CHEAP OR EXPENSIVE: How did the turkey turn out?

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

Cheap or expensive? How did the turkey come out? We got a cheapo store brand (78 cents a pound) and brined it for the first time ever.

It turned out just fine! We cooked it in a covered roaster (old school like my mom did--top off for last 1/3 of cooking) and it was moist and juicy and great. We ate it for a meal and had sliders, turkey pot pie, and more sandwiches out of it!

It was a 12 pounder and was just right for a good amount of leftovers.

Since we really didn't do the whole meal thing, we used some turkey stock from the neck and "parts" and made packaged gravy. Which, actually wasn't bad for NO fuss whatsoever!

Sassy7356 · ‎11-09-2013

We do just a turkey breast that we got for $.99/lb. I think it was 7 pounds and roasted in the oven with the cover off the last half hour to crisp up the skin. It was moist and delicious. Very little to clean up, too, as it just falls off the bone. Super simple.

CinNC · ‎10-05-2012

My partner wanted to purchase a deep fried turkey from Bojangles...fast food similar to KFC but spicer. They only offer the turkeys at holiday time.

I think it was $45 and 12 pounds.........for 2 people. LOL

Past years we've just done a turkey breast when it's just for the 2 of us.

I'm looking into meant injectors to attempt the same kind of thing w/just a turkey breast next year (oven roasted).

sweetee2 · ‎06-21-2015

We bought a cheap 25 pounder from Wm cooked it a turkey bag. Always turns out yummy. Hubby smoked a turkey beast in the Treggar. Also yummy.

Silver Fox1 · ‎08-14-2015

@Sassy7356 wrote:
We do just a turkey breast that we got for $.99/lb. I think it was 7 pounds and roasted in the oven with the cover off the last half hour to crisp up the skin. It was moist and delicious. Very little to clean up, too, as it just falls off the bone. Super simple.

Hi Sassy7356 - how did you cook your turkey breast, what temp. and for 7lb. how long ? Every time I have ever tried to cook just the breast it's come out dry and awful. Thanks

Allegheny · ‎03-19-2010

In turkey world, our was expensive, $5.29 per pound. But it was a fresh breast close to 7 pounds from the farm down the road.

It was good and very moist. I did a dry brine the night before. Rinsed off, patted dry then rubbed with seasoning all over even under skin, buttered it up and roasted.

I was seeing the dry brine method on some of the TV cooking shows and decided to try it. It works very well, but I think a wet brining adds more flavor.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Moderately expensive, fresh. It came out great. 16+ pounds.

I did the brine that I've done for a number of years now. Also, I make up a dry rub that works well.

I really love turkey a lot, so that's the one thing that if I messed it up I would be especially bummed out. This one had an enormous amount of breast meat, for which I am really pleased. I'll be able to make up quite a few packets to vacuum seal and freeze. It's the one time I get a turkey a year and I hope to have enough to have turkey many times.

kiamom23 · ‎01-22-2011

21 lb Butterball in a cooking bag--turned out juicy and great. Few days before I cooked a whole Butterball breast in air fryer. Turned out great as well. Think I will split the breast for the air fryer in the future. I have the big air fryer but a whole breast was kind of difficult to turn. It was a little too high for the basket.

PinkyPetunia · ‎03-09-2010

My DIL cooked Thanksgiving dinner. She got a free turkey from ShopRite and it was delicious.

Honeybit · ‎07-17-2011

I had a chance to do a sort of Turkey Taste Test since I got to share a big extended-family dinner. They did one turkey indoors in a Brown N Bag, one with injected seasoning in a turkey fryer, and one outdoors in an infra-red grill (first one of those I'd ever seen).

The plain old Brown N Bag oven turkey was by far my favorite -- the meat was moister and actually tasted better than either of the other two.