Keeping it Simple, with Thanksgiving turkey!

As we approach Thanksgiving this year, I am reminded of much to be thankful for – and reminded that part of succeeding as a startup leader is constantly seeking to achieve excellence efficiently. There are so many things that need doing and developing that we are constantly seeking for ways to accomplish a lot while still cutting out any excess work possible. Enter my favorite turkey recipe … (which is also the reason for sharing this blog on Tuesday instead of Saturday this week…).

I know that many of us are taking a break from work to spend time with family and friends this week. Thanksgiving is often a celebration of relationships, good food, and reflection. It is a special time of year, so I am taking this blog on a bit of a tangent because I suspect many of you startup leaders out there are trying to find some balance in life between devoting so much of your time and energy into your startup while still connecting with other important people in your life. In the spirit of supporting that impulse, let me share a turkey recipe that I have been relying on for my entire decades-long entrepreneurial career so that I can spend more Thanksgiving time with people and less on preparing the bird itself.

Yes, I am the one responsible for cooking the Thanksgiving turkey(s). Every year. How have I earned this role? Well, it is not because we do not have lots of wonderful cooks around. It is because the results are reliably good – and I am willing to do it because it is pretty darn easy – and the recipe makes us all laugh every year!

Credit is due to “Curt.”  I don’t actually know who Curt is. I do know that many years ago, a University of Michigan publication (which I do not have a record of…) shared “Curt’s Holiday Bag of Turkey” recipe. It was before the internet became ubiquitous. I have a tattered photocopy of the recipe that I kept in a folder that I would pull out anytime I or any member of my family wanted to make a turkey. So far this year, all of my children have reached out to get the recipe (again!), so I thought I would share it more widely so potentially many more people could incorporate this into their own repertoire, and enjoy the yummy time-saving, relationship-promoting benefits of Curt’s genius.  Here goes:

Curt’s Holiday Bag of Turkey

Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees.

You will need:

1 turkey, 15-20 pounds

2 T Old Bay Seasoning (Jen’s tip:  I often double or triple this amount!)

2 T paprika

1 bottle of peanut oil (no other oil will work)

1 large brown paper grocery bag (Jen’s tip: handles are ok; no need to buy a bag!)

1 15” piece of twine

1. Rinse and dry turkey with towel (Jen’s tip: make sure to remove the giblets if present)
   
2. Mix half of the oil with paprika and Old Bay seasoning (Jen’s tip: A small dish works well. I use enough oil to make a “soupy” mixture.)
   
3. Rub the turkey well with oil mix, covering the body well. Make sure you get under the wings and legs!
   
4. Take the paper bag. Pour 1 ½ cups of peanut oil inside the bag, and rub the bag (and handles and twine) unti completely saturated with oil.
   
5. Place the turkey inside the bag, twist the end of the bag very tightly shut, and get somebody you love to knot the twine tightly around the end of the bag while you hold it twisted.
   
6. Place turkey in a roasting pan, back side down. (Jen’s tip: Make sure the walls of the pan are several inches tall)
   
7. Place in the oven for 4 hours [for Jen’s experience, see detailed notes below … I would cook for a shorter period, no more than 3-3.5 hours for this size turkey. I have never needed 4 hours.)

DON’Ts

• Don’t open the oven to check the turkey!  It will still be there.
• Don’t change the temperature on the oven!
• Don’t worry; there will be no need to call the fire department.

DO’s

• Relax.
• Have a glass of holiday punch.
• Let the turkey set for 15-20 minutes after removing from the oven.
• Before removing turkey from bag, puncture the side of the bag farthest from you with a knife to let the steam and pressure escape.
• Prepare your dressing separately. This turkey is so moist, it would soak your stuffing.
  [Jen’s tip: this turkey produces plenty of juice that can become part of your gravy.]

Jen’s Tips:
Here are some cooking time notes from my experience making this recipe for many years
(in turkey size, not time sequence order):

7-pound turkey breast perfect in 1.5 hours at 350 degrees
12-pound turkey perfect in 2.5 hours at 360 degrees
13.44-pound turkey barely done in 2 hours, 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Recommend 3 hours or 360 degrees.
19-pound turkey perfect in 3.5 hours at 360 degrees
19.4-pound turkey 3.5 hours at 350 degrees
20-pound turkey overdone in 4 hours at 360 degrees. Recommend 3.5 hours.  
21.12-pound turkey perfect in 3 hours, 30 minutes at 350 degrees with normal “rest” time.
21.38-pound turkey overdone in 3 hours, 45 minutes at 350 degrees with extra “rest” time. Still moist, although falling apart. Likely should have been shorter timeframes.

My favorite thing about this approach is that I can put the thawed or fresh turkey together in less than 30 minutes, stick it in the oven and forget it until time to take it out while a few other final items take over the oven. Then after 15-20 minutes of resting and then a bit more time for carving, everything can land on the table deliciously ready! 

If you try it, let me know how it goes!  And please have a joyous and happy Thanksgiving this year!