Cooking the turkey the previous day

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day? - Mike

I had neighbors who did it routinely. It got hacked up and looked
disgusting the night before, so who knows what the condition of the bird
was on TG day?
I can't imagine how sad a TG day would be at my house if there were no
warm aromas of a roasting bird filling the house. I just don't get why
it is done ahead as the turkey is so simple to throw in the oven and ignore.

The message <[email hidden]>
from Michael Horowitz <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day? - Mike

I've not done it, but a friend did who was cooking turkey dinner for
24 on a basic-size domestic stove.

The day before, she cooked the turkey, carved it, laid out all the meat
in a clean roasting tin and covered it with gravy then foil. On the day
she just slid the whole thing in the oven and reheated, then did kitchen
plate service of the meat+gravy (adult and child sized helpings) The
veg and trimmings and more gravy, were served on the table for guests to
help themselves.

Many restaurants do the same thing when they're cooking for multiple
office-party Xmas dinners.

Janet.

Quoted message said:

The day before, she cooked the turkey, carved it, laid out all the meat
in a clean roasting tin and covered it with gravy then foil. On the day
she just slid the whole thing in the oven and reheated, then did kitchen
plate service of the meat+gravy (adult and child sized helpings) The
veg and trimmings and more gravy, were served on the table for guests to
help themselves.

That limits things a little - what if a person didn't want gravy on
their turkey?

In any event, probably a dose of turkey broth (saved from simmering
the giblets) would likely do the same job.

N.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day? - Mike

My sister used to do it regularly. Seems she sliced birdy and arranged
it in a shallow pan, moistened a bit with broth, and heated it, covered
with foil, in a slow oven.

I did it once -- cooked pretty much everything the day before and
reheated it. I was the only person who thought it was a good idea; I
was actually able to enjoy a glass of wine with our guests before
dinner. I thought it was a great idea.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

In article <[email hidden]>,

Goomba38 said:

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day? - Mike

I had neighbors who did it routinely. It got hacked up and looked
disgusting the night before, so who knows what the condition of the bird
was on TG day?
I can't imagine how sad a TG day would be at my house if there were no
warm aromas of a roasting bird filling the house. I just don't get why
it is done ahead as the turkey is so simple to throw in the oven and ignore.

It's not roasting the turkey that's stress-making, Woman ‹ it's all that
"gotta get it all ready and hot and in serving dishes on the table at
the same time." I can do it if everyone stays the hell out of my
kitchen and out of my way.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

On Nov 30, 10:57 pm, Melba's Jammin' <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Goomba38 said:

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day? - Mike

Quoted message said:

I had neighbors who did it routinely. It got hacked up and looked
disgusting the night before, so who knows what the condition of the bird
was on TG day?
I can't imagine how sad a TG day would be at my house if there were no
warm aromas of a roasting bird filling the house. I just don't get why
it is done ahead as the turkey is so simple to throw in the oven and ignore.

It's not roasting the turkey that's stress-making, Woman ‹ it's all that
"gotta get it all ready and hot and in serving dishes on the table at
the same time." I can do it if everyone stays the hell out of my
kitchen and out of my way.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted tohttp://www.jamlady.eboard.com;10-16-2007

How could anyone resist eating a freshly cooked turkey the day it was cooked? The aroma fills the house and everyone crowds the kitchen ready to dive into it as soon as it comes out of the oven!

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there
any hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on
T'giving day? - Mike

My sister used to do it regularly. Seems she sliced birdy and
arranged it in a shallow pan, moistened a bit with broth, and heated
it, covered with foil, in a slow oven.

I did it once -- cooked pretty much everything the day before and
reheated it. I was the only person who thought it was a good idea; I
was actually able to enjoy a glass of wine with our guests before
dinner. I thought it was a great idea.

Sounds good Barb. Worth thinking about🙂

Melba's Jammin said:

Quoted message said:

I can't imagine how sad a TG day would be at my house if there were no
warm aromas of a roasting bird filling the house. I just don't get why
it is done ahead as the turkey is so simple to throw in the oven and ignore.

It's not roasting the turkey that's stress-making, Woman ‹ it's all that
"gotta get it all ready and hot and in serving dishes on the table at
the same time." I can do it if everyone stays the hell out of my
kitchen and out of my way.

I have it all down to a science and it works quite well. I have tasks I
can ask for help with and get it done well and not a bother to me by
being underfoot. MOG is very effective in the kitchen. We tend to join
forces for the first load of dishes into the machine and then he really
takes over the clean up and food storage issues.
I love TG meals and just have no problems doing most of it myself.

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day?

Easy-Peasy... commissaries do this all the time... carefully remove
skin, debone, roll with dark meat on outside, wrap with skin, tie,
season, roast, refrigerate. Next day very easy to slice and serve
with hot gravy.

Sheldon

One time on Usenet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day? - Mike

My sister used to do it regularly. Seems she sliced birdy and arranged
it in a shallow pan, moistened a bit with broth, and heated it, covered
with foil, in a slow oven.

I did it once -- cooked pretty much everything the day before and
reheated it. I was the only person who thought it was a good idea; I
was actually able to enjoy a glass of wine with our guests before
dinner. I thought it was a great idea.

I love the do-ahead idea -- I made the sweet and mashed potatoes the
day before this year, but I'd miss the smell of the turkey...

--
Jani in WA

Sheldon said:

Michael Horowitz said:

Has anyone had experience cooking a turkey the day before T'giving?
The theory is good (we've all done it for leftovers) but are there any
hints/tips for keeping it as moist as if you cooked it on T'giving
day?

Easy-Peasy... commissaries do this all the time... carefully remove
skin, debone, roll with dark meat on outside, wrap with skin, tie,
season, roast, refrigerate. Next day very easy to slice and serve
with hot gravy.

Sheldon

I'm not very good at taking bones out of poultry. Maybe I could
special order one like this from my butcher....

N.