Smaller Turkey - Mini Thanksgiving

[Zysoclaplem]

My family isn't doing anything until tomorrow for Thankgiving, so the guy I am seeing and I decided we are going to do our own tiny Thankgiving today at my house.
We plan to do a turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, rolls, etc..etc..
But we don't want a full size turkey. I know there are smaller chickens, but can you buy a smaller Turkey?
Are Turkey's hard to cook? I know you have to leave them in the oven for a while, and stuff them. This is all new to me, as I cannot cook anything but eggs.

 

[waggy]

smallest i found was 8lbs.

they are hard to find! an 8lb turkey is perfect for me, my wife and my 4yr old.


anything smaller you will have to buy a "loaf" or just a breast.

 

[tw1164]

Just get a turkey breast. Its hard to mess up a turkey, you'll be able to cook it.

 

[Zysoclaplem]

Originally posted by: waggy
smallest i found was 8lbs.

they are hard to find! an 8lb turkey is perfect for me, my wife and my 4yr old.


anything smaller you will have to buy a "loaf" or just a breast.

8lbs, how long does that have to cook? Sounds perfect.

 

[monk3y]

Like tw1164 said. I think you should just buy the turkey breast or drumstick separately and just make that. It will probably be more expensive per pound but whatever, it'll be easier to cook and you don't have to worry about a truckload of leftovers (though there's nothing wrong with that).

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: waggy
smallest i found was 8lbs.

they are hard to find! an 8lb turkey is perfect for me, my wife and my 4yr old.


anything smaller you will have to buy a "loaf" or just a breast.

8lbs, how long does that have to cook? Sounds perfect.

not sure how long. i usually do it on my webber.


but you want easy? get a breast. just throw it in a pan for like 2 hours or so.

 

[Zysoclaplem]

Originally posted by: monk3y
Like tw1164 said. I think you should just buy the turkey breast or drumstick separately and just make that. It will probably be more expensive per pound but whatever, it'll be easier to cook and you don't have to worry about a truckload of leftovers (though there's nothing wrong with that).

Well I think it will more likely depend upon what Wal-Mart has left...lol.
But we wanted to have the Thanksgiving food experience. And I love leftover turkey.

 

[lokiju]

Get just Turkey Breast from the store.

Cooks the same pretty much as a whole one and taste the same also.


Should be in the fresh meat department of the grocery store.

 

[monk3y]

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: waggy
smallest i found was 8lbs.

they are hard to find! an 8lb turkey is perfect for me, my wife and my 4yr old.


anything smaller you will have to buy a "loaf" or just a breast.

8lbs, how long does that have to cook? Sounds perfect.

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3560.htm

That's the site my gf uses and her turkeys always come out great.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: monk3y
Like tw1164 said. I think you should just buy the turkey breast or drumstick separately and just make that. It will probably be more expensive per pound but whatever, it'll be easier to cook and you don't have to worry about a truckload of leftovers (though there's nothing wrong with that).

Well I think it will more likely depend upon what Wal-Mart has left...lol.
But we wanted to have the Thanksgiving food experience. And I love leftover turkey.

well good luck finding a small turkey. you might get a 11-13 lb (still small with a LOT leftover) a 8-9 lb wont give you much leftovers.

but i think you are screwed anyway. most places are closed today heh (yes even wal-mart)

 

[Zysoclaplem]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: monk3y
Like tw1164 said. I think you should just buy the turkey breast or drumstick separately and just make that. It will probably be more expensive per pound but whatever, it'll be easier to cook and you don't have to worry about a truckload of leftovers (though there's nothing wrong with that).

Well I think it will more likely depend upon what Wal-Mart has left...lol.
But we wanted to have the Thanksgiving food experience. And I love leftover turkey.

well good luck finding a small turkey. you might get a 11-13 lb (still small with a LOT leftover) a 8-9 lb wont give you much leftovers.

but i think you are screwed anyway. most places are closed today heh (yes even wal-mart)

Not my walmart lol
They do close on Christmas though.

 

[FoBoT]

get a small turkey breast

the smallest fresh (not frozen) whole turkey i found at walmart at 11:00 pm last night was 10 pounds

http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canva...First%20Timers&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=first

http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canva...me%20Calculator&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=plan

it says to cook a 10 pounder for 3 to 3-1/2 hours at 325F

go with a breast half that size if you want it closer to 2 hours

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem

Originally posted by: monk3y
Like tw1164 said. I think you should just buy the turkey breast or drumstick separately and just make that. It will probably be more expensive per pound but whatever, it'll be easier to cook and you don't have to worry about a truckload of leftovers (though there's nothing wrong with that).

Well I think it will more likely depend upon what Wal-Mart has left...lol.
But we wanted to have the Thanksgiving food experience. And I love leftover turkey.

well good luck finding a small turkey. you might get a 11-13 lb (still small with a LOT leftover) a 8-9 lb wont give you much leftovers.

but i think you are screwed anyway. most places are closed today heh (yes even wal-mart)

Not my walmart lol
They do close on Christmas though.

oh ok then take off!
heh the local wal-mart has a sign saying closed today hmm maybe it was just the pharmacy? hmm ohwell i don't need anything.

 

[vi edit]

Just pick up a couple cornish hens. A much better alternative to turkey IMHO.

I did a couple hens on the grill last year and they were incredible. The meat just fell off the bone. So tender and juicy

 

[Mermaidman]

I was about to recommend breast, but you guys probably won't go for that.



Seriously, go with the turkey breast, or how about a duck? My wife roasted duck when we had a couple of Thanksgivings ourselves. They usually come frozen, so it might be too late today. Unless you find a gourmet store that sells fresh duck.

 

[LookingGlass]

Like others have said, turkey breast for the small meal. When I do my bird, I usually get a 9 to 11 pounder. I don't stuff it, do that on the stove, I heat the oven at 350, cook the bird till you start to smell the bird, and turn back the oven to 250, I let it cook slowly, all day long. Bird goes in the oven about 8 am or earlie, eat about 5:30, when you bake the bird slowly, it falls apart, best damn tasting bird. I get so much juice to make my gravy, love it. I do that every year, it's wonderful, haven't had a bad bird yet doing it this way. Adjust times, temps, etc, depending on the size of your bird.

 

[Zysoclaplem]

I'll see what Walmart has. If nothing good I'll grab a pizza...lol.
I just wanted it to be small but traditional.

 

[IronWing]

Roasting chickens are smaller and taste better than turkey.

 

[FoBoT]

try turkey pizza
get a cheese pizza and throw some lunch meat on top

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
try turkey pizza
get a cheese pizza and throw some lunch meat on top

i did that in college once.

couldnt afford to drive back home one year from school.

 

[marvdmartian]

If you want a small turkey, look for one that says it's a young hen. They tend to be in the 7 to 12 pound range.