Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

I need a no fail, tried and true "How to Cook" a Turkey recipe.

Last year my turkey cooked a lot faster than expected and dried out. I want to prevent that from happening this year.

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

No matter what recipe you use, a good thermometer is the best tool you can have to make sure a turkey is done or not.

I've always made a fresh turkey. It's what my mom did, and my sister and I do the same.
We are partial to Bell and Evans.

I roast at 325 until done, about 23 minutes per pound in my oven.
Unstuffed, seasoned with salt, pepper and some aromatics in the cavity, cut onions and carrots in the pan. Legs tied together with twine.
A little water in the bottom of the pan to keep the veggies from burning.
Covered with foil to start, then the foil comes off, legs untied, a little melted butter brushed on the skin, finish roasting until the thermometer reads 170 in the thigh. (recommended is 185 but at that point I find the turkey to be dry) Another sign it is done if the legs move easily in the joint - they might actually pull away from the bone.
Then it comes out, covered with foil and rests for 30 minutes before carving.
A trick is to brush the sliced breast meat with hot turkey stock, to keep it from drying out.

Gravy is made from turkey stock made ahead of time.
Julia Child's The Way To Cook has been my cooking bible since it came out in 1989.

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

I Cook it according to package (size and time) but 1 hour before it's supposed to be done, I check temp. Just incase oven isn't exact w temp.

I use butterball frozen young turkey. Thaw in fridge.

Morning of thanksgiving, I give it a salt bath in the sink and rinse well.

Dry it completely. Then I slather 2 sticks of room temperature butter all over it, under skin , everywhere. Salt and pepper entire bird.

Then I put it in the roasting pan on a rack breast down(helps keep white meat juicy) tented w foil. Foil comes off towards end to help brown (that's just for looks really because we don't eat the skin)

I rest the turkey for about an hour before carving. This leaves time for the juices to redistribute throughout and while that's happening, I make stuffing, heat sides, etc.

Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

I always brine mine and use a thermometer as others have suggested. I also cook it upside down

Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

I always cook my turkey in the oven bag. I make a dry rub by combining all my seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika...). After soaking it in cold salt water and drying thoroughly, I rub the entire turkey under the skin and everywhere. We do stuff the turkey forthose who like it. You put a table spoon of flour in the bag and cut small slits in and cook according to packaging. It browns so nicely and I NEVER had a dry turkey.

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

A plain old stick thermometer with a big enough face I can read.
It does not stay in the turkey.

I haven't gotten around to getting one of the fancy digital leave-it-in-the-roast kind yet.

Re: Tried and True No Fail Turkey Recipe

This will be my third year making the turkey and I have always used the instructions from the Butterball website.

I stuff the turkey with onions, celery and carrots. I then generously spray the turkey with an olive oil spray. They turkey goes in the oven for whatever time I need and then when it's about 3/4 of the way done I cover the legs with foil so it doesn't burn.

Keep an eye on the pop-up timer. I haven't had a dried out turkey yet.