Turkey Day Recipe

Jared LeBlue · November 16, 2004, 07:38:55 PM

Try this instead of frying a turkey.

Boiled Turkey

1. Pot- either a regular crawfish boiling pot or a turkey frying pot ( the turkey frying pot is better because you don't need as much water and they generally come with a rack to put the turkey on. This will make it much easier to remove the turkey from the water).

2. Burner- A propane burner will boil you water faster and keep it hotter than a conventional stove.

3. Crawfish boil. Use the same type you would use to boil your crawfish.

4. Injectable marinade. Which ever brand you prefer.

5. Turkey. Don't let you wife fool you, the size really doesn't matter.

Let's boil a turkey:

1. Put some water in the pot, remember you have to put a turkey in there so don't over fill.

2. Bring the water to a boil. If you don't know how to do this STOP here, you have no business cooking.

3. Once your water starts to boil put in the crawfish boil.

4. Once the crawfish boil is good and ready ( about 5 to 10 minutes after you put it in) drop in some corn and potatoes. If you are not going to use corn and potatoes then skip this step. Let them cook until they are done then pull them out. You may need to add some more crawfish boil at this time because corn and potatoes take a lot of it out of the water.

5. Now you are ready for your turkey. All you have to do as for as seasoning goes is inject the marinade in the turkey. This should have been done already, long before you started any of these other things. This is a perfect example of why you should read all instructions before starting a project.

6. Now, your water should be boiling hard, if it's not wait til it does. Once it is boiling hard drop in the turkey. Let it boil hard for about 10 minutes.

7. After that 10 minute boil, lower your fire where the water is barely boiling and let it boil like that for 10 minutes.

8. Now, crank up your fire again and bring it back to a hard boil and let it boil like that for another 10 minutes.

9. You are now finished with the boiling process. Turn off you burner and pull that ugly pail turkey out of the water. If you do not have a rack be careful pulling it out of the water because it will fall apart.

Note: The turkey is going to be awful looking but don't let it fool you it's going to be good. You may not want you guest to see it at this point, they may decide to go home.

10. Final step. Put the turkey in a roasting pan and place it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 1 hour to 1 ½ hours. Just keep an eye on it, when you think it is brown enough pull it out.

I hope you enjoy it.

bassadict69 · November 16, 2004, 08:05:27 PM

Never thought about doing that to a turkey...

when we boil crawfish, we always boil 5-6 chickens in the water after all the crawfish have been cooked. Turn out with the best flavored chicken I have ever had.

Thanks for the tip rattle, I just may be boiling a turkey or two this year!

Rowdy · November 24, 2004, 07:26:51 PM

I will have to agree here, that does sound pretty killer. Coarse I am not that good of a judge of food, if it can't out run me I can eat it LOL...Thanks for the tip on this for sure, I do hope the forum page here does well enough to make a home on the site, I for one will look forward to reading what all everyone likes to share on this topic for sure...

Mike Cork · November 24, 2004, 07:29:53 PM

This thread should have no problem staying strong. One thing that will help is, folks all have their own way of cooking things and may not realize that the rest of the world doesn't do it the same. So with that said, even if it seems ordinary to you go ahead and post it, other may be looking for a change from their own ordinary.

Looking forward to some great new ideas

Rowdy · November 24, 2004, 07:57:27 PM

Just had a thought I wanted to pass by Rattle on this Turkey boil do did-he...Let me ask once the boil has been done here, are you putting this in the oven just to get the color so it looks ok to eat??? Or does it need to be cooked a little more also. Reason I am asking this is because I have seen people like me take one of the small hand held propane torches out to put the nice brown look to things so all the ordinary people would just try what I have fixed, knowing full well once they got something in there mouth they would love it LOL...Just seems to me too many people put to much on looks of things and for sure on the food...So what you think dude, this big yard bird done enough to eat once its boiled and for those that could not stand the idea of eating looking so ugly you brown this with the torch or does it really need to be cooked more. If more cooking is needed, could you boil this yard bird more and till its done then flame the sucker to get the brown look???

I guess I should admit right here and now that even though I am way out here in the desert of west Texas, I was just born to eat and live down that way. The cookin' and food as well as the way of life there is right up my alley. So now you all know I just live here, but I be of the gender of the cajun country...I not only like to boat and fish and all, I also like to cook and eat out on the fire in the big middle of no where...Look forward to reading the posts here...Heck I might even share a few things here cooked up with two stroke oil and tuner cleaner LOL...

Jared LeBlue · November 24, 2004, 08:36:00 PM

Rowdy, the bird is pretty much done when you take it out of the water. I put it in the oven for two reasons. One to make it look better and two to cook it longer just to make sure. You don't want to mess around with a turkey and not cook it enough. Putting it in the oven for a couple will not dry it out. Believe me even after it browns in the oven it will be the juiciest turkey you have ever eaten.
I like to boil a turkey over frying it for a couple of reasons. You don't have to buy $20 worth of grease and the clean up is a whole lot easier.

