly. Most importantly you have the carcass and trimmings to make stock and gravy ahead of time. All the clean up is done and ready for the oven the day before.
I just cover my Turkey with a tent of foil. I remove it for the last hour and the skin crisps up just fine.
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@conmama I use the rectangle shaped casserole crockpot so I can arrange the turkey slices in rows.
I put enough broth so turkey is about half covered. The broth and the steam from the crockpot help keep the turkey moist.
I don’t think a regular deep crockpot would work well. I think the turkey would fall apart.
I use high until the turkey is hot and then turn it on warm. I’m sure you could use low, it would just take longer.
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When we do Thanksgiving at our house, I generally order a smoked turkey in advance, which makes it easy (almost feels like cheating 
)
But I have a friend who likes to make a turducken when she has time! Now THAT is a lot of prep!
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Sounds like a good idea.
Last year the squash missed the dinner table because I thought it could be baked in an hour. lol
I sent it home with guests.
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I took over the extended family thanksgiving meal several years ago and I’ve still not gotten the turkey making down to a routine. Every year I’ve tried something slightly different. One year I did the cheesecloth in butter which I might try again.
This year I bought two 15 lb birds from Trader Joe’s. The package says they are brined. Not sure what to do with them lol. Do I just remove package and cook or do I rinse the brine off? Do I season it again?
Dressing (cause it won’t be stuffed in a turkey) question.
My mom always made the dressing/stuffing. She got the recipe when she came to the States after marrying my dad. It was my Polish grandmother’s recipe that my dad loved.
Mom died two years ago. Luckily she recited it to me a few years ago and I wrote down her “loose” recipe. I made it last year - not bad! But pretty dry, hers was always pretty moist.
The ingredients include
dried cubed bread
browned hamburger (I know…) drained
onion, celery, chopped apples
salt and pepper.
She mentioned “sprinkle the bread with water” - but no other liquid. I feel like it should have something else - broth or something?? Any suggestions so not so dry???
Sounds like it needs beef of chicken broth.
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My family recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of drippings from the turkey. I mix it up and then add a little more water if it seems too dry. Of course, you want it a little too wet since it will dry out during cooking.
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In place of hamburger (ground meat?) I use sweet Italian sausage meat with the casings removed. The apples & sausage meat give the bread moisture but you can always add more in the form of plain water or broth into which you melt about 1/2 stick of butter. I also add chopped dried apricots or perhaps a few dried cranberrries On the spice shelf, TJ has an Everything But The Turkey seasoning this year. I did buy it but I have not tried it yet.
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Thank you! I can’t change the recipe (to sausage for instance) cause that’s not moms recipe! And I won’t be in the home of the Turkey to add drippings.
Beef broth and butter sounds like a great (delicious) idea!
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It needs chicken broth. But here is the secret from DH grandma.
I use toasted bread cubes, onion, celery, and other spices.( put in what ever else you want…then…
Add a box of stovetop stuffing! Haha.
As far as the broth, start out with just 1/2 cup and knead it, keep adding little by little until it all sticks together and is moist, but not sopping wet. Then spread it out on a rectangular baking dish and top with pats of butter all over.
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The extended family divvies up the menu. The host will prepare the turkey as they see fit - roasting is typical.
In the past H has smoked a small turkey to go along with the roasted one, but last year he decided to smoke a whole turkey breast. About an hour and a half in the smoker, taken out, chilled down, removed the bone, vacuum sealed, and refrigerated. On Thursday, in the sous vide for a bit at home, then to the host’s house to continue cooking in the sous vide til it’s time to carve. Perfection! That’s the plan for this year as well.
Dressing is done either in the oven or crock pots, depending on space available. Family tradition is a recipe from a very old, like 1960, Pepperidge Farm Cookbook, but I’ve done a Martha Stewart recipe with great results. No cornbread, no oysters, no water chestnuts
Nice article from the local paper
Thank you! Chicken broth for some reason makes more sense!
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@conmama just a couple things…Definitely get a probe thermometer that you leave in the turkey while it cooks. And store the cooked turkey in a good sealing Rubbermaid/Tupperware style container. Sprinkle just a little bit of broth over the turkey before you put it away.
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And butter
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I am going to attempt crockpot dressing. It is my understanding that I should be light on the broth initially and can add more if it seems to dry. If too moist add croutons or dried bread crumbs. We will see how this goes. I like the idea of not taking up oven space when everything else demands it.
I’ve never done that. I like the outside to be crispier and I don’t think you can obtain that in the crockpot, unless I’m missing something.
You are probably right. I wonder if putting it in a pan under the broiler for a few minutes would do it? It still requires the oven and another pan but only for a few minutes. It could be done while the turkey is resting.
I’ve cooked my dressing in a slow cooker for years. Once I even set it up in the garage to leave more counter space. I have one of those that you can use to sauté so I brown my veggies, add the bread, seasoning and broth, and set to slow cook. Timing depends on when I’m serving - it is pretty forgiving.
@conmama We also like the crispy bits and the slow cooker doesn’t create them with out help. A little bit before I’m ready to serve I take the dressing out of the pot, turn the heat up, and some butter and/or olive oil. Once it’s hot I put the dressing back in and let brown up.
I worked at a national kitchen store and there were times I’d have to make 5-10 Thanksgiving dinners to demonstrate various techniques, ingredients and products. I’ve probably forgotten more tricks than I remember.
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