anne, I agree, I think the injected/brined/treated turkeys are too salty. Others love them, just another example of taste being subjective and not objective.

I'm glad it went well and that you did not opt for the microwave, I was not optimistic about that application. Your meal sounds like it went very well, though, so there's just another thing to be thankful for. My family dinner isn't until Sunday, so we'll see if mine goes off as well as yours did!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Annie

Oh...thank you,annie. I sometimes wonder if I'm over-reacting to things like this. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in this opinion. Actually...I was sad to taste the salt as the meat was compact and very tender. I'm hoping that resting it in the frig until tomorrow will reduce the salt flavor. I'm so looking forward to a turkey sandwich with my stuffing layered under a nice pile of turkey. I'm sure that cooking it in the microwave would have produced a rubbery meat consistency even though it was one of their recommended roasting methods.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, annie.

Anne I'm not sure if you have access to Empire Kosher Turkey in Ct. I can find them multiple stores in L.A. Trader Joe's carries them and I've found them to be really good. They do have bones and they're split into half breasts, but being koshered they have the moisture that most turkey breasts lack. The salt flavor isn't apparent, it just produces a juicy result. I cook them partially covered with some broth or a citrus liquid in the pan for basting. It's been a winner for me. In fact, I made two along with my turkey last night. I was afraid that I wouldn't have enough meat as the turkey was quite small. Of course I over estimated and now have enough leftovers to freeze for another time. It's all good, happy to have it!

Compumom...I did a search and can't find one store that carries the Empire Kosher Turkey in CT. I really find that hard to believe. They're in all my surrounding States...but not here. But...one search is not the end of my curious nature. If they're anywhere to be found here...I'll find them before next Thanksgiving. They sound like the perfect solution. Thank you so much.

The store that I do most of my marketing at is home based in Massachusetts. I found Empire in Boston. If worse came to worse...I'll bet I might be able to talk my market into importing one for me when the time comes. I'll have to discuss the subject with my butcher the next time we meet.

Trader Joe's is no where to be found near me, either...but Aldi's is and I understand they're related. At the moment, they're renovating and enlarging their store but once that's completed, I'll check with them, too.

This is the price I pay for becoming a country bumpkin. LOL But commercial growth is on its way so perhaps it's just a matter of time. It just takes a dedicated snooper to hunt these treasures down....and nice people to put me on the track. Thank you.

Linda...The reversal progress sounds possible but an awful lot of work for a couple of pounds of turkey. But...the upside to this current situation is that...you're right! The cold turkey isn't nearly as offensive as the out-of-the-oven product was. A night in the frig did wonders for tonight's turkey sandwich. The salt was barely noticeable. Coupled with left over stuffing and mayo...I'm happy to report that I had an epicurean delight! :-)

Oh anne_ct, I am disappointed! I was looking forward to hearing how it turned out in the microwave for future reference! Expect you to do ONE little thing and there you go! Sheesh! ;)

Glad you enjoyed it as best you could. That's one reason I dislike Butterball and all the fuel-injected birds. Too salty and I find it's almost always mushy from the salt slime. And they cost more too because of the name. Not for me.

I've thought many times about picking up one of the boneless breasts from Aldi. Slightly spendy but should be easy. Seems to me they're 3# for about $9.

FWIW, Aldi and Trader Joe's are only kissing cousins. Two brothers owned the Aldi chain and got into a fight in the 60s over whether to sell cigarettes. Because of this disagreement, they split the company and literally, the world. They have lines drawn up and they don't cross them. One brother's division owns Aldi Sud which is the division of the Aldi chain in the US and the other brother owned Aldi Nord and his division bought Trader Joe's. Both brothers are now dead. There was/is some sharing of advertising, some cooperation on purchasing and things but the Aldi and Trader Joe's stores are very different. Don't expect to see more than one or two items the same in both stores. Very different operations. It's an interesting history of a single family store turned global.

I made a brined turkey ONCE, and while even the breast meat was tender (though still pretty tasteless, as breast meat is wont to be) the salt just would not leave, no matter how hard I rinsed the bird prior to cooking. Okay, the breast meat wasn't quite tasteless -- it just tasted of... salt.

It was so salty that I didn't even save the carcass for stock, as I normally would do. A total shame, as it was a heirloom/expensive bird.

(PS, if I know dinner is going to be boneless breast... I'm eating before I get there. And yes, I'll be polite enough not to tell you...)

Regards Empire kosher turkeys -- We had them growing up when in NY. I didn't really notice a difference to run out for, but then again I wasn't cooking those, so I don't know how the chef made the difference since I didn't observe.