Always Perfect Roast Turkey Food

A SIMPLY PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
• Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
• Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 4 hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
• Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture.
• Set aside.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out.
• Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry.
• Place the turkey in a large roasting pan.
• Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity.
• Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic.
• Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey at 350 F about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh.
• Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
• Slice the turkey and serve.

THE BEST ROAST TURKEY YOU COULD EVER EAT

Steps:

• Rinse the turkey and dry it well. Sprinkle the cavity well with salt. Stuff as desired.
• Rub the softened butter all over the outside of the bird, and sprinkled it lightly with salt.
• Place the turkey on the rack of a large roaster, which has a heavy bottom, pouring about 2 inches of water in the bottom of the pan.
• Lay the neck and giblets alongside, cover the pan tightly and put it on the large burner on top of the stove. Allow it to boil and then steam gently for 4 1/2 to 5 hours, approximately the same length of time that it would take to roast the same bird. Take care to see the pan does not cook dry.
• When the drumsticks are loosened and the meat thermometer indicates the bird is about done, dribble a bot of soft butter over the skin, sprinkled it with a bit of white sugar and flour and bang it into a 350*F oven to brown while theaccompanying vegetables are cooking on top of the stove.
• The drippings in the bottom of the roasting pan will be a rich dark brown. Skim off any fat and then use them to make a rich gravy.

ALWAYS PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Important info: Be sure that your oven is clean as this is cooked at a constant very high heat and it's nice not to have a smoking oven!. Bring the bird to room temp before roasting as it will cook more evenly and quicker.
• Preheat over to 475 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Remove and discard truss that holds turkey legs together. Pull or trim off and discard any excess fat in neck or body cavity. Remove giblets and neck (use for gravy or in stuffing if desired).
• Rinse turkey inside and out with warm water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place a roasting rack in a 13 x 16 x 3-inch roasting pan (set rack sides so the bird is a minimum of 2 inches from pan bottom).
• Rub turkey skin generously all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set bird breast-side-up on rack. Pull wings away from body, then firmly twist them to push the wing tips under the bird (I find this easier to do before placing the bird onto the rack).
• Using aluminum foil, form caps over the tips of the end of each drumstick. If any parts of the turkey extend beyond pan rim, fashion a foil collar underneath to make sure drippings flow back into pan. Do not tie legs together (stuff if desired, in which case you will close body cavity. These days I always cook the stuffing separately).
• Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer near the center of the breast through thickest part until the tip touches bone, which is most accurate spot to check doneness.
• When oven temperature is reached set pan on the lowest rack in a 475° oven. Roast, checking as directed during cooking, until thermometer reaches 160° (my built in oven probe says NOT to touch bone, maybe it's a difference in thermometer types?). Halfway through roasting time, rotate pan in oven to assure even cooking and browning. If areas on turkey breast start to get browner than you like, lay a piece of foil over the dark areas.
• Remove pan from oven, set in a warm spot, and loosely cover pan with foil to keep it warm. Rearrange oven racks to accommodate potatoes and dressing. Decrease oven temperature to 400º. Let turkey rest 30 to 60 minutes. The resting period will allow the internal temperature to reach 165°, the USDA safe cooking temperature for poultry.
• Drain juices from body cavity (often plentiful in unstuffed birds) into roasting pan. Transfer turkey to a platter or rimmed cutting board. Set aside juices for gravy.
• Cut off turkey legs at thigh joint. If joint is red or pink, return legs to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes (at 400°) or heat in a microwave oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Carve the rest of the turkey. Carving juices may be clear to pink or rosy, this is fine as long as the thermometer temp is where it should be.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, onion, quartered, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey for 2 1/2 hours, basting from time to time with pan juices, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with foil; let it rest for 20 minutes. Slice the turkey and serve hot.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, 1 onion, quartered, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey.
• Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Toss the carrots, potatoes, and fennel with the olive oil and add to the roasting pan. Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with foil for 20 minutes. Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY WITH BEST-EVER GRAVY

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Reserve the turkey neck and giblets to use in gravy or stock. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat the turkey skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast. Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Using a thin wooden or metal skewer, pin the neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey's wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the large body cavity with stuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover and refrigerate to bake as a side dish. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock or tie together with kitchen string.
• Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all over with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the breast area with aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan.
• Roast the turkey, basting all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180 degrees and the stuffing is at least 160 degrees, about 4 1/2 hours. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 1/2 cups at a time. Remove the foil during the last hour to allow the skin to brown.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at least 20 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Drizzle 1/2 cup turkey stock over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heatproof glass bowl or large measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat that has risen to the top. Measure 3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if needed. Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.
• Place the roasting pan on two stove burners over low heat and add the turkey fat. Whisk in the flour, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the turkey stock and the optional bourbon. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy has thickened and no trace of raw flour remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer the gravy to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy and the stuffing alongside

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
• Slice the turkey and serve.

