Quick question about alternative turkey cooking method

11 years ago

Hi folks, my sister asked yesterday if I could bring a second turkey, as she is having a bigger crowd this year and does not have oven space to cook/warm a second bird. I bought the bird; wondering the best way to go about this.
If I cook it at home, she will still need some way to keep it warm for a while (we live a half hour away and won't be eating as soon as we arrive). I don't have a Nesco roaster, but thought of buying one. I can't find any stores around here that stock it - all on-line (BB&B, Target, Walmart, PC Richard, etc.) I could do Amazon to get it Monday and try out the Prime just for the two day shipping. Someone from my house will be picking our son up from college Tuesday night, and could stop by her house on the way home with the turkey, appliance, etc. What is the best option for that second turkey? I'm thinking it's easier if it gets cooked at her house because whatever I cook it in will be hot and messy - e.g. if I did it in a Nesco, I couldn't transport the roaster because it would be too hot. She didn't like the idea of trying to grill it. If we brought the turkey on Tuesday night with ice in a cooler, would it be safe til Thurs am in her garage? (We're in the northeast, so it's cold, but is supposed to warm up some early next week.) I'm working all day Tues & Wed or would make it a day ahead, but then we'd still need that roaster to warm it up anyway. Looking for your best advice - I've never been disappointed :) - thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

