It was during a session of small appliance testing that I encountered a procedure that claimed to steam a whole chicken in less than an hour. I was dubious, given that an oven-roasted chicken takes at least that much time, when steaming is seemingly a much gentler cooking process -- or so I thought.
Sure enough, the chicken I steamed was tender and thoroughly cooked after its hour-long spa treatment. As a moist-heat cooking method, steaming doesn't render crispy skin, but it does make for a fuss-free way to ensure a tender bird whose meat is ideal for sandwiches or other recipes where already-cooked chicken is required.
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So I wondered… could this method be applied to a Thanksgiving turkey? The deeply caramelized skin is part of the appeal of the holiday turkey centerpiece. Still, oven time is precious during typical Thanksgiving dinner preparations, given all the tasks it may be needed for. I was surely curious enough to look into it.
I tried it: Steamed turkey
I started with a fresh KellyBronze turkey. Pamela Vachon/CNET
Sure enough, a search for "steamed turkey" yields numerous methods, although the most popular recipes use steaming to reduce roasting time, not replace it altogether. So you can have it all: precious Thanksgiving preparation moments back and succulent turkey skin to boot.
Armed with a KellyBronze turkey -- a heritage breed whose maturity and natural marbling are the best insurance against disappointing Thanksgiving birds -- I took a 12-pound turkey from raw to golden brown in about 90 total minutes of cooking time, significantly less than the 2.5 to 3 hours that a conventional bird would typically necessitate in the oven.
Here's how it works.
Why steaming a turkey works
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