How to Make Split and Roasted Turkey For Christmas or Thanks-giving

I read a well written piece on Chinese Grandma about how to make roast Turkey in a fraction of its original time.  It is called the Split and Roast method which can be used not only for Turkey but also Chicken, Pheasants etc.  I was fascinated because, although I love cooking, I love even more any method that allows me cook the same food in a fraction of the time I already do, while retaining maximum nutrients and natural flavour of the products am cooking without  relying heavily on extra flavouring like salt.

Also, less time cooking means I not only have more time to myself but I also spend less money on electricity and gas since I'm using less of them; maximum nutrient retention means my body gets the nutrients it needs so I get less hungry/cravings which means I buy less  products and save more money; maximum flavour retention not only means I enjoy the taste of the food and my body gets the minerals and vitamins it need but also, I prevent diet related health concerns like diabetes, digestive problems, high blood pressure etc, since I'm not constantly adding extra flavouring to make my food tasty.

Images from top left to bottom are from 

seriouseats, food52, chinesegrandma,  respectively

Preparation: (My Way of Marinating or Brining)

1. 2 nights before roasting - Remove the already split turkey from the freezer if frozen and put in the fridge compactment
2. 1 day before roasting - If not washed, remove giblets from the cavity and wash your turkey thoroughly with lime juice then pat dry with paper towel 
3. Then season both the outside and the already cleaned out cavity liberally with 3 tbsp lemon juice and a mixture of some salt, freshly ground black pepper, onion powder, granulated garlic powder, tarragon, parsley flakes, thyme, basil and paprika immediately after patting dry.
4. Place in a brining bag and put in the fridge not freezer.

 

Image from YouTube, the Granola Hustle and ManThatStuffIsGood

Cooking: My Way of Roasting Turkey:

1. On the day of roasting, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). 
2. Rub the entire turkey including under the skin with 2tbsp of melted butter (I like Kerrygold Irish soft butter because of its flavour) and either
3. Put the turkey in an easy roast multi-purpose oven bag allowing sufficient air inside the bag to allow meat brown and tie bag loosely with nylon tie. Lie the bag down in a deep roasting tin and snip 2.5 cm off the top corner of the bag to allow steam to escape. (make sure the bag does not touch the oven walls, racks or heating element) 
4. Or place the turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack or on top of vegetables (shallots, bunch of thyme, halved lemon or orange, quartered onion and apple, 4 sliced garlic coves, carrot and celery sticks) in a shallow roasting pan to help prevent it from burning
5. Pull the thighs outwards so the turkey lies flat, with the wing facing inward. Tuck the wing tips under to secure and roast for 10 minutes per pound (or per 500g) after the first 25 mins. 
6. Start basting the turkey every 15 minutes with the turkey stock or warm chicken stock after the first 25 mins
7. Measure the internal temperature with a thermometer 15 minutes (for a smaller turkey) or 30 minutes (for a larger turkey) before turkey is done and 
8. If the internal temperature of the turkey has reached 125˚F (74˚F), turn the turkey, loosely cover with a piece of foil to prevent overcooking and then increase the oven temperature to 400˚F (200˚C) for the remaining roasting time. 
9. The turkey is done when the thermometer is inserted into its mid thigh and its internal temperature reads between 165° and 170°F (74°-77°C) or when you puncture the bird between the thigh and the breast and the juices run clear.
10. Let the turkey sit for 15-20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to be redistributed and the meat to become moist throughout.

 

Image from Alibaba and HollyGrainger

According to Chinese Grandma,
**A split bird can roast at a higher oven temperature than a whole turkey
**A small turkey may take as little as 30-40 minutes while a very large bird might take two hours.
**You could also grill a split turkey.

See: 

How To Prepare Christmas Turkey Stuffing post and 

How to Cut A Raw Turkey Or Chicken (Poultry) in Half For Roasting post

Happy Thanks-Giving, Merry Christmas And A Joy-filled New year!