Beginners Turkey Roasting Guide Recipes

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.

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.

EASY BEGINNER'S TURKEY WITH STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse turkey, remove giblets and place in a shallow roasting pan.
• Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Mix in water.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and slowly cook and stir the celery and onion until tender.
• Mix celery, onion, and toasted bread pieces into the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Loosely scoop stuffing into the turkey body cavity and neck cavity. Rub the exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil.
• Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove foil during the last half hour of cooking to brown the bird.

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.