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Cooking Turkey without a Thermapen....NOT GREAT!!!

LFGEnergy
LFGEnergy Posts: 618
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
First, my Thermapen (in blue,thank you) was ordered today from Mollyshark. Cant wait!!!

However, cooked a Mad Max breast (6 lb'er) on Sunday (for practice for Thanksgiving) without a Thermapen, and dang, it is miserable trying to take temps with a regular meat therm on a large breast, much less a full bird!!!! by the time you figure out your temps on a few locations, your grill has cooled and you have added minutes to your cook.

Even with a standard meat therm, my breast was undercooked (although shout out to Mad Max....kids and wife LOVED it!!! Accused me of just not liking turkey :whistle::sick::sick: :blink: ).

So, looking forward to Thermapen for Turkey cooks, as well as my favorite.....pork tenderloin (I love my 138F loins!!!). At $85...it really is a turkey necessity (IMHO).

ADDED 11/17/2010 -
NOTE TO FORUM ADMINISTRATOR...THE WORD "SUCK" IN THE SUBJECT LINE AND SUBSEQUENT RESPONSES WAS MY DOING (ALTHOUGH I SINCE EDITED MY SUBJECT LINE). I WAS GENTLY REMINDED BY A MEMBER THAT YOU MIGHT FROWN ON THE USE OF THAT WORD, AND I WILL REFRAIN IN FUTURE. ANYWAY, DID NOT WANT TO DRAG ANYONE ELSE DOWN WITH MY HAVING POSTED THE ORIGINAL SUBJECT. THANK YOU.

Comments

  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    My Thermapen has saved more food than you can imagine! ;) BY FAR the best value of ANY accessory(sp) :blush: I have purchased,and I have purchased a bunch of em! :blush:
  • first of all, glad you liked the bird ....

    but how do you think we did it before thermapens???.. .if you are roasting a whole bird, you should be able to judge when its done in two ways. ..

    1. when you poke a skewer in the deepest part of the breast and/or thigh and the juices run clear, and
    2. when you grab the drumstick and rotates freely on its joint with with the thigh. ...

    even with a thermapen, i tend to rely more on these two tests than i do on straight temps. ..when those juices are clear and that drumstick is loose, its done, i don't care what the technology says. ..thats how aunt elsie taught me to do it!
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
  • Thank you for your response, and being respectful....

    Your aunt doesnt drink as much beer on Thanksgiving as we do at the LFGEnergy party!!!! Sometimes, a therm is the only way we are not eating leather or charcoal when the patio carnival lights are on and the outdoor stereo is playing Robert Earl Keen!

    Sillyness aside, thanks for your feedback. The Turkey really was incredible, even without making the gravy (which we will do for Thanksgiving).

    Kind regards, and happy holidays.
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    :laugh: ;) You have a VERY good point! :)
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Amen. Instant reads are highly overrated. I use mine because I paid a lot for it. I HAVE mine because I made the mistake of listening to all of the "you GOTTA have one" people here. If I had it to do over again, I would listen to Aunt Elsie. If I HAD an Aunt Elsie.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • So, it is called....wait for it....

    HOSS'A'LONEY SALAD!!!!

    I have been playing with this recipe over the past few days, and will cook the first batch on Saturday (when the rib cooking commences!). Your loney salad is the base, and I have added my ideas to jack it up a bit.

    I think this is the next big thing! My mouth is waterig already!!!!

    Thanks for the inspiration....

    And really guys, lets not use words like "suck" again :whistle::whistle: ! My bad!!!!
  • hey, always respectful. ... but careful. ..many a meal has ruined by too much alcohol.(in the cook, not the food, LOL). ..

    but seriously, you should learn to judge doneness, whether it poultry, meat, or fish, by feel and texture. ...learn to judge a steak by how much 'give' it has. ..fish by its feel and flakyness, etc. ...poultry by the color of the juices, etc. etc. ..its all good :lol:
  • Mikee
    Mikee Posts: 892
    LFGEnergy wrote:
    Even with a standard meat therm, my breast was undercooked
    I just use a standard meat thermometer stuck deep into the meat. What is the advantage of poking holes in the breast/meat at numerous places while it is cooking? I would think it would be like a pin cushion allowing the juices to come out.
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    ;) Go gitem!!!Mine was O.K. just needed a little more KICK! :)
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    BTW I use a"leave in" RediCheck by Maverick.ET-73 on long cooks.(turkey,ham,butts prime rib)I have 4 and LOVE EM!When it gets close,I check with the Thermapen.That way there ain't a lotta holes in the meat.I really did'nt care for any of my Aunts,except one and she was better at drinkin than cookin!!! :laugh: B)
  • Pjoe
    Pjoe Posts: 224
    So where did you find the Thermapen for 85 bucks?
    Bill
    LBGE AR SMALL BGE WOO RING
  • ping "mollyshark" here on the forum. .. .she gets them in bulk and sells them at a discount...i think that is her price.. . and i think she has some in "stock" right now .. .
  • can you seen me you recipe