Looks like the CEO has assigned me to Turkey cooking, while others have been assigned Pork and Lamb, and Asian salads spring rolls excetra, So I have a 7kg Turkey that's not allowed to be brined due to old fashioned beliefs, And will have some sort of meat stuffing, that I know nothing about. I believe the big bird will be sitting on a bed of some sort of Vegetables, of which apparently after the cook a killer gravy will be the shinning star.
So into the AKORN my big bird will lie early Sunday morning, and O none of that yucky smoke wood is allowed to be used, So I will fill my Charcoal basket up with me best Murrumbidgee River Red Gum Lump, and Drop the big Bird into my Akorn at mmmm not really sure but maybe 250-280 F and let it go for god knows how long? I am thinking 4 hours to get a breast Temp of 165 and hope the thighs are about 175, my concern is with the stuffing. Will it take ages to cook from inside out, will the Turkey be cooked before the stuffing? Any thoughts on Temp and method would be appreciated as the CEO has spoken NO stuff ups and a crispy skin
7Kg of Turkey in the AKORN
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Youre neck deep it the 'nure like me mate! Only advice I can offer is cook stuffing separate...specially for a 7 kg bird
good luck and dont stress.....I need to take me own advice too
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I agree, stuffing just stuffs up the cook. Put it in later or even better, serve it separately.
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Turkey takes smoke beatifully - shame about the orders.
If Wazza can jam a 3kg chook in a Cobb you should have no problems.
Grant from Grass Valley.
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Jeesh!? I suggest burning it so you don't get stuck with so many limitations next year!!
Can you inject?
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Our CEO is 79 and she has strict instructions and baaaaa anyone that wants to do it different, I like the idea of burning the bird and easy the pressure next year
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The CEO turkey sounds delicious.
I am guessing it is a hand me down recipe.
At 79 the CEO would have been from a generation where cooking with fuel would have been commonplace for her as a child. A just killed turkey cooked in a fuel oven would have been awesome and would have filled up the house with "Christmas" smells for hours, plus the laughter and happiness of the family enjoying possibly her grandmother's or mother's cook would have been awesome.
Brining can be a problem for people with high blood pressure which is pretty common when you are older as salt hardens the arteries.
"best Murrumbidgee River Red Gum Lump" - should add exquisite taste and not be too overpowering plus keep the turkey a nice golden colour.
A stuffing with meat is fine. I will be putting bacon in mine plus raisins. You will have to be at the top of your game though to cook the turkey stuffed, keep the meat moist AND have crispy golden skin. The Akorn can do a great job with the turkey. Show the CEO your cooking prowess.
I am guessing you will be cooking with a roasting tray.
For the early part of the cook cover the turkey for the first few hours. Baste regularly. In the last 1.5 hours or so take the foil off to crisp up the skin,
Post a photo of the result.
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Heat the stuffing up before you stuff it.
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The CEO turkey sounds delicious.
I am guessing it is a hand me down recipe.
At 79 the CEO would have been from a generation where cooking with fuel would have been commonplace for her as a child. A just killed turkey cooked in a fuel oven would have been awesome and would have filled up the house with "Christmas" smells for hours, plus the laughter and happiness of the family enjoying possibly her grandmother's or mother's cook would have been awesome.
Brining can be a problem for people with high blood pressure which is pretty common when you are older as salt hardens the arteries.
"best Murrumbidgee River Red Gum Lump" - should add exquisite taste and not be too overpowering plus keep the turkey a nice golden colour.
A stuffing with meat is fine. I will be putting bacon in mine plus raisins. You will have to be at the top of your game though to cook the turkey stuffed, keep the meat moist AND have crispy golden skin. The Akorn can do a great job with the turkey. Show the CEO your cooking prowess.
I am guessing you will be cooking with a roasting tray.
For the early part of the cook cover the turkey for the first few hours. Baste regularly. In the last 1.5 hours or so take the foil off to crisp up the skin,
Post a photo of the result.
Thanks for the advice, the Turkey gets cooked same way every year and usually with the same results, fair to my liking at best, but it will be a challenge,So cover the bird for first few hours you say, and baste regularly, might sneak some bacon over bird to cover and remove for the last part of the cook, will try and get some pictures to post cheers and Merry Christmass to all
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Stuff it with chicken & Duck. "Turducken" Or some nice Sage pork sausage.
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Any alterations with the CEO'S instructions will be dealt with, castration
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If the CEO is a traditionalist and still has God Save the Queen/King as her national anthem try this.
British Turkey
http://www.britishturkey.co.uk/
Lot's of good traditional British ways of cooking Turkey.
It's probably not enough time to change her mind but maybe next Christmas she might try something different but still traditional if you show her some of the options.
might sneak some bacon over bird to cover and remove for the last part of the cook
Delicious idea
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Any alterations with the CEO'S instructions will be dealt with, castration
Crack a beer in her face and tell her "Do it your bloody self".
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Heat the stuffing up before you stuff it.
This. Do this.
I'm doing similar tomorrow morning, but on a smaller scale, just 4 kg.
Cook it at 325 F, a turkey that size should be done in about 2.5 to 3 hours.
Stuff the bird with the pre-heated stuffing for the final hour, and don't let Nan know you've done it that way. Then, when nobody falls ill from food poisoning in the days following Xmas, you'll be the silently proud hero your family needed.
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Crack a beer in her face and tell her "Do it your bloody self".
Not sure that would be nice thing to do at her age, think I will try and do best with what I got
This. Do this.
I'm doing similar tomorrow morning, but on a smaller scale, just 4 kg.Cook it at 325 F, a turkey that size should be done in about 2.5 to 3 hours.
Stuff the bird with the pre-heated stuffing for the final hour, and don't let Nan know you've done it that way. Then, when nobody falls ill from food poisoning in the days following Xmas, you'll be the silently proud hero your family needed.
Because the stuffing is mostly meat you mean cook it first and then try and stuff it in the last hour or so, might be genius or castration LOL Thanks for the Tip will determine my way forward when I get the bird, I will take all on board and fingers crossed will be ok, 325F? ok, I was thinking bit lower that that, but ok, will run at around that, the Akorn likes to sit around that temp
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325f is about perfect. I'm doing pickled pork at that pit temp now and the turkey breast will go in afterwards at the same temp
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Its morning and am about to face my fate
And this is what I picked up from the CEO
All things said after Three and half hours it came out looking good breast at 160 and thighs at 178 happy and relived
One thing that was learned was using the murrumbidgee red gum charcoal was a mistake, because it like's to burn hot and getting control of the temps was a pain in the back side, almost whole bird devoured and no complaints, glad its over for another year thanks for looking and Merry Christmass -
Glad you passed the test mate
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So how was the gravy after all that?
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Good to hear all went well.
Good hint about the charcoal.
The CEO looks like she took lots of care to prepare the turkey.
Everyone devouring the food is a good sign.
Try cooking a turkey the way you would like to do when you do a Christmas in July to try something new. You may still have to do a cook the CEO way at Christmas and you get to show what you can do with a turkey in July. A way that everyone can show how a turkey can be cooked.
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