[Fleecewife]

 
I've caught a couple of snippets on tv recently where the chef will say : 'cook the turkey breast down, of course'.   Of course?    I never have done that and have never had dry breast meat, but was just wondering which way up everyone else cooks the Sacred Christmas Gleek     and how it turns out.

[deepinthewoods]

cook it breast down for the first 2/3 of the cooking time, the fat from the legs runs down into the breast. then when you turn it breast up, the skin has time to crisp, i normally give it a blast of hot for the last 10mins.

[Fleecewife]

 
 
 
Ours get cooked rather strangely these days as I cook it here, then we travel over an hour to our son's for the meal, with the Gleek in a haybox, then crispify it in his oven for the last bit.  The haybox helps to make it very tender and does keep it moist.
 
OK I think I'll give the upside down method a go this year     

[Brucklay]

I've always done breast up, but that sounds like a good idea. As this is the first time I've reared my own turkey I'm going to give that a go - to give her the best chance of being tender - thanks for the tip 

[deepinthewoods]

it does mak a real difference. be prepared withgloves and implements as a big hot bird can be hard to roll over

[Ina]

it does mak a real difference. be prepared withgloves and implements as a big hot bird can be hard to roll over

You know, I'm beginning to think this should all be in  that other thread - things you can only say at Christmas... Especially to a veggie like me, it all sounds very suspect! 


I'll try to keep my breast up these days. If not, could be I've been at the wine. 

[darkbrowneggs]

I always found that squashed the breast out of shape a bit, so it didn't look so nice on the table. 
 
Over the years I feel I now have the perfect method.
 
Firstly always use a meat thermometer so you know what is happening 
 
Mix chopped herbs and salt and pepper in softened butter
Loosen the skin all over the breast by pushing hand up under loose neck skin
Spread herbed butter between skin and breast
Stuff neck cavity with forcemeat - parsley thyme and suet with egg and lemon rind + nutmeg and cayenne pepper sauce
Put whole onion and apple and lemon in cavity
Cover bird with aluminium foil, putting double over any bits which might burn such as wings, etc
Late Christmas Eve stick in hot oven till beginning to get hot (around 3/4 hours)
Stick in bottom oven or possibly turn oven right down and cook overnight
About 1 hour before serving remove foil and brown skin for about 20/30 mins in hot oven till looking nice, then remove from oven and allow to relax for the last 30 mins or so
 
Works for me        

[SallyintNorth]

Here's the thing.

Never cooked a turkey before.

This year, cooking 20lb bird for family of 4 breast-only eaters    and me (love the dark meat but like a slice of breast too.)  So large because himself ordered it, wanting one big enough for The Day and then some to chow on for a few days after too (but only breast meat  )

Have always cooked my choox breast down, turn over to crisp for last 20-30 mins.  Never had a dry one.

Too nervous to see if chook-cooking method scales up to do massive turkey.

So am going to follow Delia's instructions, which is breast up, uses loads of butter and strips of fatty streaky bacon (which I saved from the last bacon pig for exactly this purpose.  And sausagemeat for stuffing ditto.)

Oh, except I'll be cooking a one-legged bird.  One drumstick's going in the freezer straight away for a later day.   Maybe the thigh from that side too, haven't decided yet.  One leg's staying on as one family member 'wants to see the whole bird' (but only wants to eat breast  ) - so I just have to be sure to position the cooked bird so that no-one sees the amputated side!   

Like FW, I will be carting the bird to another venue for eating.  I've done it with legs of Castlemilk Moorit and it's worked brilliantly - the meat 'rests' on the journey and is ready to carve on arrival!     Don't have a Le Creuset big enough for a 20lb turkey though, so it'll have to travel on a platter with tin foil.  I don't know whether they'll want the skin crisped again on arrival - I suspect there's enough to do without adding that step but I will ask, now you've put the idea in my mind

May we all have success in our ovens tomorrow and a lovely time sharing food and good cheer with family and friends 

[bloomer]

All I know is I like breast!!!

[Fleecewife]

 
They don't know what they're missing with not eating the darker meat - that's the bit with flavour     No wonder people complain that turkey is tasteless.  Still, all the more for thee and me Sally 
 
Good luck with cooking the giant bird - just as long as your oven is big enough (if it's an AGA it is)

[Sylvia]

Breast up covered with butter muslin soaked in melted goats butter. You won't even have to baste it   (doesn't have to be goats butter )

[SallyintNorth]

Butter-soaked muslin's a clever idea 

Do you peel it off for the final crisping?

[MAK]

We are having a duck cooked chinese style but I did do a turkey for a party once and can recommend removing the wish bone pre-cooking. Large breast slices can be cut straight down ( not on the scew that follows the wish bone).