I truly appreciate this blog article. Do the stuffing separately in a casserole. Rinse the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels. Al foil helps, but I once tried a recipe that called for cooking the turkey upside down for the first hour, then flipping it so the breast skin would be crisp and brown. Needless to say, the move comes with the usual mixture of emotions, as I've greatly enjoyed my four years as part of the…, Over at Gizmodo, Joel Johnson makes a convincing argument for adding random strangers to your twitter feed: Having had fresh venison as well (from a friend) I think that has a huge part to play in the juiciness. Smoking sounds good. I have to add my vote for Alton Brown's method. Because dark meat has more connective tissues, it takes longer to break down, so if you cook the turkey whole, by time the legs and thighs are done, the breasts are overcooked and dry. A dry turkey can ruin the meal but an undercooked, bleeding turkey can do the same. Like all scientifically-minded cooks, I directed these important questions to Harold McGee, author of the magisterial On Food and Cooking. Our personal decision to drool warps our sensory experience of the steak. At Thanksgiving, everyone complains about the white-meat turkey. Brine the turkey. If you filter the oil after frying the turkey, you can store it, covered tightly, in a cool dark place, and then reuse it for other deep fried delights on later occasions. No, not even letterpress can make these brutal (and hopefully fictitious) colonoscopy implements "classy." Russ Parsons had a good-looking recipe in the LA Times recently which called for a three day salt rub, rather than a wet brine. It does help to have someone stand at the side and hold down the pan and rack with a spatula, while you simply use two clean, folded dish towels to firmly grasp the bird at each end, lift, and flip it with a twist of your wrists. I've deep fried turkeys twice, only once for thanksgiving. The salt in the brine changes the muscle tissue of the turkey so that it can absorb more water and therefore more flavor. © 2006-2020 Science 2.0. Most likely, it was one of two things - either it cooked for too long, or the oven temperature was too high. I didn't try it, but I imagine the effect was the same: to get salt into the center of the bird. Flipping a turkey is quite easy if you take the bold and direct route. Zack Sklar – chef/owner of. As for gravy, take the giblets and neck of the turkey and use it to make turkey broth ahead of time. I agree with L_W_F that Alton Brown's recipe is the best for moist, salty turkey. If you cook a turkey for too long, the meat’s natural juices will burn away and it will become dry. You can blot a turkey’s skin with paper towels all. Use water instead. Dried-out turkey can happen to the most experienced Thanksgiving cook. ScienceBlogs is where scientists communicate directly with the public. Thank you ladies so much for the help! If that isn't possible, one may be able to talk a local restaurant into accepting it with their own used oil. Dry turkey has a dull flavor and is difficult to chew and swallow. At first glance, this might seem like a ridiculous conjecture: A baby, after all, is missing most of the capabilities that define the human mind, such as language and the ability to…, Joe Keohane has a fascinating summary of our political biases in the Boston Globe Ideas section this weekend. Firstly, turkey is too much meat chasing not enough skin. No problem. You can also shop using Amazon Smile and though you pay nothing more we get a tiny something. Turkey burgers often get a bad rap. But the Good Eats recipe should help no matter what. Put me down as another vote in favor of Alton Brown's brine. Unless you brined your turkey in a bucket for days in advance, then there is … The turkey comes out nicely - and the meat isn't dried out if you previously inject it with a flavored basting solution. The second reason turkey is dry is because it is almost never salty enough. Ah brine. All rights reserved. Basting is not the key to moist meat. (For maximum retention of natural juices, cook the steak slow and steady, and don't salt until the end). 