When preparing a turkey dinner, you’re not just limited to something like a Thanksgiving turkey. There are so many more baked turkey recipes to choose from, some of which are actually quite simple. For example, you can bake turkey bacon, turkey wings, and turkey chops. For first-timers cooking a whole turkey in an oven, you may have many questions about the process. Don’t worry; if you watch out for some things and use some tips, it will turn out to be relatively simple. This article will introduce to you the many ways you can cook a turkey and things to watch out for when cooking one in the oven.

How to bake turkey bacon?

There are many baked turkey recipes, one of them being turkey bacon in the oven. The easiest way to prepare turkey bacon is to buy already smoked and reformed turkey, cut into strips. A great benefit to turkey bacon is that it is much more healthy than its alternative, pork bacon. You can cook turkey bacon in many ways, but one of the easiest ways is to cook it in the oven. Gather your simple ingredients: bacon, foil/baking sheet, and a baking pan.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Prepare a baking sheet by applying slightly softened butter on it. You may also choose to coat the sheet with oil, but butter usually gives a richer taste.
3. Arrange a few slices on the sheet and bake the turkey bacon in the oven for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
4. Take the sheet out of the oven carefully and drain the excess fat
5. Bake the bacon for another 5 minutes, making sure not to overcook it.

Cool them down a bit when finished before eating.  These finished bacon strips can be put into sandwiches, dishes, or even salads.

How to bake turkey wings?

One of the top baked turkey recipes includes baked turkey wings. Gather your materials first. You will need turkey wings, oil, salt, seasoning, pepper, and garlic. Depending on what taste you want, you may want more or less ingredients.

1. To bake turkey wings by themselves, a simple process, start by preheating the oven to around 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Next, place your turkey wings in a bowl and mix in any seasonings. Make sure to rub in all the seasoning into the wings on all sides.
3. Remove the wings from the bowl and place them onto a baking sheet. Brush over the wings with oil and bake in the oven until brown, which would take around an hour. Check every 10 minutes to make sure that they are baking properly. After around 30 minutes, you may want to turn the wings over to evenly bake the other side.
4. Once finished, remove from the oven and allow it to cool down for around 10 minutes before eating.

How to bake turkey chops?

Baked turkey chops, thin slices cut from the breast of a turkey, are similar to lamb or pork chops, but are much healthier and more delicious. You can easily prepare this dish at home. Gather your ingredients and materials: turkey chops, salt, pepper, seasoning, and oil. The seasoning and amount of salt or pepper can vary quite a bit according to your tastes.

1. First, season and mix the chops with vegetables and toppings of your choice. Make sure to rub in the salt and pepper and brush over the whole chop with oil.
2. Cover a pan with aluminum foil, preheat the oven, and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 50 minutes, or until the chops are fully cooked.
3. You can confirm this simply by using a meat thermometer and inserting it into the side of the chop, measuring the temperature at the thickest part of the meat.
4. Once finished, take it out of the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes before eating.

How long should you cook a turkey in the oven?

One of the most common questions asked by people cooking a whole turkey is how long it should be in the oven for. The best turkeys to use for cooking are fresh, not frozen ones. If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw it to room temperature before baking it in the oven. If you choose to stuff the turkey, cook the stuffing properly outside of the turkey in order to guarantee that it’s been fully cooked. For an unstuffed turkey, cooking time varies widely depending on weight, with 8 pounds cooking around 2 3/4 hours and 24 pounds cooking around 5 hours. If the turkey is stuffed, cooking times vary from 3 to 5 1/4 hours. The most important thing is to cook the turkey and the stuffing thoroughly without drying it out. Knowing a few basics about the oil used in your fryer could be helpful in this regard.

