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How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Dear Grace: I made this yesterday. I spatch-cocked my turkey saturday morning, after a 12 hour brine, for a friends' thanksgiving saturday afternoon. It turned out SO awesome. I've pretty much hated every other turkey that I've ever had/made except for this one. and it was so fast! I was really worried because after 20 minutes at 400F, there was a 40 deg F temperature difference between my thigh and my breast. (or 22.2 deg C difference). I ended up cooking the breast to a higher temperature than you recommended, yet none of my turkey meat was dry.
The high temperature of 450 I first used when I made this Thomas Keller recipe for simple roast chicken, where he also roasts at 450 deg F. (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/My-Favorite-Simple-Roast-Chicken-231348)
Interestingly enough, even without brining, Thomas Keller's recipe for cooking chicken at high temperature also avoids dry chicken meat.
his roast chicken recipe is good practice for this recipe in my opinion because of the following reason:
When I made that recipe, I followed the commenters' and my sister's advice, and layered potatoes underneath the roast chicken because otherwise there is quite a bit of smoking.
Why is this important?
The spatchocked turkey also smokes quite a bit when cooking at 450F.
So be prepared for that. I thought it might be butter, but Keller's recipe doesn't call for butter, so it's simply from the poultry.
the smoke is nothing that opening all the windows in my 650 sq. ft apartment didn't fix! But I wonder if you could avoid the smoke by, as many who prepare Keller's chicken do, layering potatoes underneath the bird and throwing those into your gravy or something.
I just want to say that these are what I found to be most key in making your recipe:
Brine overnight
dry with LOTS of paper towels
compound herb butter is a MUST on the breast
prepare for the smoking
and definitely turkey resting is key prior to carving
If anyone else experienced the smoking, or same temperature differential between thigh and breast I would love to hear about it.
everyone loved it!! thank you so much G - you RULE!
Watch It with Us: 'Top Chef Las Vegas,' Ep. 11
does anyone else think eli's peanut + apple + something pink soup sounds or at least looks kind of weird?
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
my first thanksgiving, my dad was insistent that we not spoil our appetite - but as a kid, there was no way I was waiting until 3 o'clock for some boring turkey, and until 5 for pie! so my mom snuck us some turkey broth she'd made and we got to feel like spies sneaking around the house.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
Dear Grace: I made this yesterday. I spatch-cocked my turkey saturday morning, after a 12 hour brine, for a friends' thanksgiving saturday afternoon. It turned out SO awesome. I've pretty much hated every other turkey that I've ever had/made except for this one. and it was so fast! I was really worried because after 20 minutes at 400F, there was a 40 deg F temperature difference between my thigh and my breast. (or 22.2 deg C difference). I ended up cooking the breast to a higher temperature than you recommended, yet none of my turkey meat was dry.
The high temperature of 450 I first used when I made this Thomas Keller recipe for simple roast chicken, where he also roasts at 450 deg F. (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/My-Favorite-Simple-Roast-Chicken-231348)
Interestingly enough, even without brining, Thomas Keller's recipe for cooking chicken at high temperature also avoids dry chicken meat.
his roast chicken recipe is good practice for this recipe in my opinion because of the following reason:
When I made that recipe, I followed the commenters' and my sister's advice, and layered potatoes underneath the roast chicken because otherwise there is quite a bit of smoking.
Why is this important?
The spatchocked turkey also smokes quite a bit when cooking at 450F.
So be prepared for that. I thought it might be butter, but Keller's recipe doesn't call for butter, so it's simply from the poultry.
the smoke is nothing that opening all the windows in my 650 sq. ft apartment didn't fix! But I wonder if you could avoid the smoke by, as many who prepare Keller's chicken do, layering potatoes underneath the bird and throwing those into your gravy or something.
I just want to say that these are what I found to be most key in making your recipe:
Brine overnight
dry with LOTS of paper towels
compound herb butter is a MUST on the breast
prepare for the smoking
and definitely turkey resting is key prior to carving
If anyone else experienced the smoking, or same temperature differential between thigh and breast I would love to hear about it.
everyone loved it!! thank you so much G - you RULE!
Watch It with Us: 'Top Chef Las Vegas,' Ep. 11
does anyone else think eli's peanut + apple + something pink soup sounds or at least looks kind of weird?
What's Your Favorite Sandwich?
So obviously you guys have covered banh mi, my favorite. I also love tortas and the california connection available from Central Market in Houston, TX.