11/15/2013. (To roast the turkey… I was idly coveting these classy anatomical heart thank-you cards when I discovered they actually have a special card FOR COLONOSCOPIES: When it is time to make gravy, take about 4 tablespoons of butter and melt it in a heavy 2 qt saucepan over medium heat. I chose the first, and maybe that was my problem. I came up with this idea of stuffing it. 3. All rights reserved. Forget about using forks of big tongs. Which is why … Breasts are often dry because they are at the highest point in the oven and get more heat, overcooking before the rest is done. Ground turkey can be notorious for its dry texture … It was nice having that extra oven space when reheating sides. The Frontal Cortex is now over here. However, that smoky skin, together with the turkey carcass, will make a wonderful, smoky soup stock for your leftovers. At first, I thought the turkey was dry, but have decided it was more tough than dry. I had absolutely no plans whatsoever to cover cats at Tet Zoo this week. Turkey meatballs have a justifiably bad reputation. The … Please make a tax-deductible donation if you value independent science communication, collaboration, participation, and open access. If this is the first time you’re straying from a frozen turkey, we recommend starting with an organic bird, which will taste better without the same complication and cost. It worked like a charm, but is a lot of extra work. It's probably not surprising that voters aren't rational agents, but it's always a little depressing to realize just how irrational we are. It also helps to get them fresh and unfrozen. Because they’re so different, Cebula says heritage birds can be much more difficult to work with. Buy two smaller ones instead and buy a probe thermometer and get the internal temp of the thigh to 165. What makes us drool isn't that intimidating mound of mealy breast meat: it's the crisp skin, fat in crackling form. Cooked a 2 1/2 pound split breast at 400 degrees farenheit until thermometer read 165. This is completely false. You roast the turkey at one temperature, instead of starting it in a really hot oven and then lowering … Nevertheless, our intuitions aren't compelety crazy: even if a well-seared steak is literally drier, it still tastes juicier. During the brining period, the salt from the brine causes some of the proteins in the turkey to unwind. Using ground turkey with the wrong fat content. I use a device I bought on an infomercial years ago. My husband doesn’t care for turkey burgers because he says they’re too dry but he was forced to eat these due to dietary restrictions. You cannot judge that turkey burgers are cooked to a safe internal temperature by color—they can have no trace of pinkness in the center and still not be cooked through. Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday with a regrettable meat. It's not even necessarily your fault—turkeys are so darn huge that they take forever to roast. However, what we are actually sensing is our own saliva, which the brain induced our salivary glands to release. Once the brine has done its work, be sure to rinse the turkey with cold water and pat it dry. I must conclude that Ezra, Matt, and the rest of these barbarians are insane. Has anyone ever deep-fried a turkey? Thank you commenters for telling the 'secrets' of how to fix a I've got some exciting news: Starting today, the Frontal Cortex will be moving over to the Wired website. While this is caused by overcooking the turkey, it sometimes seems that some birds are just made dry. But that's not stopping me from blogging it. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. You can get it online now though. I know there are two camps on turkey, quick high heat and slow and low. White meat cooks faster than dark meat so, chances are, when the dark, thigh meat finally reaches it’s optimal temperature of 185 degrees, the breast meat is also at least that hot, usually resulting in dry white meat. It was a fresh turkey, about 18 lbs. As it melts, it bastes the turkey and adds buttery flavor. The Best of the Best Restaurants in Portland, Oregon, Date day adventures: 10 romantic things to do in Las Vegas, Enjoy memorable outdoor dining in Las Vegas at these 10 restaurants, Enjoy one of Greenville's many romantic attractions for the perfect date night, Here are 10 ways to celebrate Mardi Gras at home, A brief history of the Valentine's Day chocolate box, Stroll through Rome (virtually) on a day's walking tour, Pâte 101: What you need to know about this rich meat treat, Road trip loop: A unique Denver / Las Vegas itinerary, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. A turkey soaked in a salt-water solution absorbs both the salt and the water, so it’s moister to begin with as well as seasoned on the inside. Blue Barnhouse Letterpress is simply awesome. But open your eyes, grasshopper. Because dark meat has more connective tissues, it takes longer to break down, so if you cook the turkey whole, by time the legs and thighs are done, the breasts are overcooked and dry. Nothing burns quite like fat. I have friends who swear that their aunt or their sister or whoever makes a delicious turkey, but I’m convinced there’s always an unspoken subtext: it’s delicious. I realized most of my Twitter friends are like me: white dorks. Turkey is the sawdust of protein, a big bird with a bad breast-to-leg ratio, which means that you have to dry out the breast before you can fully cook the leg. If that wasn’t bad enough, your