Originally Posted By wahooskipper I've carved plenty of turkeys...but never cooked one. But stuffing from the turkey ROCKS!
Originally Posted By goodgirl I have cooked many a turkey. Many years ago I stuffed one to see what it was like. The stuffing was wonderful. Very flavorful. However, I found that the stuffing sucked most of the moisure from the turkey and so the meat was a little dry. Then there was the frantic "you better get all traces of the stuffing out of that bird or you're going to kill everyone with food poisonoing" from the group. That was the last time I stuffed a turkey. Last year I followed Alton Brown's (Good Eats on the Food Network) recipe to brine a turkey. After brining for several hours, you fill the cavit with aromatics and then roast it. OMG! Best turkey ever! Moist and flavorful. Unless I'm in a pinch, I won't do it any other way now.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd I've cooked many a turkey. We ALWAYS stuff. The OMG you're going to kill us with salmanella group have quieted down in the family. We always cook the turkey in a Reynolds bag and both turkey and stuffing always turn out perfect.
Originally Posted By 4Disnee My DH has deep fried one and that is what we are doing this year. But we have never baked one in the oven.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper My wife baked a whole Thanksgiving dinner last weekend since we are going to other's homes this Thursday. She did a FANTASTIC job. I like fried turkeys...but not on Thanksgiving. Go figure.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ I've cooked many turkeys - always stuffed! I bought a tabletop roasting oven just for that purpose. No basting or anything required. It turns out wonderfully tender birds
Originally Posted By officerminnie Yes, I've cooked many turkeys, but I don't stuff anymore either. I do the stuffing separately in a casserole dish - but I do put onions, carrots, celery and seasonings in the cavity just for good measure. Then the dog gets the carrots with her food .
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Yes. Thanksgiving dinner has been at our house for the past 10 years or so. I'm cooking a 27 pounder this year. Stuffed, except for last year when DD brought sausage stuffing that she made at her home. I also make a vegerarian stuffing for our son
Originally Posted By sun-n-fun I'm cooking a 19 pound turkey, fully stuffed for 6 people (We LOVE leftovers). We (OK, not really we- just DH) have deep fried them too ans they are soooooooooooo good.
Originally Posted By tink_26 I (like many LPers) have cooked many a turkey. I have never stuffed the bird. I cook our turkey breast side down. You don't have to baste as often and it comes out yummy! I hope the bird is defrosted for it's oven time tomorrow!
Originally Posted By DlandJB ^^I also cook it upside down! However, I turn it over for the last hour so the top will brown. It is so juicy that way -- but it is a pain to turn it over. Always stuffed. Has to be. But I usually nuke the stuffing for 4-5 minutes after it comes out of the bird just to be safe. I've cooked many, many turkeys but I did make the usual mistake the first time I did one. I didn't know there were giblets and such in the neck cavity in a plastic bag. When the plastic started to melt, oh my gosh, what a horrible smell. I think we ended up going to Boston Market for turkey that night!
Originally Posted By MissCandice I am 36 years old and I have never cooked a turkey. My job on Thursday is to bring olives.
Originally Posted By Mrs Nurmi I have cooked many a turkey as well! I can't even imagine an unstuffed turkey, it just seems...sad...lol. The key to a moist turkey in our house is baste, baste, baste! Get that juice right under the skin so that your breast meat stays tender. Mmmm... We had Thanksgiving already. :-( Mmmm..turkey...mmmm
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Using oven bags also keeps the turkey moist and cuts the cook time about in half. Turkey without stuffing??? Didn't know it was possible.
Originally Posted By jasmine7 I've cooked a couple, but only when the rest of my family was out of town and I was on my own. I've never cooked it with stuffing inside.
Originally Posted By JazzCat Oh yes, several actually! Growing up we always had stuffing in the turkey, but with the possibility of food poisoning we don't cook ours like that.
