Turkey takes hours to roast when it is whole. Cut it in half and partially de-bone it, and it takes at most 1 1/2 hours. Defrost the whole turkey as desired. Cut in half, cut down along the breast keel bone and keep going through the back ribs. It may be necessary to skid along the thick collar bone and separate at the wing joint. Whatever works for you. Cut out the backbone and breast plate and reserve for stock. Separate the breast from the ribs, run your hand along the fascia and cut any connections you should end up with a deboned breast attached to the leg quarter. Separate the two. Now you have 4 pieces and lots of bits for stock. Brine the breast and quarters as desired. I use 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar to 1 gallon of water and some ginger and pepper. Brine overnight. Net day, rinse it off, slather with barbecue sauce, and bake at 350 degrees F until a thermometer registers 170 deg F. Remove and VERY IMPORTANT LET REST FOR 10 MINUTES AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. This allows the juices to be drawn back into the inner meat. Now serve.
What we had for Channukah. You are supposed to east some fried food at each dinner: day 1: Pre-prepared potato pancakes from Trader Joes Day 2: fried hamburgers. Noms. Big, honking 1/3 pound 80/20 juicy wads of beef. Day 3: Funnel cakes with powdered sugar and real maple syrup Day 4: Fried jelly and cream donuts from our favorite shop, Donut Dip Day 5: uh, I forget. Leftovers from the other days Day 6; Barbecue turkey and fried potato pancakes day 7: A good excuse for extra-large french fries from McDonalds. Oh yeah! Day 8: I have to pre-prepare something that can be heated up. I am traveling that day and DW has difficulties frying stuff. maybe Beer Batter veggies.
Well, yeah. (chagrin) It does not have to be that heavy, it could be roasted veggies tossed with a little oil and spices.