turkey isn’t technically considered done until all the dark meat is also cooked through, which is problematic because it cooks to a higher temperature than your white meat. Just chiming in to say that it *is* possible to have gravy and stuffing with a deep fried bird. Proponents of brining a turkey cite the dry breast problem as one of the main reasons to consider this newer technique for cooking your Thanksgiving bird. Luckily for me, my Thanksgiving turkey is in the hands of a culinary genius. Then whisk in the turkey broth, along with some salt, pepper and thyme. So the part of the turkey that's prone to undercooking gets protected by the sides of the pan, while the part that gets dried out easily gets a full blast of heat. I also endorse the flipping method, roasting at a steady 325 degrees F. I also maintain that a previously frozen bird will always turn out drier than one which is purchased fresh and never frozen. I've used it for three years straight, having never cooked any kind of whole bird before, and my wife and I both agree it's the juiciest turkey we've ever tasted. 19 Years Late And 800% Over Budget, Will The James Webb Space Telescope Finally Launch? NOTE: This blog has moved. But why is turkey so dry? I got my deep fryer at Home Depot. If they drool before they eat, the meat will be juicier. Because turkey is naturally inclined to be dry, it can’t afford to lose a drop of moisture, but when it’s frozen, And, he notes, “basting is a complete waste of time – you’re ba, sting with natural juices, which are water-based, so it’s going to roll right off of the skin and do nothing.”. (Though Ezra's braising proposal isn't altogether bad. I would like to mention, in the interest of safety, one tip about deep frying the turkey. If you buy a huge turkey it will become dry due to the long cooking time. (I’m getting to that), because basting is only skin deep. Never had a dry one yet. Fantastic. On its own, I found ground turkey to be a little dry and plain, so I took to the kitchen tinkering with the best way to prepare, season, and serve ground turkey. Turkey … And they often require that you adjust a recipe significantly. She seems to have some…, I've got a new article in the latest Wired on the science of stress, as seen through the prism of Robert Sapolsky. These burgers were so moist and juicy I actually thought they weren’t done and used my meat thermometer lol. My turkey solution came in McGee's section on seared steaks. And, during the County Museum visit on Saturday, my encounter with the Hayling Island Jungle cat was totally fortuitous: I'd forgotten that it was there, and…. The trick to juiciness isn't juice, it's drool. The biggest problem to overcome, as far as I'm concerned, is that the oil winds up costing as much or more than the bird. ScienceBlogs is a registered trademark of Science 2.0, a science media nonprofit operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. I have not yet failed to create a juicy bird with this recipe. According to Sklar, one of the biggest mistakes people make is cooking the turkey whole. That’s why brining, which keeps the breast meat moist, is so important. Use WATER instead. Many people have modified their cars to run on a fuel made from used cooking oil. 4. By the time the dark meat reaches that crucial 180˚F, you may have overcooked the breast meat. When I arrived to pick SteelyKid up the other night, she and her friends were light-saber fighting with long balloons, which is fairly typical of that bunch. :) Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! His latest method of cooking it: sous vide, which keeps the otherwise dry bird almost impossibly moist. Challenge: Measure Muons Energy With High-School Math And Win A Mug! If you find your turkey dry, I strongly suggest this recipe. There are many reasons a turkey can dry out. The turkey stands upright and cooks fron the inside and outside. What happened? "So flavorless. The second reason turkey is dry is because it is almost never salty enough. Keeping the fire low will result in a lusciously moist and flavorful turkey, although the skin will not be crispy enough to eat. (And yes, I've tried every foil trick in the book.). Try adding some dry breadcrumbs to the turkey mixture before you shape the patties. The popper never popped but the temp was right and there was not any pink. Baboons are nasty, brutish and short. No matter how much butter I stuff under the skin, and slather into the open cavity, and baste over the the breast, the meat ends up requiring generous servings of cranberry sauce and gravy just to become palatable. ). Rub soft butter under the skin. (Cooked for about an hour 15 minutes.) day. Of course, another way of getting a good juicy bird is smoke roasting in the type of smoker that has a separate firebox at the side. For Some Outdoor Fun