Pandora's Turkey: skip the oven!

Our family has been roasting our Thanksgiving turkey using this Pandora's Turkey recipe that was cut out from the local newspaper...almost 30 years ago!

That's a lot of Thanksgiving turkeys to try this out on, and each year it's a success! There is inevitably an argument about whether or not to trust the recipe or if the bird has been in long enough, but this recipe doesn't fail.

And the result is exactly as described in the long but useful article giving you all the details you would need to make this your new favorite Thanksgiving tradition.

Just don't open Pandora's grill and you'll be fine!

Robinette Farms Local Food Subscription Box Nebraska

Keep lid on Pandora’s Turkey for best Thanksgiving bird ever

By A. Cort Sinnes Lincoln Journal-Star (circa 1990s?)

Do you want to have the best turkey you’ve ever eaten this Thanksgiving? Do you want to sleep in on Thanksgiving morning, instead of getting up at 6 a.m. to put the turkey in the oven? All you really need to accomplish this seemingly magical feat is a covered kettle grill, a 10-pound bag of charcoal, and the turkey.

True, this procedure requires hanging out in the backyard when most folks are thinking of warming their toes by the fire, but the results are so spectacular that they are well worth putting on an extra sweater and warm socks. (If Thanksgiving Day dawns really cold and blustery, roll the grill to some protected spot close to the house, like on the back porch; that’s why the grill has wheels on it.)

In our household, charcoal roasting (which is technically what you are doing — not grilling or barbecuing) is the preferred method for cooking any turkey, no matter what time of year it is, or whether or not it’s even a holiday. We cooked at least 10 turkeys this way — so many, that I finally gave the procedure a name. “Pandora’s Turkey” refers to the fact that you do not, under any circumstances, take the lid off once the grill fire goes out. But more on that later. Pandora’s Turkey turns out so moist and tender, the juices stay well worth the trouble. And, the way you’ve always wanted it, and the crispy mahogany brown skin becomes the envy of the entire neighborhood and family dinner process. The extraordinary part about this turkey method is that it takes a turkey twice more than three hours to cook more than tender and juicy.

At this point, a serious warning is called for: Cooking a 10- to 12-pound turkey for about 3 hours in your covered kettle grill as outlined below violates several long-held rules for turkey roasting. The instructions are going to sound suspiciously short, but resist temptation!

If this seems that the procedure given here is overly long, it’s only because I’ve tried to answer all the questions that come up over the years. There seems to be some general disbelief that during the course of a 3-day meal test (my family’s confident cook becomes cautious roast master, this is the easiest way to cook a turkey.)

Before you get started, here are a few tips:

• Look for a bird that is as squat as possible; a high breastbone will prevent the lid from closing completely. Use between 10- and 12-pound range since it fits most standard kettle grills. If you do use a larger bird, it’s best to roast a smaller bird simply for the juicy bird. Simply place it on the grill, and the lid, of course, and be sure the lid completely encloses the bird larger than 20 pounds will likely cause charcoal to need an additional 30 minutes to cook the extra poundage.)

• If roasting your turkey with aromatic stuffing (one that is not meant for eating) as outlined below. If you choose this route and plan on making stock from the turkey carcass afterward, hang onto the aromatic stuffing; it will improve the taste of the stock.

• There will be plenty of juices in the roasting pan. These can be divided for use in the gravy pot and for moistening the oven-cooked stuffing. So far, there haven’t been any complaints in the stuffing department. In fact, no one has ever detected that it wasn’t cooked inside the bird.

• Turkeys cooked in covered kettle grills don’t need basting. In fact, if you take the lid off to baste the bird (or even just to peek!), you’ll blow the whole process. The rapid influx of air causes the coals to heat up quickly, resulting in an uneven cooking temperature and shortening the life of the coals.

At least, that’s the only explanation I’ve ever been able to come up with that makes any sense. At any rate, leave the lid on the grill until the fire goes out. You know what happened to Pandora…

Pandora’s Turkey

Equipment and ingredients needed:

• A covered kettle-type grill

• 15 pounds charcoal briquets

• 1 10–12 pound turkey (larger, if it will fit in your grill, covered)

• 1 cup coarsely chopped onions

• 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning or sage

• ½ cup melted butter or vegetable oil for rubbing on the outside of the turkey

A note about salt if you prefer your turkey unsalted:

• Omit salt in rub and stuffing, if desired.

Optional:

• Metal or bamboo skewers (or trussing needle)

1) Start with a clean grill, free of coals and ash. Ignite approximately 40 charcoal briquets. Five pounds may seem like a lot, but this is a special procedure. If you have difficulty determining 5 pounds, simply use a 10-pound bag of charcoal and use half.

2) While you’re waiting for the coals to catch, prepare the turkey for cooking. Remove the neck and giblets from inside the bird; reserve for making gravy, if desired. Wash the bird thoroughly inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.

3) Secure the neck skin to the back and the legs to the tail using the metal fastener found on most turkeys, or abandon the skewers and the metal fasteners altogether in favor of trussing the bird (provided that someone, somewhere taught you how to perform this procedure).

4) Rub the entire surface of the turkey with about ¼ cup melted butter or vegetable oil. Place the turkey breast side up in the roasting pan and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. (I prefer finely ground white pepper because it darkens the surface better than the coarser black pepper. You can use seasoned salt, if desired.)

5) Check the fire. The coals are just right when they are completely covered with fine gray ash. Once at that stage (usually in 20 to 25 minutes), divide them into either sides of the fire pan so that there is a wide space in the center large enough to hold the roasting pan in place. Position the roasting pan, with the bird in it, on the grill and immediately cover it with the lid. Leave the bottom vents completely open.

6) Within minutes you will start to hear some action in the roasting pan and smell that delightful aroma. The turkey will be done when the coals have burned out, usually around 2½ hours. You can tell the coals have burned out when the turkey no longer makes any cooking noises inside the grill and smoke has stopped coming out of the vents.

7) Remove the lid — finally — and voila! A beautifully roasted, mahogany-brown, crisp-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside turkey. Carefully move the bird from the roasting pan to a carving board, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. This pause helps to return the internal juices and makes the turkey easier to carve and handle. Any juices that accumulate on the carving board to your gravy, or use for moistening the stuffing.

After dinner, you’ll have one more reason to be thankful for! Your oven won’t need cleaning!

Did you give it a try or have you cooked your turkey using this recipe? Comment below!