Tips:

For people who are cooking a turkey for the first time, there are some tips that will help you immensely and give you the perfect turkey. Choosing the right type of turkey is important as it will determine the flavor of the meat and how much care you must put into preparing and cooking it. The size of the turkey can be determined easily with the number of guests, with 1 1/2 of turkey allotted to each guest. Adding pre-made vegetables and gravy to a turkey will greatly enhance its flavor in the end. A good idea is to cook the stuffing separately to avoid ruining the meat or risking the stuffing not being cooked all the way. Before putting the bird in the oven, make sure that it is as dry as possible, and then rub the turkey with butter or oil. A good meat thermometer is an essential piece of equipment to cooking turkeys properly. Once the temperature of the thickest part of the turkey reaches around 165 degrees Fahrenheit, you can pull the turkey out. Finally, let the turkey rest for around 15 minutes before carving and serving it. These tips will make sure that the best end product will result for you and your guests.

Warnings:

Now, there are some dangers to watch out for when cooking a turkey. First, thaw your turkey in the refrigerator or in a sink of cold water. Never thaw a turkey on a countertop as past a certain time because it can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Prepare the stuffing and gravy separately for the same reason, as if it is not cooked properly, bacteria can still survive. When cooking, check that the innermost part of the turkey has reached the safe temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to refrigerate any leftovers immediately. Knowing this danger will help you avoid getting sick.

Conclusion

Turkeys can be cooked many different ways, but however they may be cooked, there are still things to watch out for and safety precautions to follow. Turkeys can not only be prepared whole, they can also be prepared as bacon, wings, or chops. These forms of turkey are the easiest to prepare, though you can also try ground turkey recipes if you wish. When cooking a whole turkey, there are some tips you can use to achieve perfection as well as warnings and safety precautions to heed. Cooking turkeys may be difficult, but knowing this information given here at Grills Forever will help you achieve perfection.

The post Preparing a Turkey Dinner? Try These Baked Turkey Recipes in Your Oven appeared first on Grills Forever.

Which Oil Should Be the Best Option for Turkey Frying and Why?

While most fryers and turkeys are often the same or similar, there are many oils that could be used as turkey fryer oil. So which oil should be the best option for turkey frying, and why? One specific item to consider when frying with oil is the temperature at which the oil will begin to burn, also known as the flash point. For frying turkeys, which can weigh up to 20 pounds, you should use an oil that has a high flash point. While there are a number of oils that can be used, such as peanut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil and corn oil, each has its own good and not so good points. The more heat an oil can tolerate, the more quickly the turkey will cook. Because of this, peanut oil for frying turkey would be the best fit. Depending on the capacity of your fryer, the turkey fryer oil may take longer to heat, but will in turn hold the temperature as high and as long as you need it. Peanut oil for frying turkey can work in ranges past 400°F, as can corn oil. In addition, you can look for oils that are low in fat, such as soybean, avocado, olive or coconut oils.

Can I Use Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil) and Corn Oil to Deep Fry a Turkey?

As these oils may be more difficult to find, and sometimes more expensive, you may ask ‘can I use vegetable oil (canola oil) and corn oil to deep fry a turkey? Certainly; corn oil doesn’t tend to start to burn until it hits its flash point at 440° F. But it may be better to avoid the cheaper vegetable or canola oil; while it may be cheaper than corn or peanut oil, you will find it begins to smoke at much lower temperatures than higher quality oils, which means you are burning the oil in small amounts, and will steadily lose the oil as smoke while you cook it. Because of this, many cooks on the internet will recommend peanut oil for frying turkey, as the higher temperature means the turkey will absorb less oil, contributing to a better-cooked meat as well as a healthier meal.

How Much Oil is Needed for Frying a Turkey?

Once you have decided what you will use as your turkey fryer oil, you must know how much oil is needed for deep frying a turkey. As you will most likely have to use an aluminum pot that holds 30 quarts or more in order to get a 20-pound turkey completely submerged in the fryer oil, you will more than likely need three to five gallons of oil. If you find that you cannot completely submerge the turkey, you may have to separate the turkey carcass and fry the white and dark meat in separately. Remember that the larger the turkey is, the more mass has to be heated in the fryer and therefore a 20-pound turkey may be as long or longer than a 15-pound bird. In addition, more oil will require longer times to get up to the fryer oil up to the best temperature, which can make the time before you can fry the turkey seem very long – sometimes as long as six hours. But once the oil does reach the proper temperature, it will take roughly three minutes per pound of turkey, as well as an additional five to six minutes minimum to create a safety window to ensure the turkey is cooked all the way through to the correct temperature.

