How to Cook a Turkey
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Resting Time
30 mins
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Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
12
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Calories
349 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
American
How to Cook a Turkey
Description
This recipe for How to Cook a Turkey involves preparing a whole thawed turkey by drying it thoroughly and seasoning it with butter and a blend of herbs including paprika, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. The turkey is placed on a wire rack or a bed of thick celery and onion slices in a pan with chicken broth at the bottom. The turkey is then tented with aluminum foil to hold in moisture while roasting at 325°F. This method promotes even cooking and helps the skin brown and crisp without drying out the meat. Tucking the wing tips under the body prevents burning.
The butter coating and foil tent work together to keep the turkey moist without the need for basting during the cooking time. Using an electric roaster can reduce cook time by as much as two hours. The recipe also references an accompanying turkey gravy recipe to complement the roasted bird.
This approach is useful for holiday meals or any occasion when roasting a large turkey. It focuses on techniques to achieve a well-browned, flavorful skin and tender meat while avoiding common pitfalls like a dry bird or stuck skin. Using aromatics as a roasting rack is helpful if a rack is not available.
Pay attention to patting the turkey dry before applying butter and to tenting with foil to maintain moisture. If using an electric roaster, monitor the bird halfway through cooking to gauge doneness.
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey thawed (18-20 lbs)
- celery optional, see steps 2 and 3, thick stalks and slices
- onion optional, see steps 2 and 3, thick stalks and slices
- 1/3 cup butter salted
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1-2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- aluminum foil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove turkey from packaging. Remove the neck, giblets, and gravy packet included with the turkey. Keep the gravy packet in the refrigerator until you make the gravy (turkey gravy recipe in recipe notes). Pat completely dry with paper towels (this is important so the butter will adhere to the turkey).
- Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray. Add the chicken broth to the bottom of the pan, then place the turkey on a wire roasting rack inside the pan. Thick celery stocks and thick onion slices can be used instead of a wire rack.Note: If using an aluminum roasting pan, do not place the turkey directly on the aluminum. Place some thick celery stocks and thick onion slices in the bottom of the pan, and place the turkey on top of them.If the turkey is placed directly on the pan, the skin will stick to the bottom of the pan as the turkey cooks and the turkey will be difficult to remove from the pan.
- Tuck the wing tips under the bird so that they will not get too brown while cooking. This also looks much more appetizing.
- Melt butter and brush evenly over the turkey. Gently lift the skin and rub some of the butter under the skin layer.
- Combine the spices and rub them evenly over the buttered turkey.
- Make an aluminum foil "tent" to go over the entire turkey. Using a wide aluminum foil sheet, or two long sheets crimped together to form a wide sheet, loosely cover the entire turkey. Tuck the foil inside the roasting pan around the turkey so the condensation from the turkey drips from the foil back into the pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and cook according to turkey package directions. Cooking time will vary according to the turkey size. See turkey cooking chart in post above. A meat thermometer is always recommended. A turkey is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. If the turkey has been "stuffed" with dressing, add 15-45 minutes to the cooking time. The dressing, or stuffing, is fully cooked when it reaches 165 degrees in the center of the dressing.
- Remove the foil tent after one hour of cooking. The foil keeps the moisture in the turkey. As the skin browns, it thickens and will do the job of keeping the moisture in without the foil. If the turkey is getting too brown near the end of the cooking time, replace the foil tent.
- Once the turkey reaches 165 degrees, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes, and up to 40 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat.
- While the turkey is resting, make turkey gravy. See the link to "How to Make Turkey Gravy" in the recipe notes below.
- Carve and slice. Enjoy a moist, delicious turkey!
Notes
- Patting the turkey dry before applying butter ensures the butter will stick properly for better browning and flavor.
- Using thick celery stalks and onion slices as a rack prevents the skin from sticking to the pan if a wire rack is not available.
- The aluminum foil tent traps moisture, so there is no need to baste the turkey during roasting.
- Electric roasters can reduce cooking time significantly; check the turkey's progress halfway through roasting to avoid overcooking.
- Save the included gravy packet for making delicious turkey gravy to accompany the roast.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 349 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 349kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 47g | 94% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 168mg | 56% |
| Sodium | 357mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 496mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 285IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 1.7mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 27mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1.9mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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