Turkey Campout

I took the Boy Scouts camping to teach them how to cook a turkey in the ground. This is one of those traditions that has been around for years in our area. Every November the Boy Scouts build a huge bonfire, stay up all night and in the morning bury a turkey in the coals. Around lunch time all of the parents are invited to come by and eat.

When I suggested that we skip the activity this year (because for the life of me I couldn't find a purpose for doing this - I understand teaching the boys to camp and cook - but a turkey and stuffing cooked in the ground?) Well after everyone regained composure and started breathing again, they explained to me that this was a long tradition and that everyone would be sorely disappointed if I were to kill off a tradition that apparently originated when the local settlers arrived to this patch of Mt. Rainer glacial moraine. (Digging a pit in glacial moraine is a whole other story)

Anyway, I took Collin along with me. He had a great time staying up late, sleeping in the tent, running around. I got a couple of pictures of him. He was pretty fried at this point after staying up late and waking up early, but I thought the pictures and video were cute.

I know you are all curious...

"How to Cook a Turkey in the Ground"

Take one thawed 15-18 lb turkey. Rinse and fill main cavity with stuffing. Discard the neck and other giblet parts because they are gross. Wrap the turkey in a wet sheet. (1/2 of a twin flat sheet works well - a towel would work too). I like using a brand new sheet because I'm not gross. Wrap the turkey in at least 4-5 layers of foil. There is no such thing as too much foil when you are cooking something in the ground (unless you like the taste of dirt).

Burn a lot of wood to make a lot of hot coals. Enough to completely cover all sides of the turkey with at least 2-3 inches of coals. Dig a hole that is several inches larger than the turkey. Lay a layer of coals in the bottom. Lay the turkey breast down on the coals. Pile hot coals of the top and sides and then cover the coals with lots of dirt. Wait 6 hours. Carefully dig the turkey out of the ground. Let sit for 15 min, unwrap, carve and serve. This may come as a surprise, but it is actually the juiciest turkey I have ever eaten. I think it is the wet sheet and foil cocoon. I am waiting for Bon Appetite to call for more of my cooking techniques.

Try as I might, this is the only meal I can think of that requires a shovel for serving.

I would like to thank the Air Force for sending me to Survival School. I guess it was useful.

Yes Kevin, I did this whole blog without a lame John Tukey joke - just nerdy statistician humor.