Beginners Turkey Roasting Guide Food

BASIC ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the turkey neck and giblets.
• Pat the turkey dry and put breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan; season inside and out with salt and pepper (skip the salt for a brined or kosher turkey). Fill the turkey cavity with chopped onions, carrots, apples and/or fresh herbs, then let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Brush the turkey with melted butter, tent with foil and roast 2 hours for a 10-to-12-pound bird; add 15 minutes for each additional pound.
• Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F; uncover the turkey, brush with more butter and roast 1 more hour, or until the thigh meat reaches 165 degrees F.

WORLD'S SIMPLEST THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pull the neck and giblets out of the cavity; ditch the liver and save the rest of the giblets for gravy. Dry the turkey with paper towels, then season inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill the turkey with aromatics like chopped onions, carrots, apples and herbs, then place breast-side up in a roasting pan and brush with melted butter. Tent with foil and roast for 2 hours (for a 10- to 12-pound turkey; add an extra 15 minutes per pound for larger birds). Remove the foil, baste with more melted butter and crank the oven to 425 degrees F. Roast for another hour or until the meat at the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Let rest while you make the gravy.

CLASSIC ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the onion and a large sprig of bay in the cavity between the legs. Now pack half the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it towards the breast. Secure the neck skin in position with skewers and tie the turkey legs together at the top of the drumsticks to give a neat shape.
• Weigh the turkey and calculate cooking time at 20 mins per kilo, plus 90 mins. (You may need to use your bathroom scales.)
• Put a large sheet of extra-wide foil in a large roasting tin, then put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, grate over half the nutmeg and season well. Cover the breast with bacon, pour over the wine, then loosely bring up the foil and seal well to make a parcel.
• Roast in the oven, then 90 mins before the end of cooking, open the foil, discard the bacon, and drain off excess fat from the tin. Leaving the foil open, return the turkey to the oven to brown, basting with the juices several times. Then 30 mins before the end of cooking, place pigs-in-blankets and stuffing of your choice around the turkey, or cook in a separate lightly oiled tin.
• To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh - the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for 15 mins more, then test again.
• Transfer the turkey, stuffings and pigs-in-blankets to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels and allow to rest for up to 30 mins before carving. This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat, ensuring that the turkey will be juicy. Garnish with sprigs of bay.

BEGINNERS TURKEY ROASTING GUIDE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
• If you wish to stuff your turkey, do so lightly and just before it goes into the oven - never stuff your turkey the day or night before. Stuffing can be prepared separately in a covered baking dish. Place in the oven during the last 1/2 hour of the roasting time.
• Place clean turkey, breast up, on a rack in a shallow pan.
• Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the inner thigh, just above, but not touching, the thigh bone.
• Roast uncovered - or loosely covered with foil. If you choose to baste your turkey, limit the number of times you open and close your oven - once an hour is sufficient. Opening the oven will alter the length of cooking time.
• Roast until thermometer reads 170°F (77°C) for an unstuffed turkey or 180°F (82°C) for a stuffed turkey. (See roasting chart below for approximate roasting times.).
• Remove turkey when cooking is completed and let stand 15 to 20 minutes to allow the juices to set.
• APPROXIMATE ROASTING TIMES.
• 6 - 8 lbs (3.0 - 3.5 kg) stuffed - 3 - 3 1?2 hours.unstuffed - 2 1/2-2 3/4 hours.
• 8 - 10 lbs (3.5 - 4.5 kg).stuffed - 3 1/4 - 3 1/2 hours. unstuffed - 2 3/4 - 3 hours.
• 10 - 12 lbs (4.5 - 5.5 kg).stuffed - 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 hours.unstuffed - 3 - 3 1/4 hours.
• 12 - 16 lbs (5.5 - 7.0 kgs).stuffed - 3 3/4 - 4 hours.unstuffed - 3 1/4 - 3 1/2 hours.
• 16 - 22 lbs (7.0 - 10.0 kgs).stuffed - 4 - 4 1/2 hours.unstuffed - 3 1/2 - 4 hours.