Now that your turkey is cooked to perfection, what do you do with the oil that remains? Can it be reused?

Many people will give you many different answers, but most cooks believe that frying oil can be reused – especially peanut oil for frying turkey. Once the oil has completely cooled and is safe to handle, you can pour it from the pot into a container; either the original container or another sealable container will do. You should certainly strain the oil, as there will be small bits floating in it which can cause the oil to become sour or rancid. Strain the oil through a filter such as coffee filters or cheesecloth as you pour it out. Depending on the consistency of the leftover fryer oil, this filtering process may have to be repeated until the oil is completely clean – but it is worth it! As you find more and more reasons to fry other foods, you will easily know how much oil to fry a turkey just by reusing the oil again. However, when you have decided to reuse the oil, check to see if it has separated in any way or has any bad smell. Purchase fresh oil instead.

Once the oil is strained and as clean as you can get it, you must now decide how to store the oil?

While the best option would be to refrigerate it until you decide to use it again, but finding space to refrigerate five gallons of oil can be a challenge. So the next best method to store the oil would be to find a cool, dark, temperature-controlled space to keep the oil. By ensuring that the environment is as stable as possible, you can store your oil for up to six months before you will have to be concerned about it becoming unsafe to use. For example- when properly stored, peanut oil can be reused at least three additional times after the first use, and some individuals report that they have used their stored oil up to five times before it becomes unusable or spoiled. This is because peanut oil can be easily frozen for a long time, which makes it a better bargain than other oils.

Once you have gained as much use out of your oil that you can, decide how to dispose of the used cooking oil?

It is unwise to simply pour your used oil into a sink or other drain, as the oil will not only separate but can encourage clots and clogs to grow and increase as debris encounters the oil within the septic system. In addition, large amounts of oil in a leach field or septic tank can disrupt the bacterial ecology within these sewage disposal systems and create more difficulties than expected. Given this, suggestions have been made that you can utilize the used oil as fuel; more and more, oil is being turned into biodiesel, which extends the life of the oil even more. However, if you cannot find a place to donate the oil, and you are not interested in making biodiesel fuels, you can contact your city or county officials to find an oil collection facility. These facilities, typically located in urban areas, car dealerships or automobile parts stores, can collect and dispose of the unwanted oil safely.

Utilizing peanut oil to fry a turkey seems to be the clear winner for individuals interested in creating a deep-fried, tasty turkey for their meals. It is simple to do, and due to the higher temperatures and gas-powered fryers. Because you now know about oil selection, usage, storage, and disposal, that 20-pound bird that has been sitting in the freezer can quickly be turned into mouthwatering meals, snacks, and sandwiches with much less effort than before.

Give it a try – and you may never have to put a turkey in your oven again. Also, don’t forget to see our baked turkey as well as ground turkey recipes right here at Grills Forever to satisfy your taste buds with a variety of deliciousness!

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When you’ve finally decided to brine your turkey after considering the pros and cons, soaking it in a saltwater solution for a day might seem like a lot of effort to make. But there are real benefits to brining e.g. you’ll have your Thanksgiving guests clamoring for the secret of your tender, moist, delicious turkey and coming back for more next year. Gravy can only make up so much for a dry turkey and the discerning turkey eater can always tell that. So read on to find our quick, simple guide to turkey brine right here at Grills Forever.

What is Brining and Why to Brine?

Good question I hear you say, what is brine and why are we even bothering? Brine is simple: it’s salty water. Brining is soaking your turkey in that brine for a good few hours, even a day. Turkey brining makes the meat absorb water and the salt affects the muscle proteins, making them dissolve and making the meat juicy and tender. We’ve all eaten dry turkey and tried to smile as we chew that piece of breast endlessly, hoping it will moisten up enough to be swallowed. So a technique that makes turkey juicier and more tender would be good, right?

3 Simplified Turkey brine Methods:

1. How to Make a Traditional Turkey Brine

This is the simple brine for turkey. Tried and tested, it’s a technique used for thousands of years because it works! Add a couple of cupfuls of kosher or coarse salt (never table salt) to a big pan or container full of hot water big enough for the turkey. Simple so far?

