Dave Smith wrote on 28 Dec 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> Zilbandy wrote:
> >
> > On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 18:00:23 -0500, Dave Smith
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >Temperature? Good question. I have never had luck with that
> > >method. I use the time, temperature and weight chart. It was a 12
> > >1/2 pound bird, 6 1/2 hours at 325. I pulled on the leg and it
> > >started to come off. Letting it sit tented before cutting into
> > >it makes carving much easier.
> >
> > That's over 30 minutes a pound. Are you sure it was a 21 1/2 pounder?
>
> Oops sorry..... 6 hours. I put it in at 11:15, pulled it out at
> 5:15. It was 12.7 lb. I don't know how much damage another 1/2
> hour would have done. I thought it was perfect. The thigh meat
> was cooked and breast meat was nice and juicy. After sitting for
> close 45 minutes it carved beautifully.
>

I cooked a 10-ish lb bird (4.7kg). I spatchcocked it and cooked it in a
convection oven for 2 hours at 375F. Turned out a little over cooked (by
about 15 minutes)...I did a small side pan of dressing at the same time.
As I recieved offers to dine with others (daughter) for xmas...I mostly
used the turkey meat for snacking on my yule-time days off this year, as
toasted turkey and tomato sandwhiches with miracle whip is my secret
addiction. I regret feeling too lazy to make gravy this year but I
managed to purchase some from a upscale restaurant (1 litre). So I got 1
traditional turkey dinner almost 'my way' this year. My 'new' job takes a
lot outa me and I just couldn't bring my self to make the extra effort
(just for me) to make gravy, as I worked xmas eve and boxing day.

My daughter is a fine cook, but our tastes in stuffing differ. So I
needed to make turkey and stuffing MY way or the season wouldn't feel
right to me. Plus I like having turkey leftovers...The meals you can make
from the leftovers are also a required part of the season that makes it
xmas or even New Years.

I am going to make a turkey wild rice based soup with the frame and the
leftover turkey meat. I don't really have a recipe...but wild rice,
carrot, celery, onion, barley, mushrooms and sour cream will play a large
part in the soup. I also 'found' some frozen dill in the freezer, dill
and sour cream go well together in soups.

Yesterday I made a large batch of Nancy's tortillia soup, I was going to
make the zuppa recipe posted recently...but the close grocery store
didn't have the Italian Sausages I'd of used. And I don't like driving
and shopping much at this time of year... the crowds are too crazy. I
froze 15 3 cup portions of the soup for use as work lunch meals in the
next month or so. Perphaps in the 2nd week of January I'll get the zuppa
made.

I'm doing a small ham for New Year's Day...It's a Family
Tradition...Baked Ham and Potato Salad....(I think I see More Soup in my
future). I think I got the curried potato salad recipe from
penzeys...That's the only change in the last 20 years to the menu.