Post marathon late lunch (brunch) in the city
If you want to grab something and eat it outside while the marathon runs by, I love the croissants and coffee at Petrossian. If you can get a seat, it's definitely cozy! Or maybe Bouchon Bakery? I think the problem is that if you don't get there early or make a reservation in this neighborhood you'll end up waiting forever and a lot of the good places don't take reservations.
Finally - I'm not sure how much their brunch costs, but Brasserie 9 1/2 in the 9 west 57 street building has a GREAT buffet type selection, and there's guaranteed to be room.
NY Home-Cooking Club interest?
If anyone's ever been to the gutter in brooklyn (200 N. 14th St. in Wburg), they have a huge bar area and they allow you to bring in outside food (and have a great selection of beer). My friends had a potluck there around thanksgiving 2007 (they made a turkducken) and a ton of people made sides. you can even bowl, though that's cash only. When I went with my friends around sunday afternoon (from 2-6), it wasn't too crowded either.
Cook the Book: The Southern Italian Table
ribollita - with all the old bread being my favorite part.
Weekend Cook and Tell: Restaurant Recreations
I love the white bean dip at Roberto Passon in nyc. It's something so simple and yet so delicious. (can't speak for much else on the menu). Has this ever happened to anyone else - when it's not a main dish but a simple appetizer that seems like it would be a throwaway which leaves you wanting more?
Sugar Rush: Pistachio Croissants from Petrossian
I always take my visitors to nyc here for the croissants- I can't stay away!
Need Recipes for Beets
I love pickled beets & roasting beets, as bareneed and cybercita suggested, and then my new favorite way is the shredded beet and carrot salad from chocolate and zucchini.
and maybe the most classic preparation is beets with horseradish?
Finally - I think jessica seinfeld has a recipe for beet pancakes in her "let's hide the vegetables so the kids don't know" cookbook. You throw some beet puree in the pancakes or something, and you can freeze the pink pancakes.
I've been wondering if there's a dessert where you can throw beets in, as they are so sweet and yummy, like beet cake instead of carrot cake.
oh yeah - and don't throw the leaves away! you can make a salad or simply saute with olive oil, salt and pepper, and throw into your pasta. so good! (but use them up right away)
"Date night" lunch on Friday
If you can go for a later lunch, I liked Otto (but I dislike crowds, hence the reason I say lunch later). My friend and I had an awesome date - pasta alla norma, pizza, and of course the olive oil gelato (recommended as Serious eats as the best gelato in nyc. Can I be honest and say that was my reason for going there?) I just like eating late lunches in the west village.
Cook the Book: 'The Craft of Baking'
homemade cinnamon rolls.
also does the peanut butter and jelly truffle at jean georges count if I only took a sliver?
glazes & stuffings for winter squash?
smitten kitchen has a recipe for acorn squash quesadillas. While that's not a glaze, I liked the idea of making the squash spicy - some sort of jalapeno glaze + maple syrup glaze, or you could maybe try jalapeno jelly brushed on the squash before it bakes
Tomato and Feta Stuffed Peppers
@elizahleigh - np, you can get the recipe by clicking on "source." The poster says the original recipe is from Martha Stewart - http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/baked-stuffed-red-peppers-with-cherry-tomatoes-feta-and-thyme
How do you make make edamame?
Hey Chisai - My all-time favorite way to eat edamame is the corn and edamame salad from Veganomicon. (If you do a search for "veganomicon edamame salad" it'll come up in Google Books). I double the dressing - a yummy mix of sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, and throw in some drops of chili oil for heat so that I can add some red onion and cabbage, shredded carrots or beets, etc. for color and variety.
And if you make it with fresh corn, Don't boil the corn! Just use it fresh off the cob. I think the salad would also be good with fresh shredded parsnip, which will make it sweeter, but I haven't tried that yet.
I haven't tried it with the frozen corn yet, but it's really really awesome. Just be sure your sesame oil is not rancid, though - mine always seems to go bad before I use it all.
Liberté Yogurt: My Holy Grail of Dairy Products
having tried different liberte flavors- I have something slightly blasphemous to add: I might prefer Liberte's yogurt over most ice creams.
The Crisper Whisperer: Escarole and Bean Soup with Pistachio Pesto
escarole and bean soup rocks. there is a place near my work that has this on their menu and I never would have thought to order it except my very italian coworker steered me towards it. I rarely leave a restaurant so satisfied. (It's also delicious with tomatoes - canned or otherwise).
Cook the Book: 'Gourmet Today'
mine was a fondue cookbook. Everytime I made something from there i felt so proud - because how can fondue turn out bad? Melting cheese was my first experience cooking.
