Roast Turkey Easy Steps For New Cooks Recipes

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.

ROAST TURKEY (EASY STEPS FOR NEW COOKS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325f and put a rack in a roasting pan.
• N.B. If you use a foil roasting pan have it seated firmly on a solid tray do not attempt to carry it on it's own without bottom support.
• Remove neck& giblets from the cavity of the bird Rinse turkey thoroughly inside and out patting it dry with a paper towel.
• Sprinkle salt& pepper inside and over the skin of the bird Stuff the bird with dressing.
• N.B. Do not do this until just before you are going to cook the bird.
• Stuff the neck cavity as well as the body cavity.
• Secure the neck flap with a skewer or stitch it Tie drumsticks together and close the body cavity securely.
• In a small bowl combine butter,rosemary, sage& thyme, mix well Gently loosen the skin covering the breast, be careful not to tear it Spread herb mixture under the skin and over it Place turkey on rack in the roasting pan Roast the turkey basting every 20 minutes or so If the bird begins to brown too soon place a piece of tin foil loosely over it.
• The bird is cooked when a meat thermometer reaches 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh Apprx 5 1/2 hours Remove turkey from roaster and let stand for 25 minutes Remove ALL the stuffing from the bird, Carve and Serve (Left over turkey and stuffing can be frozen as long as you freeze them separately) Make gravy in the roasting pan while the turkey is resting (a separate recipe will be posted or try one that is already posted).

SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• (Note: If your turkey is fresh, proceed to Step 2.) Defrost turkey: Place frozen turkey, still wrapped in plastic, into a cooler or stock pot large enough to hold it. Fill with enough cool water to completely cover the turkey. Keep turkey submerged in water for 30 minutes per pound, changing the water every hour.
• When turkey is defrosted, unwrap, then remove neck and giblets; save them for gravy or stock, or discard. Choose a roasting pan large enough to hold the turkey with 2 inches of space between turkey and pan, all the way around. Place turkey on the rack in the pan and pat completely dry with paper towels, including inside the cavity. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before roasting. This ensures even cooking. Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F, preferably convection.
• Stuff turkey, optional: Place your hand at the center of a sheet of cheesecloth, then push it into the cavity of the turkey to create a cheesecloth "bag." This will make the stuffing easier to remove after the turkey is cooked. Fill cavity halfway with your favorite uncooked stuffing (suggested recipe: "Crunchy Bread Dressing with Bacon & Leeks" in Williams Sonoma's Thanksgiving Sides School class). Tie cheesecloth closed with twine; trim and discard excess cheesecloth.
• Prepare turkey for roasting: With the turkey lying breast side up, twist and tuck the wing tips underneath the turkey. Cross the legs, then tie together with kitchen twine. Generously spread softened butter all over to coat the entire bird. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Begin roasting the turkey, basting every 30 minutes (see Step 5 for instructions). The total roasting time will be 15 minutes per pound, unstuffed. If stuffed, add another 30 minutes cooking time for a bird under 16 pounds, and 30-60 minutes longer if it's over 16 pounds.
• How to baste: Remove turkey from the oven, opening and closing the door as quickly as possible to maintain the temperature. Baste turkey with juices that have accumulated in the pan, then place back into the oven. (Tip: For easier basting, tilt the pan to allow juices to collect on one side.) Begin taking the turkey's temperature about 1 hour before you expect it to be finished roasting. Turkey is done when a digital thermometer registers 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the breast (without touching the bone) and 175 degrees F at the thigh. Continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. If the breasts begin to cook too quickly, cover them loosely with aluminum foil.
• Finish roasting: If turkey is stuffed, cut the twine from the legs, pull the cheesecloth bag from the cavity, and transfer it to a bowl. Check the temperature of the stuffing: it should register 165 degrees F at the center. If it's not done, remove cheesecloth and microwave the stuffing for 60 seconds at a time until it reaches 165 degrees F.
• Rest turkey: Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving. (See the "How to Carve a Turkey" lesson for carving instructions.)

SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
• Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
• When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff the remaining onion quarters and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.