MIL's strange turkey decisions affecting the family on Easter.
April 1, 2018 7:24 AM Subscribe
Need advice from experienced turkey people - how to adjust cooktimes on those "ready to roast" turkey breasts in the plastic bag things that have been thawed?
My mother in law bought two 6 1/2 pound ready to roast Butterball turkey breasts in the plastic bag things. She doesn't really cook, and certainly not hunks of meat. The meat guy at the grocery store apparently told her (1) to disregard the instructions to keep them frozen and to, instead, defrost them, and (2) to double (!) the cooktime since there are two. (I repeat -- !)
They've gone off to church, and asked me to put the breasts in at 9am, to be removed at 1:30pm, but also said, well we don't know what we are doing and you actually cook, sooo... So the thing is I always either follow the instructions or know precisely what I'm doing when I choose not to. I have no idea how to recover this, strategically. I also just buy turkeys, instead of parts of turkeys wrapped in plastic materials I don't understand.
I tried to call Butterball, they are closed (heads up, Butterball, can't you pay some non-religious people a few extra bucks to work on the turkey holidays?). Oh, and they don't have a meat thermometer, and we're in the country, so that's a dead end.
Suggestions? Estimates?
Thanks in advance.
My mother in law bought two 6 1/2 pound ready to roast Butterball turkey breasts in the plastic bag things. She doesn't really cook, and certainly not hunks of meat. The meat guy at the grocery store apparently told her (1) to disregard the instructions to keep them frozen and to, instead, defrost them, and (2) to double (!) the cooktime since there are two. (I repeat -- !)
They've gone off to church, and asked me to put the breasts in at 9am, to be removed at 1:30pm, but also said, well we don't know what we are doing and you actually cook, sooo... So the thing is I always either follow the instructions or know precisely what I'm doing when I choose not to. I have no idea how to recover this, strategically. I also just buy turkeys, instead of parts of turkeys wrapped in plastic materials I don't understand.
I tried to call Butterball, they are closed (heads up, Butterball, can't you pay some non-religious people a few extra bucks to work on the turkey holidays?). Oh, and they don't have a meat thermometer, and we're in the country, so that's a dead end.
Suggestions? Estimates?
Thanks in advance.
2-2.5 hours at 325 ought to cook them fine. They’re separate pieces of meat (I.e. it’s not a 13 lb hunk of turkey), so no doubling time.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 7:34 AM on April 1, 2018
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 7:34 AM on April 1, 2018
Response by poster: I'm sorry if this wasn't clear, but it is no longer possible to follow the instructions on the packaging since my MIL thawed the breasts, and the instructions require they be frozen.
posted by letahl at 7:36 AM on April 1, 2018
posted by letahl at 7:36 AM on April 1, 2018
They're still frozen, though, right? You need to add another 50% cooking time, so I'd say somewhere between 3 and 3.5 hours.
posted by Huck500 at 7:37 AM on April 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Huck500 at 7:37 AM on April 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Sorry, the breasts are thawed, which is what is giving me my emotional hiccup. The instructions require they be frozen, and if they are frozen, then its 1 3/4 hours to 2 1/4 hours at 375.
posted by letahl at 7:38 AM on April 1, 2018
posted by letahl at 7:38 AM on April 1, 2018
Best answer: I would try an hour at 375 then check for doneness... It would be extremely helpful to have a meat thermometer here, but since you don’t, I guess you’ll have to cut into the turkey to check.
posted by amro at 7:42 AM on April 1, 2018
posted by amro at 7:42 AM on April 1, 2018
Best answer: I'd go 350 for 1.5 hours on that, and just cut it open to check.
And separate the two chunks on the pan, no need to increase the time for two.
posted by Huck500 at 7:43 AM on April 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
And separate the two chunks on the pan, no need to increase the time for two.
posted by Huck500 at 7:43 AM on April 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
On mobile, but all for thawed around the same size:
https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/herb-roasted-turkey-breast
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/roast-turkey-breast-with-gravy-recipe-2118083.amp
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/kittencals-moist-oven-roasted-turkey-breast-324182
Hotter will be faster - Bittman says an hour at 450. But with no thermometer, I’d probably go lower and slower.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 7:54 AM on April 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/herb-roasted-turkey-breast
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/roast-turkey-breast-with-gravy-recipe-2118083.amp
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/kittencals-moist-oven-roasted-turkey-breast-324182
Hotter will be faster - Bittman says an hour at 450. But with no thermometer, I’d probably go lower and slower.
posted by OneSmartMonkey at 7:54 AM on April 1, 2018 [2 favorites]
Don't panic. Fwiw I would NEVER cook a turkey breast from frozen.
In my oven, the correct temp is 350 degrees at 1.5 hrs, or so. Maybe 1hr and 50 min. YMMV because your oven might be different.
Dry off the skin with paper towels. Hit it with a hairdryer to really dry it out. Tent it with foil during the last 30 min if it gets too brown and the meat is still uncooked at the bone.