Let the salt dissolve and the let water cool, adding the turkey and cold water until the turkey is completely covered in the salt solution. Keep the solution cool, the fridge or an icebox is ideal. You don’t want to let the bacteria have a chance to start multiplying and poison your guests.

This salty mix will slowly impregnate your turkey and draw moisture into the flesh so it won’t dry out. However, you want to cook your turkey this brining will keep it moist. A frozen turkey can defrost in the brine at this stage but bear in mind it can take a day or two. Don’t worry too much about the amount of salt, there’s a guide below that will see you through. Take the turkey out in good time for cooking and rinse the wet turkey well before putting in the oven.

2. How to Make Dry Brine?

As you might have guessed, this is like wet brining but without the wet. For dry brining turkey, rub your turkey with kosher salt above and below the skin and leave uncovered in the fridge for up to two days. Make sure to cover between the legs and if you’re squeamish, use a wooden spoon to lift up the skin and spread the salt around. You’ll have moist, tasty turkey this Thanksgiving.

Check the guide below for how much salt to use, but just make sure you’ve given it a good coating. Kosher salts’ bigger grain size will make for extra bursts of flavor when you grill, rotisserie, fry, or roast that big bird.

3. How to Make Smoked Turkey Brine?

There are a few recipes for smoked brine but this is my favorite smoking flavor. Smoking will really bring out the texture and flavors of the meat, as well as looking (and smelling) dead impressive. Experimentation is fun but this guide will guarantee results for a well-smoked turkey brine.

Here’s a list of ingredients:

• 1 cup of sea salt
• 1 cup of sugar or molasses (brown sugar has more flavor but any will do)
• 1 gallon of water (more if needed to cover the turkey)
• 1 teaspoon of cracked peppercorns
• A few bay leaves, maybe 2 or 3
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 2 tablespoons of onion powder
• 2 tablespoons of crushed, finely chopped garlic
• A couple of sprigs of thyme
• 2 tablespoons of sage
• 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
• ½ tablespoon of cumin

Most of those ingredients, other than the salt, sugar, bay leaves and pepper can be left out if you don’t have them but the results won’t be quite as delicious. Aim for a ratio of 1 cup of salt to one or two gallons of water. Try add your own ingredients, you might have a secret family recipe that could add that extra oomph and make your turkey truly unique.

Add all the ingredients to hot water and heat until the sugar has dissolved, take off the heat and let cool, adding ice to help it on its way. Add the cooled brine to a container, along with the turkey, making sure the bird is completely covered. Put in the fridge overnight or for up to 2 days.

Take the turkey out, rinse really well and cook!

Which One is Better – Dry Brine or Traditional Brine?

Both clearly have their advantages and neither is a clear winner, so it’s up to you to make the choice. One one hand traditional simple brining is quite messy and involves quite a lot of time (and timing), and the dry brine is quick and easy, but I think that wet brining keeps the meat extra juicy and tender. Some say that it can go a little spongy and the flavors can be lost a bit but I disagree, I’ve always had great results with both. Dry brining with extra flavors to get that smokiness is possible but the wet smoked brine wins every time in my kitchen.

Can I Brine a Frozen Turkey?

In short, yes. Just make sure it’s fully thawed before cooking. By combining thawing your turkey and brining it, you can kill two birds with one (salty) stone, if you’ll pardon the pun. Use a cooking thermometer to check the inside of the turkey to ensure it’s defrosted properly, then chuck that thing into the oven!

The Amount of Salt Needed to Brine a Turkey

These are rough guides, so don’t worry about being too exact. It all goes down the drain in the end! Kosher or sea salt really is recommended, it might take a little longer to dissolve but it will add an extra complexity to the flavor as the skin crisps in the oven and the juices caramelize. It’ll make for better gravy too. And what’s turkey without rich gravy to cover it in?

