Pie in the oven

[MissMillie]

Apple

Made a banana bread

Turkey is in the brine.

Made bread.

Our feast is tomorrow. Still much to do, but we'll handle it.

Turkey is going to take 8.5 hours to cook. (It was a free turkey, so I shouldn't complain... but 8.5 hours!!!!!!! and no room in the oven for anything else!)

For all of this I am truly thankful.


Somebody buy me a drink, please.

[badhair77]

1. Sounds great. Enjoy your feast and make some memories.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I know you can do it, my dear MissMillie!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Have you ever tried spatchcocking the turkey? I did this last year and managed to fit...

three turkeys into an oven where only one would fit before, and the turkeys came out perfect. No grand presentation or demonstration of carving skills, but they'll get their turkey and love it. And the roasting time was cut in half.

You may not want to experiment this late in the game, but I tell you that after that experience last year, I will never , ever roast a turkey the old way again.

One of many directions for spatchcocking: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-spatchcock-a-turkey/

[MissMillie]

6. Never tried that

I just usually stick to a turkey that is under 15 lbs. I never have a houseful of people anyway. Tomorrow there's just 6 of us. We didn't need a 25 lb. turkey. It was given to us, so it's kind of difficult to say "no" to that.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. Weight is almost irrelevant-- Martha Stewart has a whole series on spatchcocking chickens...

and most of the search results will come up with that.

Plan b with a turkey that size could be just cooking half of it. 12 pounds of turkey for 6 people is still too much. Toss half in the freezer for Christmas.

[Yonnie3]

4. all I can find is a beer for you.

I hope it will do.

I'll be cooking a turkey breast Sunday. TJ has been working nights at the medical center so we're waiting.

[RockRaven]

5. Woah... 8.5 hours? How big is that monster?

We did a 24 pound beast and it took 5 hours (fwiw, empty cavity) at 325F (plus 1 hour resting and carving time).

It was our first time doing a bird so large since we got a new oven -- plus out first time hosting a large group of extended family since remodeling our kitchen -- so it was a little nerve-wracking, but all was well in the end. But we have much to be thankful for, and still would have even if the turkey had been a disaster.

[MissMillie]

7. It's 25.73 lbs.

I thought it was 20 minutes per pound for Turkey. I'll double-check my "Joy of Cooking" before it goes in.

[Lochloosa]

8. that's about right. My 22 lb took 6.5 hrs at 325 - Stuffed

[Grasswire2]

10. wow

Your risk is that it might dry out. I take a paper wrapper from a cube of butter and lay it on top of the turkey breast. It seems to help keep it moist.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

11. What kind of a pan are you using?

Some years ago I bought a proper roasting pan, some kind of heavy metal, with a rack. My turkeys roast up in significantly less time than they used to, and I stuff them. Of course, it's too late to go out and buy another pan, but if you roast a turkey even once a year it's worth the money to buy a good pan. It won't be cheap. I paid, as I recall, $70 and that was probably in 1991 or '92. Best seventy bucks I've ever spent.

Although I don't think I've ever roasted anything over 20 pounds. I have a 10 pound bird that I'm going to do tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it. I just love the way the house smells for several days after.