Follow Barefoot Contessa's recipe, her recipes are usually very easy to follow + the techniques and cook times are correct. The hairdryer pre-seasoning is from another source, but it will help develop crispier skin.
posted by jbenben at 8:07 AM on April 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
In my oven, the correct temp is 350 degrees at 1.5 hrs, or so. Maybe 1hr and 50 min. YMMV because your oven might be different.
Dry off the skin with paper towels. Hit it with a hairdryer to really dry it out. Tent it with foil during the last 30 min if it gets too brown and the meat is still uncooked at the bone.
Follow Barefoot Contessa's recipe, her recipes are usually very easy to follow + the techniques and cook times are correct. The hairdryer pre-seasoning is from another source, but it will help develop crispier skin.
posted by jbenben at 8:07 AM on April 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
These won't have skin; they're boneless and skinless. The roast-in-bag set-up is designed to make up for the moistness and juiciness lost from deboning and skinning. Since they're thawed, that will mess with the in-bag technology, so I suggest unwrapping them and trying this herb-roasted turkey breast recipe. They'll likely go for the longer end of the cooking time, since they're a bit larger than the recipe calls for.
posted by halation at 8:40 AM on April 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by halation at 8:40 AM on April 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
Make sure to create some kind of salty, fat-based sauce (gravy? garlic butter?) and drizzle it liberally over the slices- it'll probably be a little dry since it has no skin. Should still taste pretty good though.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 9:30 AM on April 1, 2018
posted by pseudostrabismus at 9:30 AM on April 1, 2018
Response by poster: OK, thanks for all the comments. They are expecting it to cook at 375, and wanted me to put it in at 9, so I just put it in at 11. It'll be done or nearly done when they get home at 12 or 1230. I didn't want to cook it lower and then have them thinking I'm the one that made it all weird, if it comes out weird because it wasn't frozen as the technology anticipates.
In terms of herbs and spices, they don't even have cinnamon. (Could I make this stuff up?) And I did not want to go mucking around with things I don't understand. If it was a real turkey, not a scientifically engineered turkey contraption, I'd totally be in my element. :)
But of course it came with what looks like gravy pouches so, there's that.
Thanks so much for all the feedback, I appreciate all of it! Will update with whether it's weird or fine.
posted by letahl at 9:41 AM on April 1, 2018
In terms of herbs and spices, they don't even have cinnamon. (Could I make this stuff up?) And I did not want to go mucking around with things I don't understand. If it was a real turkey, not a scientifically engineered turkey contraption, I'd totally be in my element. :)
But of course it came with what looks like gravy pouches so, there's that.
Thanks so much for all the feedback, I appreciate all of it! Will update with whether it's weird or fine.
posted by letahl at 9:41 AM on April 1, 2018
Best answer: LET THE TURKEY REST BEFORE SLICING.
I'm panicking you won't see this, please update if you can. I can't believe I left that part out. Sorry I missed the part where it was boneless and skinless in a plastic bag. Really, tho, let the turkey rest before slicing.
Dry the breasts and sear them. Finish in the oven at 350 until done. (poke it to test doness, you want it firm like a well cooked chicken breast.
Alternative is a lowish slow oven (350 is fine) and broil the tops at the end for some color. If you do not have a broiler compartment in your oven, skip this.
Pretty slices topped with gravy and some chopped parsley covers a lot of sins. You are brave and this will be delicious! Good luck!!
posted by jbenben at 10:10 AM on April 1, 2018
I'm panicking you won't see this, please update if you can. I can't believe I left that part out. Sorry I missed the part where it was boneless and skinless in a plastic bag. Really, tho, let the turkey rest before slicing.
Dry the breasts and sear them. Finish in the oven at 350 until done. (poke it to test doness, you want it firm like a well cooked chicken breast.
Alternative is a lowish slow oven (350 is fine) and broil the tops at the end for some color. If you do not have a broiler compartment in your oven, skip this.
Pretty slices topped with gravy and some chopped parsley covers a lot of sins. You are brave and this will be delicious! Good luck!!
posted by jbenben at 10:10 AM on April 1, 2018
Drizzle melted butter + a little salt on it after you slice (even if gravy is coming next). That's the real secret!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 10:24 AM on April 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by pseudostrabismus at 10:24 AM on April 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: @jbenben I love your enthusiasm lol. OK I will remove them from the oven now and let them rest a while before slicing. I'm not doing anything out of the bag - these people aren't going to blame me for their poor turkey choices. :)
posted by letahl at 10:37 AM on April 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by letahl at 10:37 AM on April 1, 2018 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: So I ended up doing 350 for 1 1/2 hours, and they were done of course. I followed the advice to let it rest, and served with the gravy. They were okay, an average eater might say good. No one complained, it was a fine turkey accompaniment. I don't know I'd be persuaded to either purchase turkey parts or disregard packaging instructions in the future, but it worked out fine thanks to your information and guidance.
posted by letahl at 5:55 PM on April 1, 2018 [11 favorites]
posted by letahl at 5:55 PM on April 1, 2018 [11 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
For a highly engineered piece of meat in a plastic contraption like this, I would follow the manufacturer's instructions included on the packaging exactly.
posted by phunniemee at 7:33 AM on April 1, 2018 [2 favorites]