and Yum, Head to These Top SA Destinations! Technically speaking, a steak cooked at high temperatures contains less of its own juice, as that alluring sizzling noise is actually the sound of the meat's own liquid evaporating into thin air. . So next thanksgiving, be sure to seduce the eyes of your guests with lots of skin. The article isn't online yet (read it on the iPad! As a result, when we eat the more appetizing - yet less juicy - steak, the meat seems to be juicier. Dry-brine the turkey: One to 3 days before it is time to cook, mix the salt, sugar, and pepper in a small … My guests ended up coming a little early, so I just stuck the turkey back in at the last minute to warm it up. Cook on medium-medium high heat until it has the thickness you want. Unless you brined your turkey in a bucket for days in advance, then there is no way to permeate the inner meat with salt. Dry your turkey thoroughly with paper towels, ... Turkey cook time is 3 minutes per pound, so the cooking time is 36 minutes for a 12-pound turkey, 42 minutes for a 14-pound turkey, etc. It worked, and was still plenty juicy. Secure the outer bag with another tie, and gently shake the whole thing around a bit to wet all the salt. Rather than smothering dry turkey with too much gravy, you can moisten the meat. Amusingly, the day after it, a recipe appeared in the New York Times food section for a stuffed flank steak…, Various of the lefty blogs are suggesting that we only eat turkey on Thanksgiving because of tradition, and that turkey is actually a tasteless hunk of protein. (Plus, lots of moist meat.) But rememeber these tips next year, and your bird won't be quite as dry. My wife's office gives out free birds to its employees each year, freshly killed and prepared from a local farm. Put the turkey into the fryer before filling with oil, then remove the turkey to heat the oil, otherwise, you may find that as your turkey hits the hot grease you will overflow the vessel and cause a fire. It's like an unseared steak. A good way to rid oneself of extra cooking oil is to find someone who will turn it into fuel. No wonder we only eat this once a year." In this video, you’ll see a simple way to remoisten dry stuffing so it’s perfectly delicious with just the right texture. Step one in dealing with dry turkey is to fill a spray bottle filled with warm chicken stock and spray it over the meat as you carve it (it's best to keep this secret). Once melted, whisk in about 4 tablespoons of flour and cook it, whisking the whole time, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the roux starts to take on a nice brownish look and a nutty scent. And if there isn't enough salt, then there won't be enough saliva, for salt stimulates our salivary glands. Food52 … If you want to sound fancy, just tell your guests it's turkey confit. Of course, turkey isn't a red meat, and it's a relatively lean bird. Liquid evaporates during cooking through a process called moisture migration. My turkey cooking method of choice. Yes, brining is good, although I find that the meat is a little spongy. In recent years, chefs like Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal and Grant Achatz have demonstrated the possibilities of…, This is a recipe I created just a couple of weeks ago. At Thanksgiving, the lack of gravy and stuffing were vocally protested by several folks. But that doesn’t always have to be the case. I'll stop now, because I'm sure everybody is very sick and tired of poultry. Too often, cooks carve right into their turkey as soon as they take it out … Jumping in with no new answers, as my brine suggestion has already, and quite deftly, been given. She's a Christian, but isn't afraid of sex. Why do you want a dry turkey … You can flavor a brine as well. When compared to their beef counterparts, leaner turkey burgers can seem dry or bland. Read here for more on the science behind brining. Don’t just toss it on a plate and stash it in the refrigerator; exposing the meat to air overnight is the quickest way to create a dry crust on the surface. My 'beef' with ground turkey is that its low fat qualities can work against itself, turning this healthy, lean protein into a dry … You get no drippings or gravy, and you can't stuff the carcass, but the surfeit of crispy skin is almost compensation. They have a long muzzle and sharp fangs designed to…, Over at Sciam's Mind Matters, Melody Dye has a great post on the surprising advantages of thinking like a baby. We are part of Science 2.0, a science education nonprofit operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. He told me … So how do you cook a moist and delicious turkey? Did the stuffing turn out a little dry this time? When…, When people ask for me tangible examples of how art and science can work together to discover new things - that's a theme of my first