Grilled Butterflied Turkey on my Weber Performer Grill. With the Holidays coming up I wanted to try something different. I was able to get a Turkey from the meat department at my local grocer, they were nice enough to Butterfly it for me and that is what this video is all about! I put some Oakridge BBQ Rub on it and grilled away. If you want to save time then try your next Turkey this way!

“Get out of the kitchen! Light the fire! Start cooking outdoors”

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It’s Turkey time for many of us and over the years I have accumulated a few tips and tricks as well as some common sense suggestions for cooking a Turkey for the holidays. I am sharing 8 really good tips for cooking a Turkey for the holidays. I hope they help!

1. How big of a Turkey should you get?
   • 6 – 8 people = 12lb Turkey
   • 9 – 10 people = 14 lb Turkey
   • 11 – 12 people = 16 lb Turkey
   • 13 – 14 people = 18 lb Turkey
   • Add an extra 1/2 pound per person if you want leftovers.
2. What is the safest way to thaw a frozen turkey? – from the USDA
   • The USDA recommends three ways to defrost turkeys: in the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave. Never defrost turkey on the counter or in other locations.
   • It’s best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Allow about 1 day for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.
   • Turkey may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
   • Turkey defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed.
3. To Brine or not Brine? - 
   • It’s a personal choice but brining can add extra flavor and moisture.
   • Brine no longer than 10 hours.
   • Always Brine in a refrigerator
   • After Brining – rinse, dry and refrigerate for two plus hour to dry out the skin. keep covered with a paper towel.
4. How long should I cook my Turkey?  -
   • Until the internal temperature (of the thickest part of the Turkey) reaches 165° F
   • Remember the temperature will rise 5 – 10 degrees as it rests.
   • 325 – 350° F is the optimun cooking temperature (not smoking)
5. To cover or leave uncovered? -
   • Covering can trap moisture which may lead to flabby skin.
   • Uncovered can cause the skin to burn.
   • Find a happy medium – I cook mine uncovered till it is nice and brown then cover it for the rest of the cooking time.
6. Stuffed or Unstuffed?
   • It’s now concedered unsafe to cook with the stuffing inside, though it is still traditionally done that way.
   • I say no stuffing – make it seperately in a Dutch oven – no room for errors.
   • place a couple of apples or oranges in the Turkey to add a unique flavor and add a bit of moisture.
7. How long to keep the leftovers?
   • Leftovers can be kept in a refrigerator for three days.
   • Cooked Turkey can be kept up to 4 months in the freezer, according to USDA
   • You should make Turkey stock out of that carcass …. it’s so easy and so good!
8. What to do next time?
   • Grill it, smoke it, roast it, deep fry it, steam it, spit cook it, brown bag it, beer can it, tandoori it, butterfly it, brine it …. has anyone ever cooked one in a pit?

 Happy Holidays!!

Gary

“Get out of the kitchen! Light the fire! Start cooking outdoors”

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Filet Mignon, Top Sirloin Steaks, Chicken Breasts, Boneless Pork Chops, Steak Burgers, Stuffed Baked Potatoes! Are you hungry yet? Is your BBQ Grill ready? Cooking Outdoors friends on their way over? Were talking Omaha Steaks!

When I was invited to review an assortment package from Omaha Steaks for the 4th of July weekend, well I knew all of you wouldn’t allow me to say no. Actually I screamed YES!!! As it had been many years since I have tried their products (winnings from a sales contest), refusal was impossible.

The assortment package I received was impressive to say the least, all delivered in a large Styrofoam box:

4 – 4oz Boneless Pork Chops

2 – 6oz Filet Mignon

2 – 6oz Top Sirloin Steaks

4 – 4oz Omaha Steak Burgers

4 – 1lb (total weight) Chicken Breast

4 – 5.75oz Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Each individually sealed and frozen with I believe great care. I am not sure how long it took to ship these to me, maybe a day, maybe a bit more and they sat in the house for about six hours till I got home to open the Styrofoam box. All of the Omaha Steaks products were still solidly frozen and I am certain they could have stayed that way for another day at least!

These are all beautiful cuts of meat sealed in vacuum sealed packages enclosed in individually labeled boxes. Makes storage very easy. The nice thing about the individual packages is they all have easy release ends. All you have to do to opened then is grab the flaps on the end and pull apart, the meat is released without having to resort to using a knife or scissors. Nice touch.

Once I had these open my impression of them increased. I first looked at the Filet Mignon, about 2″ thick and nicely marbled. The meat looked, felt and smelled fresh; no sliminess or bad odors at all, color was what I expected, deep red. The Top Sirloin was no different – just perfect.

The Chicken on the other hand took me by surprise, they looked small and manufactured. So I took out a store bought chicken breast to compare the two side by side. Now I could see why the chicken looked different, they had trimmed some of the fat and fatty tissue areas from the breast making for a very uniform piece of chicken. The advantages were then, very obvious - uniform size equals uniform cooking. Saved me some work.

Burgers were equally as nice, all I had to do was sprinkle on some seasoning and throw those burgers on the grill. No mess, no fuss and they were the perfect size for my boys.

Taste test:

I wrapped the Filet Mignon with a strip of bacon and seasoned both sides with some steak rub (lightly). Seared over direct heat for about three minutes on each side then cooked indirectly till medium (yes, I like it that way). After resting for a good tem minutes I had my first bite and didn’t stop to take many breaths between finishing the Filet either. Wow! A dreamy taste that was creamy velvety in texture, just about melted in my mouth, very beefy taste accented by the bacon and seasoning. Just fantastic! I’d like a dozen more please ….

Only one bite of the Top Sirloin steak was offered to me – a testament to the taste experience my guest were enjoying. Cooked the same way as the Filet Mignon. It was top notch tender and just begged for more eating, which sadly I wasn’t offered any more chances. Scratch that guest of the next dinner list.

Chicken breast were marinated with teriyaki sauce and grilled over direct medium heat till done, which went very fast because of the uniform shape. There were no under cooked pieces of chicken because of this. Just as moist and tender as can be.

The burgers, well I never stood a chance getting one of those burgers from the retched hands of the little monsters that call me Dad. I did hear comments like “Can we have more?” and “Can we have these again?” I can only assume the best in this case.

I am saving the Pork Chops and Stuffed Baked potatoes for the next meal as we had plenty of food the day.

Pros:

Convenient  fast service, great selection, still frozen when it arrived, easy open and just fantastic quality and taste, huge variety.

Cons:

Slightly more in cost than your local grocery store, equal to a quality butcher but much more convenient – not really a negative at all.

My first experience with Omaha Steaks in many years and I have to say my dinner guest and I were very impressed, it was a meal that we will be remembering for many a days.

You can view the rest of my photos here: Fickr Photo Page

Please take a few minutes to visit the Omaha Steaks website, where you will find a awesome assortment of quality foods that are shipped directly to your door for your next meal.

You can also find them here:  www.facebook.com/omahasteaks  www.twitter.com/omahasteaks

“Get out of the kitchen! Light the fire! Start cooking outdoors”

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