elba1
Original Author
11 years ago
I decided I couldn't wait any longer, so I just ordered the 18 qt Nesco with the 2 day prime shipping. My son will cook the turkey Wed. using the make ahead directions previously suggested. Then on Thursday we will bring the cooked (and at least partially sliced) turkey to my sister's house with the Nesco so it can be plugged in/warmed up there. Hopefully I get lots of other uses out of it - have no idea where I will store it - will have to be the attic or garage!
tomatofreak
11 years ago
I would have done it on the grill - which is what we do nearly every year. It comes out done to perfection.
Related Discussions
Quick cooking question from a novice...
Q
Comments (4)
Bacteria issues can be avoided by making sure you follow hygienic kitchen practices in the first place, store the cooked food properly and reheat it properly. Do not put hot food in the fridge. It can change the overall temp and cause other foods to spoil. Quick chilling it before refrigerating (in an ice water bath, for example)is the safest method. However, I only go to that trouble if I am feeding someone who is elderly and of frail health or has immune system problems. Generally, if food is allowed to come close to lukewarm or room temp before refrigeration it will be fine if you have followed good cooking practices during it's preparation. Is the carrot souffle an actual souffle, or just something called a souffle? If actually a souffle, it won't keep. But I've seen a variety of salad like dishes called souffles that are not. Your cranberry sauce will actually taste better with time for the flavors to blend, especially if it's a more jazzed up recipe than the basic.
...See More
Question about Brining a Turkey
Q
Comments (31)
DC, you don't get a "salty tasting bird". You get a seasoned bird. You aren't getting a salty taste. dcarch got it. I didn't mean your bird will be TOO salty, just that it won't have anything else going on except the salt. Other than a saltier bird or piece of meat, what can you possibly get if you add salt? One might call it "seasoning" but salt is salt. You'll get the flavor of whatever you add. So if you smoke the salt for example, you'll get a slightly smoky taste. And if you include some chili powder, you'll get a bit of kick. It's impossible to rub salt on ribs or chicken or steak and not have it penetrate - that's the entire point of doing it, no matter what you call it. The flavors are completely different if you only use salt as opposed to other ingredients. I brine or use dry rubs for pretty much every meat and it all depends on what outcome you want. In this case and in fact in most cases, I WANT the other flavors in the meat, or I wouldn't add them. If you marinate a piece of steak or turkey in a combination of soy sauce, wine, honey, ginger, anise, and garlic, you'll get all those flavors even when you grill the food. But if you just rub with salt, and we do that often enough, you'll only have that. That's OK if it's all you want, but I kind of like things that are more fun. Just got done making the brine for this turkey BTW - apple cider, salt, honey, orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, fresh rosemary and thyme from the garden. We're having Korean guests and they're used to slightly sweet/salty flavors with meats, so it should be fine.
...See More
Cooking the turkey - questions and slight panic.
Q
Comments (36)
Renovator - I think I'm going to look into the bags for next time. Delilah - :) I think I could handle them! I would totally buy a precooked turkey too if I could get my hands on one. Kitschy and Sherry - Oh my!! All the planning and prep... the day goes so fast. I used regular old bake mode, stuffed the turkey, and followed Butterball's directions this year. It was good. I didn't use the probe because my pan was too deep and I just could see it turning into a mess. I'm going to test out the roast mode more and stuffing the turkey later while it rests. We had lots of food left over. The paper/styrofoam products weren't too big of a deal. They ended up being used more for dessert and the aunt did bring a few food items which I thought was also nice. Almost everyone showed up early while I was trying to finish up and wanted to help. You know how that goes - everything gets jammed up and hectic fast, lots of question flying at you, the list goes on! There definitely will be a layout change someday with the kitchen. It was a nice day. My kitchen looks like a bomb went off and I'm looking the other way. Tomorrow it's clean up, Christmas decorating, and leftovers! ETA - Yesterday I managed to somehow hurt my ring finger while putting away dry dishes. No clue what I did but it felt like I stoved my finger. About 10 min. later while making peach cranberry sauce I managed to tear off a large chunk of nail (back into the nail bed) on the middle finger on the same hand while grating orange zest. After the initial scream all I could do was laugh at that point. (Later the ring finger actually hurt worse than the missing nail.) Cleaned it up, bandaged up, and wore a sexy glove almost full time ever since. Ring finger is normal again today and missing nail is ....well, still missing. :)
...See More
Cook turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving?
Q
Comments (8)
That is a great idea. All about the do-aheads for a crowd larger than 12. Having that weekend ahead of time to cook another bird, carve, makes a nice rich stock for the gravy, freeze both. Lay the carvings in a stainless baking dish like a lasagna pan so somewhat shallow, or a sheet pan/ cookie sheet with at least an inch high sides. Make a stock immediately with a couple onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, etc. The tray of turkey slices needs to cool quickly, then fridge a bit. A 1/2cup of the stock, chilled, even interrupted while simmering, added to the slices with a few pats of butter...freeze that all ready for the oven. Parchment/ foil. You will have nice stock for your stuffing/dressing and even a do-ahead gravy. Even a quart or two of stock for a soup day or two after. (i freeze in 1/2 pints for easy thaw). My MIL has always roasted at least 4, sometimes 6 extra turkey legs with the bird. The boys like the legs. Pretty common as turkey legs are hard to come by near the holiday so she plans ahead and freezes what she can find. Adds them to the roasting bird around the side an hour into cooking. Lots of tricks for more than a dozen guests. I've done a few times for 25-30 and kinda like the challenge. We used the smoker for the extra turkey and a friend did a brisket on the grill...kept the boys occupied outside. The last big family holiday a few years ago with a three day stay flying in from everywhere, we had beds prepped, trays of snacks prepped, breakfasts prepped, the main meal prepped...even the table prepped...well ahead of the first car arrival. Less stress. And still nuts. Yet the kitchen was clean and all was ready for the oven timed easily.
...See More
elba1
Original Author
11 years ago
I've never done it myself. How exactly do you do it? And do you put it in a disposable pan to save the juices? Thanks. (The Nesco won't come until sometime on Wed, so we are still probably going to put it in a roasting pan in the oven, or could try the grill method, then bring it with the Nesco on Thursday to reheat it in that.)
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
11 years ago
I think the roaster is perfect! I like grilled foods tremendously but there are so many last minute variables with grilling - for me anyway- that doing it at home and slicing and reheating in the roaster is to me, the best way and with all the other things going on at your sister's house, ( in the typical ways, I am presuming) having one thing that does not require any work other than an outlet will probably be welcomed.
elba1
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you! I've been reading about the Nesco on here for probably a few years now. Don't have room to store it in my kitchen, so have been refraining from purchasing. But when I got the call for help from my sister, it was the best thing I could think of, so decided now was the time to buy! Next year, I could give it to her early and maybe she could do a bird or breast the day before, or now she would have room to just do them both Thanksgiving morning.
lascatx
11 years ago
Around here, we grill or fry turkeys if they aren't roasted in the oven. The roaster you ordered should work well too and Amazon Prime is great.

Have you considered roasting the turkey in your oven as you normally would (eliminate a variable in the cooking) and transport it in the roaster? You could just heat it to act as a warmer while in transit, but not have the cooking mess. Just a thought. Hope it all goes smoothly.
elba1
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, yes. That is what I will probably do, but I do want to get it cooked the day before since it's a little over 18 pounds I don't want to have to get up in the middle of the night to get it going!

Quick question about alternative turkey cooking method

Comments (7)

elba1
Original Author

tomatofreak

Related Discussions

elba1
Original Author

Bumblebeez SC Zone 7

elba1
Original Author

lascatx

elba1
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Quick question about alternative turkey cooking method

Comments (7)

elba1Original Author

tomatofreak

Related Discussions

elba1Original Author

Bumblebeez SC Zone 7

elba1Original Author

lascatx

elba1Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

elba1
Original Author

elba1
Original Author

elba1
Original Author

elba1
Original Author