Back to the salt:

• For 8 to 12 pounds – 2 1/2 cups (450 grams)
• For 13 to 17 pounds – 3 1/4 cups (570 grams)
• For 18 to 22 pounds – 3 3/4 cups (675 grams)

Warnings:

You’re handling hot water and ovens, so of course, take care as you would with cooking anything. The turkey cannot reach above 40℉ during brining or bacteria will start to grow, so ensure the solution is cool before putting in the turkey. Use a food thermometer when cooking to check the meat is cooked through. Turkeys are big birds and can take some real cooking, so leave plenty of time.

Conclusion:

You should be well on your way to cooking super juicy, tender turkey for your friends and family with this guide. Just follow the advice and you’ll be fine. If it’s Thanksgiving and you’re the one cooking, do take care and have things prepared before everyone arrives. Remember you’re meant to be enjoying what’s important, not whether you’ve let the turkey thaw for long enough. Also see how to cook delicious ground turkey and try some some of our baked turkey recipes to satisfy your taste buds.

The post How Do You Brine Your Turkey? Check These 3 Simplified Methods appeared first on Grills Forever.

Whether cooking is a joy or necessity for you, the more recipe ideas you have and the more ingredients you can work with, making it more fun and more varied. We aren’t all going to be the next big TV chef (well some of you maybe!), but adding a few more skills and some different ways to vary your cooking with different ingredients and techniques, will be good for your body and soul. So, today we are focusing on an ingredient you may not have cooked extensively with, or may have sometimes overlooked – ground turkey. In this article, Grills Forever team will take you through the three most popular ways of cooking ground turkey; in a pan, baked, grilled, as well as some tips and watch out warnings. And to be honest, nothing beats the sheer pleasure of making a burger on a smoker grill and serve it hot with ice cold beer!

What is Ground Turkey?

Right, so if you’re wondering why we’ve chosen ground turkey, and why indeed we’ve chosen it over ground beef, let’s start with telling you a little more about ground turkey before we cook it. First fun fact – turkey is not from Turkey, it’s from Mexico, and Israel is the world’s biggest eaters of the meat. Turkey is famously eaten whole during Christmas in the UK and during the Thanksgiving in the US. However, you can get many different cuts of turkey, from diced, to sausage, to strips for stir-frying, burgers, and of course, ground mince turkey.

Ground turkey is quite simply a mix of turkey meat, ground together until it looks like the ‘ground’ form as we know it. One of the major benefits of cooking a ground turkey is that it is often a lot cheaper (because it is made from thighs and drumsticks, rather than breast), and arguably a lot healthier than ground beef. If you’re looking for a super health ground turkey variety, look for one that is fat-free, as the meat will come from the leanest part of the bird as possible.

With this article, you will learn how to cook ground turkey well, so it has a great flavor that you can eat on its own with salad, or add it to a soup, curry, or pasta dish, whenever a recipe calls for ground meat – it’s so versatile!

1. How to Cook Ground Turkey Simply in a Pan?

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey – as much as you need, maybe start with 1 1/2 pounds
• Olive oil or other cooking oil
• Salt and pepper

Equipment:

• 10-12 inch skillet
• Spatula
• Thermometer

Cooking Method:

1) Heat the pan and oil:

When cooking ground turkey in a pan, you need to make sure the pan starts off hot before adding the meat. Start by adding a good lug of oil to the skillet, on a medium-high heat – a few teaspoons will do and leave for a minute or so.

2) Add the ground turkey:

Add the ground turkey to the hot pan, and use a wooden spatula to break it into separated pieces. Do not leave it as one block, but break it up. Leave to brown for 4-5 minutes, without stirring.

3) Let it brown:

The ground turkey will begin to brown, turning a white-grey color at first. As it does, continue to break the meat into pieces. Season with salt and pepper. After each stir leaves the ground turkey to cook itself, avoid the temptation to stir too much.

4) When’s it done?

The ground turkey will need about 14-16 minutes in total to cook. It will be cooked when it’s all browned evenly, and there is no pink. If you want to be really sure it’s cooked, you can test it using a thermometer  – it should be at least 165 degrees F.