Dinner Tonight: Baked Ziti
wow, this makes me want to buy a cook's illustrated cookbook now. I have been trying their oatmeal cookies (via smitten kitchen) and they are divine (if a *tiny* bit more crispy than what I would like). And now a one skillet recipe? w00t!
Bento Help!
@lemonfair - I used to pack my lunch but I realized I was just packing whatever leftovers I had, with no concept of portion size. Not only that, but I am rarely excited to eat the same meal twice in a row. With bentos, I never dread the lunch I have packed because it doesn't have to be leftovers - it can come from the stash I have prepared, and you can dress up the food in cute ways. I've really saved a lot of money packing them and feel like I eat a lot more vegetables as well.
Bento Help!
Listener - I just saw that you don't like rice, sorry! Maybe you can try freezing pasta instead? Also, here is the mark bittman article on making foods in the microwave:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/dining/02mini.html
Bento Help!
Hi Listener - If you live in new york, a good place to buy bento stuff is pearl river mart. I just went there this weekend, and they had a ton of great bento boxes. But honestly any good container that is the size you want it to be will work. The mL in the box correspond roughly to the number of calories, so 500 mL ~ 500 calories, 1L ~ 1000 calories, and so on. 1 cup ~240 mL, so if you fill a measuring cup with water and pour into your container until it's full, you can figure out how much your container holds. To be perfectly honest, the tupperware you have on hand is most likely fine - no need to buy a bento box, though the lock-and-seal are great because they don't leak. (side note: I was amazed at how little 500 mL actually corresponds to.) If you really want to buy a bento, amazon, Ebay as noted above, and also www.ILoveObento.com are good sources.
Anyway, for bento recipes, I like justhungry.com and justbento.com. I've had a lot of success with the recipes from there, including the vegan kidney bean curry, which I think you could make in a microwave, and also the microwave omelet - throw in some herbs, cheese, vegetables - whatever you have.
However, you don't have to do asian food - I've seen people use a lot of different things in their bento - hamburger helper, chicken sandwiches, tabbouleh, or even lentil salad (which unfortunately I have never found a recipe for this that I wanted to eat more than once)
If you have a freezer, making and freezing some rice if you have a rice cooker (you can also use the ricecooker to steam vegetables) would help.
you can also make soups in the rice cooker, which we did a lot when I was a kid.
I don't cook a lot with my microwave, but the omelet and bean curry are two things I can think of offhand that could be cooked in there, so I would check justbento.com for more recipes. Also, didn't mark bittman do a post on bitten about microwave cooking? There was an eggplant recipe he made I wanted to try. Hope this helps!
Cook the Book: 'What We Eat When We Eat Alone'
popcorn. fried rice. breakfast tacos. salad. chips + salsa. eggs with shrimp. cookies. tomato sandwiches. dumplings. leftover takeout. hm maybe I need to work some vegetables in there?
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My grandmother always made the best stuffing. She recently passed and my family had our first Thanksgiving together without her. But my cousin still made my grandmother's stuffing and we all shared stories of making her recipe for others who claimed it was the best stuffing they'd ever had. It was a great way to honor a wonderful grandmother and cook.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
When I was little, as told by my parents, I wanted one of the big turkey drumsticks. My brother and grandfather always got one, but that year I made my mind to ask for one, apparently. The story goes that I piped up at the dinner table and politely requested some "turkey on the cob," as everyone else cracked up laughing. To this day, I'm teased about turkey on the cob, and my brother and grandfather are still the ones who get them.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My brother-in-law makes Thanksgiving dinner, and he goes all out. For 11 people (three of which are kids that don't eat turkey), he makes 3 birds, all 20lbs plus. This year he deep fried one, smoked another and oven-roasted the last. Needless to say we enjoy leftovers for quite some time.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I have yet to undercook a turkey.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I was 17 and away from home for the first time. My roommates and I tried to make cornish hens for Thanksgiving, they were frozen and we didn't know any better. We sat there for hours wondering why they weren't cooking and when it finally dawned on us, we just said forget it and went and got pizza. Thank you!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Best story we have is of a thanksgiving when I had two british people to cook for - my boyfriend at the time, and my roommate at the time. As I hadn't cooked for that many people in a long time, I had forgotten to buy a few supplies.
We had the day before off so we went on a day trip to ikea in another city, assuming that the 24 hour grocery stores would still be open 24 hours and therefore open when we got home. We got home at 7. Nothing was open. We ended up scrounging corner stores for SOMETHING to replace the missing ingredients and then rummaging through the freezer for anything.
