Roast a moister turkey with a Turkey Cannon.
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MOLLY ARONICA is an intern at THE NIBBLE.
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November 2008
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Turkey Cannon
Page 2: Using The Turkey Cannon
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Using The Turkey Cannon
The Turkey Cannon is great for first time turkey roasters as well as those who are more experienced. The directions that come with the apparatus are simple to follow and give instructions on how to choose, thaw and clean the turkey prior to cooking. We used a 10-pound fresh turkey (if you buy one frozen, be sure it is completely thawed before cooking); it can be used with any bird up to 24 lbs. We roasted our bird in a conventional oven; the Turkey Cannon may also be used on a grill.
Roasting turkey with the Turkey Cannon could not be easier. There is no basting necessary, and the heat from the steel of the cannon decreases cooking time significantly while boosting flavor and locking in moisture. You’ll cook the turkey in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and allow to cook for another hour and a half (or until done). Keep a food thermometer on hand, as you'll know your bird is safe to eat once it hits the 165°F-170°F range. We were skeptical about whether the turkey would be fully cooked in only two hours, but were pleasantly surprised to see that it was completely done in just two hours and 10 minutes.
Process
- Be sure to remove all racks from the oven except the lowest one to account for the added height of the turkey and cannon, and place the cannon in a walled roasting pan or baking sheet to catch excess juices from the bird while cooking.
- After sliding your bird onto the Cannon, you can rub olive oil and your choice of herbs, spices or a meat rub onto the skin. Then pour your liquid into the cannon shaft and stuff a lemon into the turkey’s opening to seal in the moisture during cooking.
- Once the turkey is finished cooking, be sure to let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving to allow the juices from the turkey to be reclaimed.
- Getting the turkey off the cannon proved to be even easier than getting it on. We first poured out the liquid remaining inside the cannon shaft. Then, since the turkey was already raised, simply sliding it off of its steel perch and onto our serving platter was one smooth move.
Results
The skin of the turkey reached a perfect golden brown, just as the photos on the box s uggest, and was nice and crispy. The meat was extremely moist and tender and the flavor of the beer was certainly present. The drippings from the roasting pan make a delicious gravy. We had a moist, brown and beautiful bird. Using the Turkey Cannon is a fun and easy way to roast all types of poultry. The unique cooking method allows for speedy roasting time and a wonderfully browned and crispy bird, down to the last piece of white meat.
Cleaning the Turkey Cannon was the only disappointment of this product. According to the instructions, you should be able to disassemble the pieces of the cannon after they have completely cooled, rinse them and then stick them in the dishwasher. However, when we retrieved the Turkey Cannon from the dishwasher after it had been been through the cycle, we found that it had a considerable amount of drippings inside and required a lot of hand scrubbing. It’s just a question of managing expectations. As with any turkey clean-up, we recommend soaking the cannon thoroughly, then scrubbing the drippings by hand before sending it (if you wish) to the dishwasher.
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