2. How to Bake a Ground Turkey & Make a Baked Meatloaf?

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey – as much as you need, maybe start with 1 1/2 pounds
• Olive oil or other cooking oil
• Onion – 1/4 to 1/2 cup diced
• Carrot – 1/4 to 1/3 cup shredded
• Garlic – 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. minced
• Parsley – 1 to 1 1/2 tsp.
• Breadcrumbs – 1/2 cup
• 3 Eggs
• Black pepper – 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.

Equipment:

• 10-12 inch skillet
• Spatula
• Knife and chopping board
• Grater
• Garlic crusher
• Large bowl
• Loaf tin
• Thermometer

Cooking Method:

1) Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Dice the onion, shred the carrot, mince the garlic and chop the parsley.

2) Heat the pan and oil

Start by adding a good lug of oil to the skillet, on a medium-high heat – a few teaspoons will do and leave for a minute or so.

3) Add the onions, carrot and garlic

Once your pan and oil are hot, add the vegetables and sauté until they are soft.

4) Mix the ingredients in a bowl

Once sautéed, add the vegetables, along with the ground turkey, parsley, breadcrumbs, eggs, and pepper to a bowl and stir well to combine the ingredients.

5) Spoon the mixture into a loaf tin

Line the loaf tin with some oil, only a couple of teaspoons, then pour the ingredient mix into the tin.

6) Bake the meatloaf

Bake the ground turkey meatloaf in the oven for 40 minutes.

7) When’s it done?

It should be baked after 40 minutes at 350 degrees F, but if you want to be really sure it’s cooked, you can test it with a thermometer – it should be at least 140 degrees F in the middle.

8) Remove the tin from the oven

Let the baked meatloaf sit and cool for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the meatloaf from the tin to a plate.

3. How to grill ground turkey and make burgers?

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey – as much as you need, maybe start with 1 1/2 pounds
• Olive oil or other cooking oil
• Salt – 1tsp.
• Garlic powder – 1/2 tsp.
• Ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp.
• Cayenne pepper – 1/4 tsp.

Equipment:

• Grill
• Bowl
• Spatula

Cooking Method:

1) Mix the ground turkey and spices

Add the ground turkey, salt, garlic powder, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to a bowl and stir well to combine the ingredients. Knead for about 2 minutes to really mix everything together. Preheat your grill to high.

2) Mold into burger shapes

Mix about 1/3 cup of the mixture and mold it into a patty burger shape. Repeat until the mixture is all used up.

3) Grill the ground turkey burgers

Cover and cook for 5 minutes on the grill. Flip and cook covered for another 3-5 minutes.

4) Serve the burgers

Serve the burgers as desired – on their own, or add to buns for a health hamburger alternative.

Tips:

We’ve got a few handy tips to make your ground turkey extra delicious!

• Drain the oil – when cooking ground turkey in a pan, make sure you drain away all the grease once cooked. You can easily do this by placing it on a plate with a few sheets of paper towels on. Knowing some facts about the oil used in your turkey fryer might also be helpful.
• Store it – you can eat cooked ground beef immediately, but you can also refrigerate it for a week or freeze it for 3 months.
• Season it – when cooking ground turkey in a pan or grilling turkey burgers, experiment by adding your choice of herbs and spices. You could add sage, oregano, rosemary or Worcester sauce even, maybe even a teaspoon of parmesan to the burgers!
• Make meatballs – instead of baking your turkey mix as a meatloaf, shape the mixture into balls and bake them in the oven at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

Warnings:

• Don’t overhand the ground turkey – when it’s over-handled, it compacts together and is tough to eat when cooked.
• Don’t overcook – if you overcook ground turkey it goes dry and crumbles into bits.
• Don’t undercook – Unlike beef, a medium rare option isn’t something you can do with ground turkey.

Conclusion:

By now you should be running to your pan, grill or oven to get the ground turkey on! Whether you bake ground turkey, grill or cook it in a pan, there are lots of ways it can be cooked and even more recipes you can use it in. Some ideas include: replacing the ground beef in your traditional spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, or shepherd’s pie, stir it into your favorite soup, pop it in a taco or add it to some stir fried rice – turkey is a lot more than just Thanksgiving!

The post 3 Surefire Methods of Cooking Delicious Ground Turkey appeared first on Grills Forever.