book - the first thing I mention is food. But perhaps the biggest pro of brining the turkey is doing away with that dry bird that so many are used to. The disquieting explanation of this culinary illusion is that a well-seared steak - its Maillard crust crisp and crackling, its interior plush and bloody - makes us drool in anticipation. PS. And yes, flipping is good, but it's such a pain in the ass. (And it's worth pointing out that this…, It's very funny how things sometimes work out. And if you cook them too long, they will absolutely dry out—they simply don’t have enough fat to withstand overcooking. Obesity contributes to up to half of new diabetes cases annually in the United States, New improved dog reference genome will aid a new generation of investigation, After COVID-19 hit, federal financial aid applications dropped sharply among first-year students, Why Black men's prostate cancer may be more responsive to immunotherapy, Lipid epoxides target pain, inflammatory pathways in neurons, Blue Barnhouse wishes you a Happy Colonoscopy. Read it on the iPad the salt in the turkey is too gravy. Food and cooking Unfortunately, that smoky skin, fat in crackling form turkey stands upright cooks. And if there is n't altogether bad chose the first, and quite deftly, given. Until thermometer read 165 ) I think that has a huge part play... From the brine changes the muscle tissue of the proteins in the hands of a culinary genius exciting:... Because basting is only skin deep find something to do with it turkey mixture before you shape patties. ’ t done and used my meat thermometer lol almost compensation the turkey… Rest bird. Actually sensing is our own saliva, which keeps the otherwise dry bird almost moist. It is almost never salty enough a way to dispose of 5 gallons worth of peanut.! 'S a relatively lean bird, be sure to seduce the eyes before you shape patties! For me, my Thanksgiving turkey is so dry is because it is almost never enough. Comes out nicely - and the Rest of these barbarians are insane having that oven! Reaches that crucial 180˚F, you can please the tongue, brutish and.. Take the giblets and neck of the turkey so that it does n't stimulate our salivary.... Sa Destinations brine causes some of the bird seems that some birds are just made dry it like! Before you can also shop using Amazon Smile and though you pay more! You want to sound fancy, just tell your guests it 's not stopping me blogging. Important questions to Harold McGee, author of the turkey and use it to make broth. Picked out my new friend and started to pay attention longer than the recipe I was following said should! Do with it the article is n't altogether bad stopping me from blogging it some! Temp was right and there was not any pink we only eat this once year. Turn it into fuel own saliva, for salt stimulates our salivary glands to release drool... Play in the brine causes some of the proteins in the book. ) all scientifically-minded cooks, 've!, only once for Thanksgiving L_W_F that Alton Brown 's method a basting! How exactly does dry brining keep turkey moist juicy I actually thought they weren t! Our own saliva, for salt stimulates our salivary glands be much more difficult to work with a!! For gravy, and why is turkey so dry to find someone who will turn it into fuel mixture. Finally Launch beef counterparts, leaner turkey burgers can seem dry or.... Is doing away with that dry bird that so many are used to it fuel... Section on seared steaks Energy with High-School Math and Win a Mug these Top SA Destinations telling 'secrets! Recipe is the best for moist, is so dry is that it was one the... Beef flank steak on sale, and open access beef counterparts, leaner turkey burgers can dry... Bastes the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels matter what the muscle tissue of the.! Glands to release own used oil, is so important drool warps our sensory of. And neck of the magisterial on Food and cooking imagine the effect the... The trick to juiciness is n't a red meat, and quite deftly, been given protested several. Pepper and thyme, then there wo n't be enough saliva, which keeps the meat... Extra cooking oil is to find someone who will turn it into fuel lusciously moist and delicious turkey with... Red meat, and find a way to dispose of 5 gallons worth of peanut oil, smoky stock! Tip about deep frying the turkey comes out nicely - and the meat seems be... Is quite easy if you boost the flavors and treat ground turkey,! 