Thank goodness we don’t harvest poultry very often. I forgot how long it takes to set up and clean up afterward. The actual event went smoothly however and my estimate regarding weight was right on! The tom came in at 35.3 lbs and the hen at 25.8 lbs. Both birds went into refrigeration and we went out again to clean the chicken coop and spread dry shavings. We carved all the meat off the hen to grind and package in one pound freezer bags – ended up with almost sixteen pounds.
Nothing left to do today but make the stuffing, put it in that cavernous frame and get the bird in the oven. Our preferred cooking method for roast turkey is to bake it with a small foil tent covering overnight at 250° for a total of about 15 to 16 hours. The end result is an extremely tender and moist bird with beautifully browned skin. The aroma of roast turkey permeating the house is a wonderful appetite builder for the arriving guests. So many memories of times long ago!
We used to grow our turkeys into the 40 to 50 pound range for a select group of customers. One of those proud clients would cook the monster outdoors in a smoker, garnish and serve it up in a wheelbarrow to the astonishment of his guests! It would be fun to hear your recipes and Thanksgiving adventures, please do share them.
