GreensCast  

Mike's Slow-Roasted Turkey

Mike’s recipe for Slow-Roasted Turkey is inspired by Frank Davis’ N’Awlins Slow-Roasted Turkey found Frank Davis Cooks Naturally N'Awlins. One big change he makes is the addition of Cajun Injector. He always injects the meat and poultry he cooks, whether he makes his own using melted butter or margarine, finely ground seasonings, and a little cider vinegar. He began injecting meat long before the Cajun Injector® and other brands became commercially available.

Cajun Injector, Creole Butter Recipe®, as desired

Use at least 1 cup Add it until it starts running back

1 fresh or until recently frozen (thawed) turkey It must be thoroughly thawed.

3 tablespoons poultry seasoning

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

2 tablespoons black pepper

½ cup softened margarine

Take off your watch and rings. Roll your shirt sleeves up above the elbows.

First, rinse the bird inside and out because you don’t want to get any gobs of meat, chunks of ice, or left-over paper from the giblets in your turkey.

Pat it dry with paper towels inside and out.

Place it on a big cutting board. (Remember to disinfect the cutting board after using. To disinfect, mix 1 capful of bleach with 1 gallon of water. Wash thoroughly. Let air dry – the cutting board, not the bird.)

Make sure you remove the giblets, the neck, and any other parts not permanently attached. Also remove plastic leg holders and done nipple if your turkey has these things. Rub it with the margarine first liberally inside the cavity and outside. The margarine should go under the skin. Get your hands into it. Use your hands to loosen the skin from the bird. You don’t want to use a knife, which may accidentally pierce the flesh.

Then rub the seasonings into the cavity, the neck cavity and underneath the skin. Thick handfuls. Rub it in vigorously. Any place you can fit your hands . . . you should.

At this point you should be preheating your oven to 500 degrees. You may want to do this before you get your hands into it though.

Place the turkey in a roasting pan, breast side up, in a roasting pan large enough to hold the bird and the juices that will be released.

Once it is in the pan, take one-foot squares of aluminum foil and cover the wing tips and the ends of the drum sticks.

Place in your preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. Monitor periodically. You want the skin to be honey brown.

Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to roast for 40 to 50 minutes per pound or until you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have a counter top roaster, this will also work after you brown the turkey in the oven. You may want to cover the top with a doubled over towel. The roaster will free up your oven space.

If once you reach the temperature, you may not be happy with the color of the bird. You can do another 5 to 10 minutes as need in the oven until the color is appropriate. Be careful. Watch your bird. You don’t want to burn it. At this point we are doing this purely for color. The bird is done.

Let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes after you take it out. The cooking will continue.

Don’t worry if you see a little bit of pink when you are slicing it.

As long as you have reached a temp of 165 degrees in at the thickest part of the breast, your bird is done.

Mary’s note: This is the juiciest and tastiest turkey ever!

                                                                        Mike's Fried Turkey

Mike's recipe for Fried Turkey is inspired by Frank Davis' recipe for Cajun Deep-Fried Breast of Turkey found in Frank Davis Cooks Cajun, Creole, and Crescent City.

1 turkey (Use whatever size you want to, but stay under 16 pounds.)

Cajun Injector® (Use the flavor of your choice or mix your own.)

Peanut Oil ( Put your bird in your basket and put the basket in your pot. Add enough water to submerge the bird by one inch. Remove the bird and measure the water. Now you know how much peanut oil you will need. It's going to take several gallons. You can buy a 5 gallon jug at the hardware stores or Wal-Mart®.

It does not have to be peanut oil. You can use canola oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil.

(Mary's note: a hospital dietician and cafeteria manager told me that peanut oil heats better. Most cooks seem to prefer peanut oil for this recipe.)

Wash your bird, pat it dry inside and out, and rub it with a mix of seasonings.

Poultry seasoning, garlic salt, black pepper

(Paul adds powdered red pepper <cayenne> and curry powder. Mary adds rosemary and garlic powder.)

Rub it on the inside cavities and the outside, underneath the skin and on top of the skin.

Heat the oil to 325 degrees to 350 degrees. Slowly and carefuly drop the turkey into the oil. Be very careful so it does not boil over or splash. If it is snowing or raining, you will need to be underneath a shelter. Cook your bird outside.

(Mary's note: I remember the time it snowed in New Orleans. Christie and Mike were frying turkey in New Orleans on December 25, 2004. The big clumps of snow kept falling into the oil and sputtering.)

Deep fry 5 to 7 minutes per pound. That will be an hour to an hour and a half. Remove it by using the basket and hook. Set it to rest. Allow to sit 20 minutes so the temperature will equilibrate. The turkey should be golden brown by now. You're not going to cook it until the color is right because you are frying it, but the color is going to be right.