This is the year! I'm solemnly swear to make stock out of the turkey carcass.

My sister & I used to fight over who got to take home the carcass.

Both of us liked the stock and/or soup better than turkey. However, if it is one of the "enhanced" turkeys I can't do it anymore because I can't stand the smell and taste of the chemicals & flavorings they pump into them.

 
I save all my chicken backs. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then toss into zip lock bags

I just finished making turkey/chicken stock from a turkey breast carcass. I threw everything on a large sheet pan, bones from the breast and all the backs, onions, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme sprigs then roasted until everything was beginning to caramelize, then into a large stock pot with water and cooked away. It turned out fabulous. The batch I made last year, I added a turnip and I did not like the flavor that little vegetable imparted in my stock,so left it out this year. Oh, and I add a bay leaf and peppercorns to the cooking process.

 
I ask for the carcass of the turkey served at work---also the ham bone. no one else wants them and

I make a lovely ham and bean pot or turkey soup for a work lunch.

 
Stock great (5 QTs), turkey over-salted/cooked AGAIN. What am I doing wrong?

I tried the dry brine idea again.
11.5 lb frozen turkey (only $6.50!), I used 2 TBL of kosher salt, dry brined from Friday until I baked it on Sunday.

I DID NOT rinse. Did I goof there?? Anyway, baked it 2.5 hours at 325 and temp was only 145 in thigh. Baked it another half hour and it rose to 159 so I pulled it out. Another instant read thermometer read 170!

Breast was dry and overcooked, thigh meat was pink and creeped Larry out. I packaged 1 lb of cooked breast and 1/2 pound of slightly undercooked dark and froze that, dumped the rest into the stock pot, and cooked it for 3 hours (epicurious recipe). Stock is amazing.

Gravy tonight from the grease on top.

So...WHAT AM I DOING WRONG with the turkey??? I've got guests coming next week and I'm baking a fresh 12 pounder.

"A doctor can bury his mistakes but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines."
~~ Frank Lloyd Wright.

There is only so much that gravy can hide.

 
ah, did you hear that, C? That was the sound of me slapping my forehead. Thanks!

So, will a fresh turkey also be pre-brined???
I'm hoping to get one from Whole Foods tomorrow.

Now, how do I get the WHOLE turkey cooked the same temperature?

 
Marilyn, dumb question perhaps, are you basting it enough? That helps keep the breast morst

So does cooking it upside down at first, sliding herb butter under the skin, covering with cheesecolth, etc. The thighs will always be the last to catch up. When carving, you can take off both legs first and if the joint is pink, pop them back in the oven for 10 minutes while you carve the rest.

Whole foods fresh turkey should not be brined.

 
All excellent suggestions which I will follow. I basted once at 90 minutes

mark and then when finished. I had shoved butter underneath the skin and over the entire carcass.

Turkey was upright and un-covered for the full amount of time.

 
Maybe don't dry-brine with salt but roast the old-fashioned way

I chop a lot of garlic in my food processor and add it to a lot of melted butter in a pan, cook it slightly and this is what I baste my turkey with. Turkey has an onion, hunk of carrot and sprig of rosemary inside it (never stuffing in my turkeys). I have never had a problem roasting them- and like Joe says if the dark meat is still a little pink start with the breast and roast the rest a few minutes to finish it.

 
Julia says to baste every 30-40 minutes. Also, I'm wondering if lowering your oven rack

might help. That way heat that gathers at the top of the oven won't affect the breast so much. Having the pan on the bottom level will concentrate heat on the underside--the back and thighs.

 
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