Ricky wrote:
:: I cook 5 or 6 turkeys a year and have been cooking them for over 40
years.
:: Here are some helpful tips regardless of how you cook the turkey -
smoker or
:: oven.

Not that long for me. Yet.

::
:: 1. Cook the turkey breast side down for the first half of your
total cooking
:: time. This will allow all the juices to flow into the breast meat
virtually
:: guaranteeing a moist breast. If you are cooking for 5 hours, start
with the
:: bird breast down and flip at 2-1/2 hours.

That's pretty much how I did it, 'til I started cooking them on a
stand, and more recently, hanging them. On the stand or hanger, it's
upside-down (legs up) for the same reason...self basting.

::
:: 2. Stuffed turkey stays much more moist then unstuffed turkey. I
make a
:: stuffing from boiled potatoes, sauteed onions, trimmed white bread,
several
:: sticks of butter, chopped fresh garlic, chives, and a bit of
cayenne pepper.

EXACTLY! I never believed that part about stuffing making turkey
dangerous, but I always cooked turkeys @ 350 or more.
::
:: 3. When you carve the turkey: remove the legs, wings and dark meat
first.
:: Then cut along side the breast bone and under the rib cage to
remove the
:: breast as a single piece of meat. Then instead of cutting thin
slices that
:: dry out in seconds, cut it like you'd cut a tenderloin - across the
breast
:: with pieces around 1/2" thick.

I'd work on one side, then the other. My Mom liked the presentation
of at least *half* an intact bird so I did that part her way. I like
the idea of cutting out the breast. I'll have to remember to try it.
Sounds great.

::
:: 4. And if you are carving, try not to eat all the good stuff until
you can
:: grab a seat at the table!

LOL. Try, but no guarantees.
::
:: Happy Thanksgiving
:: Ricky Ginsburg
:: Head Cook of the World Famous (not) Boca Boys Cook Team
and Cayenne master '-)
:: Webmaster for the Florida Barbecue Association -
http://www.flbbq.org

It's on my desktop. Kept pretty much up-to-the-minute, up-to-date!

See ya in Starke on December 9?
Well, Sebring in January, then.

BOB
--
Raw Meat Should NOT Have An Ingredients List