Mike Cork · November 24, 2004, 10:27:42 PM

That is a very good point about the clean up Rattle, we fry upwards of 30 turkeys every year for our squadron and the mess is asolutely amazing. Good thing the A.F. has this thing call RHIP (Rank has it's privleges) No clean up for this master sergeant

Rowdy, we would love to read up on some of your recipes. The kitchen kind and the boat shop kind

I bet you have some real winners in both arena's

Rowdy · November 26, 2004, 09:51:16 AM

Guys never thought about the cleanup LOL...I could see how that would be an issue alright. I do however know about the cost of the grease. Funny that was brought up as a girl that works for the wife just mentioned last week about how they was going to be frying a big yard bird this holiday and that the worse part was the price, go figure...

bassadict69 · December 20, 2004, 09:54:42 AM

Rattle,
What size bird are you normally using when boiling it? 30 minutes total just don't sound like very long. I think our bird is about 17 pounds.

We are gonna boil it Christmas morning. I have some salt free cajun seasoning I buy from a guy in Texas. The stuff rocks! I am gonna make my injection marinade out of it.

My father-in-law told me yesterday he bought an electric turkey fryer. It can be used for turkey frying, crawfish boiling,etc. We are going to try it out.

cmegee · February 07, 2005, 11:38:04 AM

Hey bassaddict
you said you boiled the chickens after the crawfish, how long do you boil them and do you just serve them boiled or do you put them in the oven too?

bassadict69 · February 07, 2005, 11:53:34 AM

We usually boil them until the meat starts to fall off the bone. I couldn't tell you how long that is. $:-\$ Normally we don't put them in the oven if it is just us, but if we have other company over we will put it in the oven to pretty it up just long enough to brown it up a little. Leave it in there too long & it will dry out. They are awesome. They never last long!

cmegee · February 07, 2005, 01:52:00 PM

We were thinking about boiling some crawfish this weekend so I'll have to give it a try, sounds really goooooooooooood.
course it all sounds good to a big boy like me......

Jared LeBlue · February 07, 2005, 01:57:08 PM

What ever you do don't boil the turkey before the crawfish. Believe me when you take that turkey out of the water it leaves a nasty film on the water. Also add some more seasoning to the wter when you are done with the crawfish. In fact add a whole lot of seasoning. I usually use a 16oz bag and a bottle of liquid crawfish boil. Don't worry about over seasoning, it takes a lot for a turkey.

cmegee · February 07, 2005, 01:58:36 PM

will do. Just called my wife and told her to pick up some chickens......

Jared LeBlue · February 07, 2005, 02:00:55 PM

Bassadict how did your turkey come out for Christmas? I had a friend who boild about 5 of them over the Christmas season. I boiled one for a New Years party and it rocked. It's funny the looks you get when you tell people you are boiling a turkey, but that all changes when it comes to chow time.

bassadict69 · February 07, 2005, 02:03:56 PM

I almost left it in the oven too long, but it came out good. The regular turkey barely got nibbled on but the boiled one was down to nothing but bones!

Jared LeBlue · February 07, 2005, 02:07:19 PM

I learned something new. If you take that basting sauce that you can buy in a spray bottle and spray it on the turkey while it's in the oven it will brown it faster and keep it super juicy.

cmegee · March 11, 2005, 04:35:01 PM

finally getting around to having that crawfish boil this weekend, how long did you say to leave the chickens in after the crawfish are all boiled up...

bassadict69 · March 12, 2005, 09:10:51 AM

Just til the chicken starts falling off the bone. Remember, It won't look like much when it is finished boiling, but it tastes awesome!

cmegee · March 18, 2005, 03:33:45 PM

man you were right about that chicken thing, I would strongly suggest this to anyone, will do it again saturday night after the tournament....

bassadict69 · March 18, 2005, 03:41:30 PM

I forgot to ask how they turned out! Did you put it in the oven to brown? Or did it get ate before it could make it to the oven?

cmegee · March 18, 2005, 03:44:12 PM

uhhhhh didn't quite make it to the oven, might try that this weekend.

Jared LeBlue · March 18, 2005, 05:49:31 PM

Wait til you try a turkey.

cmegee · March 25, 2005, 08:52:12 AM

don't know if I can handle a turkey but will let you know next week...yeah for Easter, we're cooking turkey in the crawfish boil

Jared LeBlue · March 25, 2005, 12:30:22 PM

Get ready to eat the best turkey you have ever put your mouth on. Try to get this one to the oven.

cmegee · March 25, 2005, 12:34:05 PM

I ain't making no promises

bassadict69 · March 27, 2005, 09:14:46 PM

Well cmegee, Did you hurt yourself on that turkey?

Jared LeBlue · March 27, 2005, 09:55:25 PM

He may have ate too much to make it to the computer.

cmegee · April 11, 2005, 12:44:37 PM

ohhhhhh still hurting, ate wayyyyyyyy too much turkey. Took a couple of chickens with us to arkansas this past weekend and cooked them for a friend of mine that just returned from Iraq. He still is eatting chicken......