It wasn't a traditional dinner (other than the turkey) but we made it work somehow.
How to Spatchcock a Turkey
I both spatchcock and butterfly chickens - brining if I need - For the last couple of years I brine my turkeys using new things each year, from apple cider to chicken broth to wine. This is the first year I decided to spatchcock or butterfly my 18 lb turkey. All your comments and directions talk about brine then remove backbone. I remove the backbone first, then brined the poultry. --- Makes it a lot easier to handle - more area is exposed to the brine - and it took up a lot less space with the turkey being flat. No turning involved.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
We've had a lot of great meals over the years, which usually go off without a hitch, relatively speaking.....although one year I tried stuffed turkey breast, which I think disappointed at least a few people--no drumsticks. After over 25 years of marriage and holidays with my family and the inlaws, I've learned to not vary too much on the basic formula and just add one or two unusual dishes at most. This year my sister-in-law hosted and tried to leave mashed potatoes off the menu. She was overruled!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I have lots of favorite memories, with both sides of my family and all, but my favorite year was the one recently when I ordered a pre-fab turkey meal (I do add homemade sides, I can't fight with a turkey), we won a turkey in some contest and my mom's cousin smoked one for us. Yum! I'm a carnivore and it was good!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Don't really have a story...just love the opportunity to show off cooking a tasty bird. This year was apple-brined and smoked. Oh. My. Goodness.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My father bought a smoker when I was in high school. He smoked everything on it: potatoes, chicken, sausage and the like.
Nothing was that great. I was out of town for a couple of weeks, and my family invited my boyfriend over for dinner. I'm not entirely sure why, but nonetheless he accepted. That night, smoked potatoes were on the menu. They developed a rubber-like quality such that when my boyfriend attempted to spear one it shot across the table like a bouncy ball. We are no longer together.
Despite this smoker set-back, come Thanksgiving, my father decided to smoke the turkey. We set the smoker to a low temperature and put a thermometer in the bird itself. Lo and behold one hour later, the turkey read 180 degrees. (Note: I will not allow my bird to be cooked to this temperature now, but I have since gained greater authority in the kitchen.) The skin was nicely darkened. It didn't appear to be burned or overcooked, so we allowed it to rest whilst cooking the rest of the meal.
It was only when cutting into the turkey that the issue appeared. It was like the Griswald family turkey, complete with tufts of smoke. My father went back out to the smoker, befuddled that the bird could be "done" so quickly. He noticed that the temperature was at over 500 degrees. Apparently, he had neglected to open the valve at the top to allow smoke and heat to escape. We quite literally "flash smoked" a turkey.
Please, don't try this at home. It only ends in heartache.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
This year, after cooking for 2 days in preparation for our family feast, my son "the chef"helped me out and made dessert at his restaurant and brought it home on Wednesday eve. He made a red pear tart with shortbread pastry TO DIE FOR, and the most perfect pumpkin pie that I have ever tasted in my life. I knew he was my favorite child, LOL! Our dinner was wonderful and our dessert was divine.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
when i was in japan, my boyfriend and me baked a turkey in a portable oven the size of a microwave
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I am Canadian.... But as a child I actually faked sick on The Thursday, American Thanksgiving. Don't ask me how I knew, but I knew the cartoons were on that day. I can't believe I am say this but having cartoons on a day that wasn't Saturday was a gift.
Of Course kids can see cartoons day and night but this was special for me.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I love baking but I failed at making pumpkin pie one time. The pumpkin filling for some reason decided to ooze out of the shell in the oven. Thankfully I had put a baking sheet and a folded sheet of foil underneath! It was really ugly but tasted pretty good anyway!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
On my first Thanksgiving I over cooked the turkey trying to make sure it was done. Needless to say it was very dry. Then I saw Alton Brown and his brined turkey and tried that, it was great. The next year I did it again but this time it was too salty. This year I found out why. You never brine a Butterball turkey. The self basting of the Butterball turkey is accomplished by injecting it with a salt brine. This year I slow cooked a 14 pounder for four hours at 300 degrees and it was perfect. Live and learn!!!!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
I cooked an entire dish all by myself for the first time one thanksgiving- green bean casserole with french's fried onions
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Last Thanksgiving was one of my favorites, although I initially expected it to be boring and lonely. I was away at college, and due to a multitude of tests the following week, I decided to forego the trip home in favor of studying. I mentioned this fact to one my coworkers, on whom I happened to have a huge crush. Sure enough, a day later, he called me and invited me to Thanksgiving dinner at his house. All of his friends and family were out of town, so he was also going to be by himself.
