Instead of roasting a whole turkey this year, consider making a deconstructed turkey. It cooks up faster, and every piece turns out juicy and moist.
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Cooking a turkey is a bit tricky. Most of us only cook a whole turkey once a year, and it takes so much longer than the chickens we’re used to roasting. Not to mention the pressure of serving a perfectly cooked bird to your entire family! Traditional turkey recipes usually result in overcooked, dry breast meat while you wait for the legs and thighs to come to 170°F. Brining helps, and spatchcocking will crisp up all the skin evenly, but you’ll still run the risk of over- or undercooking some of the parts.
The solution: deconstructed turkey. This turkey tip was made popular by Julia Child and can be found in Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home. It’s a great way to ensure all parts of the turkey stay juicy and moist. Not only that, but it cuts the roasting time in about half!
Cooking a whole turkey can be tricky Getting the white and dark meat to cook evenly is nearly impossible, resulting in dry breast meat and undercooked thighs That’s why more and more home cooks are turning to deconstructed turkeys for holidays like Thanksgiving.
What is a Deconstructed Turkey?
A deconstructed turkey is one that has been broken down into its major components – the breast thighs, drumsticks and wings. This allows you to cook each part separately, ensuring everything turns out perfectly cooked and incredibly moist.
The concept was popularized by the legendary Julia Child. In her show “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home”, she walked through step-by-step how to break down and roast a deconstructed turkey. Her method produces juicy white meat and rich, flavorful dark meat every time.
Benefits of a Deconstructed Turkey
There are two major benefits to cooking a deconstructed turkey:
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Shorter cooking time: With the turkey broken down into parts, it cooks much faster. Air can circulate freely around each piece, reducing cooking time by about half compared to a whole turkey.
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Even cooking: Removing the turkey pieces as they finish results in evenly cooked meat. No more struggling to get the breast to 165°F before the thighs dry out.
Tools You’ll Need
Deconstructing a raw turkey is easier with the right tools:
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Sharp knife: A chef’s knife or boning knife works well to cut through joints.
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Kitchen shears: Sturdy poultry shears easily snip through ribs and other bones.
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Meat thermometer: Monitoring temperatures of individual pieces prevents over or undercooking. A probe thermometer with an alarm is ideal.
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Roasting pan: Allow air to circulate completely around turkey parts with a rack inside a sturdy pan.
How to Break Down a Raw Turkey
With the right tools in hand, here are the steps to deconstruct a turkey:
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Remove the wings: Bend the wing back and cut through the joint connecting it to the breast. Slice off the wingtips and reserve for stock.
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Remove the legs: Pull the leg away from the body, then slice through the skin separating the thigh from the body. Cut through the joint, then twist and snap the leg down to break the socket. Cut through the joint to fully detach.
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Remove the backbone: Use shears to cut down either side of the backbone and remove it. Reserve the backbone for stock.
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Remove the breastbone: Press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten and loosen it. Pull it out of the turkey cavity.
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Trim excess skin and fat: Clean up the pieces by trimming off any excess skin or large deposits of fat.
Once deconstructed, you can brine or season the turkey parts before roasting.
How Long to Cook Each Piece
The key to perfectly cooked deconstructed turkey is removing pieces from the oven as they reach the target internal temperature:
- Turkey breast: 1-2 hours at 325°F until 165°F
- Turkey thighs: 1.5-2.5 hours at 325°F until 175°F
- Turkey wings: 1.5-2 hours at 325°F until 165°F
Monitor temperatures with a meat thermometer. Elevate pieces on a rack over a roasting pan to promote even cooking.
Serving and Using Leftovers
A deconstructed turkey offers versatility for serving or leftovers. Slice the breast and serve with your favorite sides and gravy. Shred thigh meat for sandwiches, tacos, soups, and casseroles.
You can also use leftover cooked turkey pieces in any recipe calling for cooked chicken. Get creative with leftovers!
A Foolproof Method for Moist, Flavorful Turkey
Following Julia Child’s lead with a deconstructed turkey is a surefire way to end up with perfectly cooked turkey every time. Separating the pieces lets you give white and dark meat the exact amount of time they need to become moist, tender and full of flavor. This Thanksgiving, skip the headache of wrestling a whole turkey and enjoy stress-free, delicious holiday cooking.
Why Deconstruct a Turkey Instead of Cooking It Whole?
There are two major benefits to cooking a deconstructed turkey. For starters, it takes about half the amount of time to cook. Air can circulate more easily around the individual turkey pieces, reducing the cook time significantly. This method also allows you to easily remove the pieces from the oven as they finish cooking, ensuring the whole bird is juicy and moist.
Don’t worry about the pieces getting cold as they sit, either. When the whole bird is finished, you can place the turkey parts in a 500°F oven to crisp up the skin and reheat any meat that may have chilled.
- The first thing you’ll want to pick up for a deconstructed turkey is a pair of poultry shears. They make it infinitely easier to remove the backbone, and you could use them instead of a knife to break down the turkey if that feels less intimidating.
- You’ll also want a sturdy roasting pan with a rack or a baking sheet lined with an oven-safe rack. Elevating the turkey pieces from the bottom of the pan promotes airflow, crisping up the skin on all sides.
- To ensure your turkey cooks perfectly, you’ll definitely want to have a good thermometer. You can use an instant-read meat thermometer to temp the turkey when you think it’s finished, but we prefer using a probe thermometer. The probes allow you to remotely monitor the temperature, knowing what’s going on inside without opening the oven door.
What Is a Deconstructed Turkey?
A deconstructed turkey has been broken down into its individual pieces: breast, legs and wings. You can cook them all together in a roasting pan as we describe below or use different cooking methods for each part. Roast the legs while you slow cook the breast, or braise the thighs on the stovetop to free up the oven for side dishes. A deconstructed turkey can still be brined, too, but it takes up significantly less space in the refrigerator.
How to Cook and Prepare a Deconstructed Turkey
FAQ
What temperature to cook a deconstructed turkey?
How to cook a turkey if the oven breaks?
How do you cook a deconstructed Turkey?
A deconstructed turkey has been broken down into its individual pieces: breast, legs and wings. You can cook them all together in a roasting pan as we describe below or use different cooking methods for each part. Roast the legs while you slow cook the breast, or braise the thighs on the stovetop to free up the oven for side dishes.
Can a deconstructed Turkey be cooked whole?
Roast the legs while you slow cook the breast, or braise the thighs on the stovetop to free up the oven for side dishes. A deconstructed turkey can still be brined, too, but it takes up significantly less space in the refrigerator. Why Deconstruct a Turkey Instead of Cooking It Whole? There are two major benefits to cooking a deconstructed turkey.
How do you cut a deconstructed Turkey?
Here’s a recipe for deconstructed turkey taken from House of Yumm which includes butchering instructions. Using a sharp knife, cut through the skin around each thigh where it attaches to breast. Push the leg forward to pop the bone out of the socket. Cut through joint to separate leg quarter.
How do you reheat a deconstructed Turkey?
When the whole bird is finished, you can place the turkey parts in a 500°F oven to crisp up the skin and reheat any meat that may have chilled. The first thing you’ll want to pick up for a deconstructed turkey is a pair of poultry shears.