GOOD EATS ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Two to three days before roasting: Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
• Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
• The night before or early on the day you'd like to eat: Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
• Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
• Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Rinse bird thoroughly on outside as well as inside the body and neck cavities.
• For the turkey, place the water into your largest cooking pot or bucket/plastic bin and add all the turkey ingredients, stirring to dissolve the salt, sugar, syrup and honey. (Squeeze the juice of the orange quarters into the brine before you chuck the pieces in.).
• Untie and remove any string or trussing attached to the turkey, shake it free and add it to the liquid. Add more water if the turkey is not completely submerged. Keep the mixture in a cold place, even outside overnight or for up to a day or two before you cook it, remembering to take it out of its liquid (and wiping it dry with kitchen-towel) a good 40 or 50 minutes before it has to go into the oven. Turkeys - indeed this is the case for all meat - should be at room temperature before being put in the preheated oven. If you're at all concerned - the cold water in the brine will really chill this bird - then just cook the turkey for longer than its actual weight requires.
• Lightly spoon stuffing into neck and body cavities. Pull neck skin to back and fasten with a skewer. If a band of skin crosses tail, tuck drumsticks under band. If there is no band, tie drumsticks to tail using 100-percent-cotton kitchen string. Twist wing tips under the back.
• Spoon half the basting glaze under the skin and massage it into as much of the bird as possible.
• Place the other half into a saucepan and cook over a low heat, while stirring, until the ingredients have melted and combined.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C
• Roasting time is dependent on size of bird: Whole stuffed turkey - For 3.5 - 5kg turkey, roast for 3 to 3 3/4 hours. For 5 - 6.5kg turkey, roast for 3 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours. For 6.5 - 8kg turkey, roast for 4 to 5 hours. For 8 - 9kg turkey, roast for 4 1/2 to 5 1/4 hours. Always check doneness with thermometer (as instructed below) half an hour before recommended time is complete (to prevent overcooking and a dry bird.
• Place bird, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan; drizzle and brush top side with basting glaze. Turn over and brush bottom side with basting glaze. Keep your breast meat moist by roasting your turkey upside-down, breast down. This keeps all the juices from escaping.
• Cover with foil, leaving air space between bird and foil. Lightly press the foil to the ends of drumsticks and neck to enclose bird.
• Place oven rack in lowest position.
• Baste every half an hour throughout the turkey roasting time.
• Cook the turkey for half an hour at 220°C.
• Turn the oven down to 180C and continue cooking.
• Two-thirds through roasting time, cut band of skin or string between drumsticks.
• The last 45 minutes of roasting turn the turkey breast side up and uncover. This is a little messy - use towels to turn - but the breast meat ends up moist and juicy.
• Turn the oven back to 220C for the last 15mins or so to give a final browning boost to the skin.
• Insert an oven-going meat thermometer into centre of one of the inside thigh muscles. The thermometer should not touch bone. Continue roasting until meat thermometer registers 85C (check temperature of thigh in several places). Centre of stuffing should register 75°C.
• You can also check by piercing the flesh between leg and body with a small sharp knife: when the juices run clear, the turkey's cooked.
• Remove bird from oven; cover with foil. Just as it's crucial to let the turkey come to room temperature before it goes in to the oven, so it's important to let it stand out of the oven for 15-20 minutes before you actually carve it.

ALWAYS-TENDER ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine butter and garlic. Pat turkey dry. Carefully loosen skin of turkey; rub butter mixture under the skin. Sprinkle salt and pepper over skin of turkey and inside cavity. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together., Place flour in oven bag and shake to coat. Place oven bag in a roasting pan; add celery and onions. Place turkey, breast side up, over vegetables. Cut six 1/2-in. slits in top of bag; close bag with tie provided., Bake at 350° for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°. Let stand for 15 minutes before carving. Skim fat and thicken drippings if desired., If preparing turkey the day before, pour drippings into a measuring cup; skim fat. Arrange slices in an ungreased shallow roasting pan; pour drippings over turkey. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight., The next day, bake at 350° for 45-65 minutes or until heated through.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Place all brine ingredients except orange juice and cold water in a large pot, bring to a boil, then simmer until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
• Place turkey in a large pot, cooler or bucket (I use a sterilized Home Depot bucket) and pour brine mixture, orange juice and cold water over turkey.
• Place in refrigerator or a cool place, such as a basement, for at least 8 hours, turning turkey over once halfway through.
• After turkey has been brined, remove turkey and throw away brining mixture.
• Set oven to 500 degrees.
• Place apple, onion and cinnamon in a microwave-proof container with one cup water and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
• Rinse turkey thoroughly and pat dry, then coat generously with canola oil and place, breast side up, in roasting pan.
• Pour off water from aromatics and stuff turkey cavity with heated aromatics, rosemary and sage.
• Roast turkey at 500 degrees for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, place a foil tent over the turkey's breast, and turn heat down to 350 degrees.
• Roast turkey for 90 minutes.
• DO NOT OPEN OVEN UNTIL TIME IS UP.
• Remove turkey from oven, remove tent, and let turkey rest at least 15 minutes before carving.