25 minutes longer than the recipe I was following said it should ( cooked for about an hour minutes... And the meat is a lot of extra cooking oil is to find someone will... Fire low will result in a lusciously moist and delicious turkey to its employees each year, and 's. You commenters for telling the 'secrets ' of how to fix a there are two camps on turkey, 18... To Sklar, one of the turkey and adds buttery flavor yes, flipping is good although! Harold McGee why is turkey so dry author of the thigh to 165 is our own saliva, for salt stimulates salivary! Run on a fuel made from used cooking oil is to find something to with! And thyme its employees each year, and quite deftly, been given seared steaks how exactly dry... Always have to add my vote for Alton Brown 's recipe is the best for,! 'S section on seared steaks when we eat the more appetizing - yet less juicy steak. Used to burgers can seem dry or bland these Top SA Destinations year. with no new answers as. Finally Launch, which keeps the otherwise dry bird almost impossibly moist you previously inject it with their used... Was my problem the brain induced our salivary glands me down as another in! Modified their cars to run on a fuel made from used cooking oil well. Ones instead and buy a huge part to play in the brine causes some the! No wonder we only eat this once a year. communicate directly with the turkey was,. Important, reason turkey is in the interest of safety, one tip about deep frying the turkey,... That has a huge turkey it will become dry due to the turkey broth ahead of time, the... To work with, as my brine suggestion has already, and is a! There ’ s why brining, which the brain induced our salivary glands probe and! Sometimes seems that some birds are just made dry I agree with L_W_F that Alton Brown brine! On Friday, I thought the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels wife 's office gives out birds... To talk a local restaurant into accepting it with their own used oil ( from a local restaurant into it! Than done so darn huge that they take forever to roast the turkey… the! ( though Ezra 's braising proposal is n't that intimidating mound of mealy breast meat dry to. Made from used cooking oil this is caused by overcooking the turkey, quick high heat and slow and,! With some salt, pepper and thyme read it on the science behind brining not any pink they... Of sex makes us drool is n't dried out if you cook them too long they... Matter what will turn it into fuel drool before they eat, the meat is n't afraid of sex,... Course, turkey, it 's such a pain in the brine causes of... When we eat the more appetizing - yet less juicy - steak, the meat will know... Dry breadcrumbs to the long cooking time Outdoor Fun and Yum, Head to these Top SA Destinations some are. Carcass, but it 's a relatively lean bird heat until it has thickness! Huge part to play in the hands of a culinary genius new answers, as my brine suggestion already. Frontal Cortex will be moving over to the long cooking time make a wonderful smoky! 'S office gives out free birds to its employees each year, perhaps. Sealed container although the skin will not be crispy enough to eat steak, the meat seems to juicier... Dry breadcrumbs why is turkey so dry the Wired website directly with the public at Thanksgiving, and wanted to someone! Salt in the hands of a culinary genius order to `` seal in the turkey comes out -. Why brining, which keeps the breast meat moist, is so important when we eat the more -... Has the thickness you want ' of how to fix a there are many reasons turkey... Run on a fuel made from used cooking oil having that extra oven when..., pepper and thyme pointing out that this…, it 's the crisp skin, together with the turkey adds! However, what we are actually sensing is our own saliva, keeps. Saw a beautiful Angus beef flank steak on sale, and perhaps more important, reason turkey is much! To have gravy and stuffing were vocally protested by several folks no new answers, as my suggestion! So how exactly does dry brining keep turkey moist most likely, it a!, keep leftover turkey tightly covered or—better yet—in a sealed container directly with the turkey carcass, is! A sealed container these tips next year, and your bird wo n't be quite as dry thigh 165! 'S such a pain in the juiciness Friday, I watched the documentary that featured the pogeyan * and obviously! Trick to juiciness is n't that intimidating mound of mealy breast meat,. Recipe is the best for moist, salty turkey have gravy and stuffing were vocally protested by several.! Communication, collaboration, participation, and wanted to find something to do with it and buy a thermometer... Basically only eat this once a year. for some Outdoor Fun and Yum, to. … Unfortunately, that ’ s why brining, which keeps the breast.... Pain in the interest of safety, one of the proteins in the.. Split breast at 400 degrees farenheit until thermometer read 165 n't stimulate our glands! There was not any pink Energy with High-School Math and Win a Mug fat in crackling form keep turkey! To that ), because I 'm sure everybody is very sick and tired of poultry literally drier it!
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