I arrived at his house and was greeted with the most delicious aroma you could ever imagine. It turned out that he was an amazing cook. He made a smoked turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, a green bean dish, and pecan pie. All of it was made from scratch - I saw the dirty dishes in the sink to prove it. It was the most delicious Thanksgiving meal I had ever eaten. (My mom's not much of a cook.)
After dinner and a few glasses of wine, we were watching TV, when he pretty much out of nowhere told me that he liked me. We've been going out ever since, and today is our 1-year anniversary. It's been a tough year for the both of us, as he moved 8000 miles away shortly after we started dating. We're both happy that we've made things work.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My husband and I decided to start dating on Thanksgiving, so it will always be a special day to me.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
My friends and I started the tradition of having an "orphan Thanksgiving" for all of those in our circle who can't be with their families on the day. Everyone brings their own side dish of choice, so you always end up with a wide variety of flavors....everything from squash casserole to spicy rice to grape salad. Yummy!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
As long as my parents were alive my family went to their house for Thanksgiving dinner. It was always great fun; a full day of cooking, watching the parade on tv, telling great stories, having good wine, sneaking bits of turkey in the kitchen as my father carved it. Such delightful memories. One year my kids (37 and 39 now with families of their own) who were 14 and 16 at the time were seated across the table from each other. I was seated next to my daughter, with my son directly opposite her. There was a big table surrouned by family, filled with wonderful food, loud with sounds of laughter and stories. Suddenly my 14 year old son stops smiling and looks horrified. Only my daughter and I had noticed. His hand goes up to his mouth, where he discretely removes some offending morsel. We quietly looked quizically at him and he reached slowly under the table, as did my daughter. Their hands met and he places the item into her hand. She brings her hand up to her lap and opens it and we look down discretely, only to discover bandaid that had been on my mother's finger earlier in the kitchen as she was making the dressing. To all of our credit, no one screamed. We all quietly stopped eating the dressing.
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Going over to my uncles where his wife was trying to cook a turkey for the first time. She put it in the oven still frozen and upside-down - no turkey was to be had that night....
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Well it's not a very exiting story, but my favorite thanksgiving memory is rolling up those crescent rolls from the tube with my mom back when I was little. Those things are so good!
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
Back in my very early 20's.... My friend's mother was in the hospital, so she and I were going to cook Thanksgiving dinner for all the family and friends...
We did the dips & apps... the veggie side dishes.... turkey in the oven looking wonderful... things are all coming together at the right time and we are doing a great job!
Then somehow the rolls catch on fire while I am making the gravy... I think I have completely repressed the memory of how that happened??? All I remember is the fear that the curtains would catch next and the kitchen was going to go up.....
So there is this whole slapstick routine with the flaming rolls, the water, the smoke & steam and the floating ash... Finally we get back to business. I whip up some bisquick drop biscuits to fill the gap left by the rolls and we get dinner on the table...
It wasn't really until after everyone had plated up and put the gravy boat to work that we realized the skillet had been uncovered during our little diversion and a lot of ash had floated into the gravy.... mmmm mmmm mmm, creamy ash gravy.... a family favorite to this day....
Cook the Book: 'Good Eats: The Early Years'
The first year I knew my husband, he was a dedicated vegetarian. As soon as Thanksgiving came along and the possibility of not being able to have turkey occurred to him, he decided poultry was acceptable food.
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The Food Lab: Perfect Boiled Eggs
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Cottage Cheese Pufflets
Posted by traceysculinaryadventures, September 24, 2009 at 7:55 PM
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About prunesaregood
Location: nyc
About: always wanting to cook more - whether from arabesque, rose levy berenbaum, or one of a million food blogs. I am always having friends over, trying to get them excited about cooking too! they usually just bring beer, which is ok too.
Favorite foods: thomas keller's roast chicken, pho tai, canh chua canh, ma po tofu, the peanut butter and jelly truffle at jean georges, the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe from david lebovitz, chorizo egg and potato breakfast tacos
Last bite on earth: .....bacon?
my first thanksgiving, my dad was insistent that we not spoil our appetite - but as a kid, there was no way I was waiting until 3 o'clock for some boring turkey, and until 5 for pie! so my mom snuck us some turkey broth she'd made and we got to feel like spies sneaking around the house.