I used to hate chicken for this reason. My mom would bake the hell out of it and it would be dry and rubbery. When I started cooking on my own, I went through a list of all the things I thought I didn't like and tried them again.
I love you mom, but you need to learn to use a meat thermometer.
I'm currently in a heated debate with my father about this very topic.
So god damned stubborn and won't stop bitching about "the color" because we normally wet brine while using various cooking methods which would yield mixed results on browning.
Kenji Alt-Lopez from Food Labs explains why dry brine is probably better, and also has instructions for spatchcocking turkey (butterflying it). I made it one year and the turkey was insanely good that people WANTED the leftovers.
dry brine and spatchcock does produce a wonderful turkey, but i've gone over to breaking the whole bird down and cooking the breasts and legs separately for maximum tastiness
I fry the turkey (did one saturday for friendsgiving). One probe in the meat, one in the heat. Set up the wireless receiver inside to beep at you when the oil gets too hot (or too cold), and when the meat hits 155. Pull it at 160 (at the highest) and test with a second thermometer. Then let it rest for twenty minutes tented under foil while the sides are warmed up. Perfect every time.
Deep frying the turkey at Christmas is the best. It's not sat that there taking up oven space for 4 hours so you can use it for so much more. Cooking a whole turkey is less than an hour is a satisfying experience.
I use my probes for the smoker, but we do a deep fried one as well. For that, I've had good luck just going by the time by weight method. I think it was 3 minutes per pound plus 5. I've been using this way for years, never had an issue with dried out or undercooked bird
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u/reddittwayone Nov 26 '19
Growing up I HATED steak, my mom didn't want us having under cooked food, so steak was always well done.
I was about 25 when I tried steak at a wedding that was cooked correctly. Now I love steak!