Has anyone used a Turkey Roaster?

  • Thread starter Thread starter yellowbird
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Y

yellowbird

Guest
I love turkey, but when I make it, it’s always so dry. Someone told me to buy a turkey roaster… I guess it’s sort of like big crock pot, only different somehow? It plugs in though… and I guess you just plop the turkey in, cover it - and set it to cook???

Anyhow, before I run out and buy one I thought I’d ask if anyone has used one and what you thought? It sure sounds tempting - so easy! But does the turkey come out nicely?

Thanks!
 
bought 6 for the parish, if you mean the electric one, and the turkey came out great, so moist, and cooked evenly, according to meat thermometer, which is even more important for us. they are usually on sale this time of year $35 or even less, you just have to decide if you will use it enough to make it workwhile storing a large appliance like this. You could also go for the old fashioned roaster with a lid that goes in the oven. The roaster comes with directions, but always use a meat thermometer to test doneness.
 
How big of a turkey does the electric roaster hold?

Just curious b/c dh told me he really likes turkey better than chicken. Its always a big ordeal for me to roast a turkey in the oven for some reason and the roaster sounds like it would take away some of the things that bother me (like cooking the dark meat w/o overcooking the white meat).

Thanks!
 
My mother always used a turkey roaster, I don’t have one, because I just don’t have anywhere to store it, but her turkeys were always great!! The only time we had trouble was one Thanksgiving, we were have 50 people and we had a 25 pound turkey, it was huge…well it wouldn’t fit in the roaster the whole way so my mom and aunt stayed up all night flipping the turkey over ( I almost wrote “flipping the bird” but I thought some might take offense to that…😃 ) anyhow, my aunt finally had enough and cut it’s legs off and shoved it back in the roaster and went to bed! Ah, memories…
 
yellowbird said:
I love turkey, but when I make it, it’s always so dry. Someone told me to buy a turkey roaster… I guess it’s sort of like big crock pot, only different somehow? It plugs in though… and I guess you just plop the turkey in, cover it - and set it to cook???

Anyhow, before I run out and buy one I thought I’d ask if anyone has used one and what you thought? It sure sounds tempting - so easy! But does the turkey come out nicely?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
My db mother uses it, and yes, the Turkey comes out so tender and juicy it’s scary!!! I mean I am used to the oven roasting and somewhat a little dry turkey but hers are always juicy and I found out she does use one of those things…She switches off every year, one year it was a fried turkey, then oven and this year for Thanksgiving it was with the turkey roaster… 🤷
 
petitfleur said:
Can you roast other meat in it too???
Click to expand...
Good question! Anyone?

Thanks for the replies so far… I’m thinking it’s the way to go. The only hesitation I have is that sometimes when I use the crock pot for ribs or anything really with bones, I find I have to pick through the mush of it all to get the bones out? Maybe I leave stuff in the crockpot too long - but still, can’t imagine picking through all those turkey bones to get at the meat… like one big mushy turkey mess? This won’t be the case will it?

(Happymommy… flipping the bird? That makes me giggle!)
 
petitfleur said:
Can you roast other meat in it too???
Click to expand...
I have no idea, mom only used it for turkey…I don’t see why you couldn’t use it for another meat…I’m sure they come with a recipe book, most things like that, like a crockpot, indoor grill and other small appliances, come with recipe books…
 
I just purchased an 18qt Nesco this year (their stainless steel one) to do a large turkey breast in it (we really don’t like a full turkey).

Pros and cons:

Pros:
  • It comes out moist.
  • Almost like a giant crockpot - it can be used for so many things other than turkey.
  • East to cook - hard to mess up
  • Frees up the oven to do all the other stuff so everything can be served warm.
  • Can get accessory serving trays to keep in it for a buffet style meal to keep things warm.
Cons:
  • The skin is not crispy (whether or not that matters to you) - their are many alternatives to assisting with this issue though.
  • Need to use a browning sauce to really make it brown
  • Takes up storage and counter space (offset this though with freeing up oven).
The worst part of what we believe is a good and useful product - The Nesco took approximately 12 hours to break in the heating element prior to cooking anything to ward off the wretched stench of burning electric. It’s a known process that needs to take place but the included instructions says only 1 hour… One hour did nothing for us. Need to do it in a well ventilated area. We did ours outside on the patio and some of it in the garage.

Haven’t used it for anything else but will probably do so for Christmas.
 
I have a Nesco roaster that I got for Christmas one year. I have used it to cook my turkey in since I got it. Makes really good turkey too. The biggest I have cooked in it was a 22-23 lb. one but if it doesn’t fit, make a lid out of heavy duty alluminum foil, that should work, at least until it is easier to “cut” it down to size :D.

Brenda V.
 
Thanks so much all! You guys are great! I knew I would get some helpful answers here! 👍

I think I’m going to get one. I’ll let you know how my turkey turns out.
 
yellowbird said:
Good question! Anyone?

Thanks for the replies so far… I’m thinking it’s the way to go. The only hesitation I have is that sometimes when I use the crock pot for ribs or anything really with bones, I find I have to pick through the mush of it all to get the bones out? Maybe I leave stuff in the crockpot too long - but still, can’t imagine picking through all those turkey bones to get at the meat… like one big mushy turkey mess? This won’t be the case will it?

(Happymommy… flipping the bird? That makes me giggle!)
Click to expand...
Yes, you are way overcooking your chicken in the crockpot if it turns to mush. You may also be adding unneeded liquid.

The big roaster is great IF you have room to store it. They are BIG. It is a cooker, and can be used for buffet service, as a warmer or as a roaster for anything (think of it as a mini oven that sits on your countertop).

I have the buffet inserts for mine, and use it often.
 
I’ve used an electric roaster, and my meats always turned out nice and juicy. They are very versatile, and not too bad on clean-up. I would not, however, buy another one. They are just too big and bulky for me to store.

What I do instead is soak the turkey (or chicken) in brine overnight. They ALWAYS turn out moist and delicious.
The easiest way to brine a turkey is to get a big (5 gallon or bigger) bucket and an ice chest. Put ice and water in the chest, put the bucket in the ice water. For the brine, I usually do a very simple one. Lots of water (fill the bucket a little more than half-way) and a cup or 2 of kosher salt or sea salt (the big grain salt works better than regular table salt). You can also add whatever other savory things you like (onions, vegetables, etc). Put the turkey in the bucket, and if it is not completely covered, add more water.
For chickens, reduce the amount of water and salt (and of course chickens fit better in the fridge, so you can use a large stock pot instead of the bucket).
I have never had a dry turkey when I soak it overnight first.
Of course, if you are concerned about the water getting warm overnight, you can always soak it for a couple of hours the day you want to cook it and just keep emptying the water in the cooler chest and adding ice.
 
Before there were crock pots, there were turkey roasters. They are also good for Italian beef, and keeping things warm.
 
OutinChgoburbs said:
Before there were crock pots, there were turkey roasters. They are also good for Italian beef, and keeping things warm.
Click to expand...
We hosted a pic nic for a large group, and wanted to grill burgers - but, without many grills going, it was going to make a long time waiting for the food.

We grilled 100+ burgers at home the day before, then, used the roaster to warm/serve them the next day! They were hot and delicious.
 
Update: Just got home from my super Wal-Mart… couldn’t find the Roasters… asked for help and they said they’d never heard of 'em. Tried to sell me a Toaster over. I kept saying, Nope - it’s ROASTER not toaster. Any suggestions where I’d try next?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top