Comments on: Thanksgiving Report: Cooking a Heritage Turkey

By: Leann Hines

Leann Hines — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:13:14 +0000

Thanks for the step-by-step. We raised and sold heritage turkeys for the first time this year. Please say a bit about the color of the meat on the legs and breast.

By: Lily

Lily — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:24:06 +0000

Hi Barbara,
I have specially ordered a heritage bird this year, and it’s my first time making a turkey. I would love to use your recipe, but I think I need a little help! Do you have a step-by-step recipe written out somewhere? Here are some of my questions:
-How far in advance of the cooking do we start the brine?
-Does the sugar/syrup brine impart a sweet flavor to the turkey (would it be ok for diabetics?)
-How much brine do you need – enough to submerge the turkey?
-What goes in the compound butter and how much do we need?
-Can oil be substituted for butter in the recipe?
-How liberally do we butter the outside of the turkey and do we use compound butter there or just plain?
-When the turkey comes out (at 140?), do we tent with foil to encourage carry-over cooking?
-What if the turkey never gets up to 160-165? Do we put it back in the oven?
-Suppose dinner is at 5, ideally when do we want to take the turkey out of the oven?
-For the main part of the cooking at 325, could you give a rough guide of how long that will take (per lb?)
-How much wine do you add during the cooking to prevent burning (i.e. how much do we want in the pan) and how much when making the gravy?
-Where do the innards come in (or do they) when making the gravy?

Thanks so much in advance!!
Lily

By: Barbara

Barbara — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:58:25 +0000

I am glad that my post helped you, Whitney. The flavor and texture of a heritage turkey is incomparable, and I am very happy to have helped you make a memorable holiday meal!

By: Whitney

Whitney — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:28:39 +0000

I made my first heritage turkey this year and followed your instructions exactly and it came out incredible! I stunned my guests! thank you!

By: Kira

Kira — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:46:31 +0000

please support the dying ways of a small family farm. I am one of them and it is so sad that many familys have to sell out because of taxes. If you can meet your farmer you can see what will and will NOT go in your food. It great that Tana and Barbara got to hear the turkry gobble. Now they know were thier food comes from, not the store in plastic but from the farm were the birds can have a real life!!! Now THATS what I am thankful for! :);)