How do I make my turkey extra-flavorful?

Question

I'm looking for ways and tricks of the cooking trade to make my Thanksgiving turkey the best it can be. I know to baste it in butter, but is there anything I can do to ensure a great bird this year? I'd love to know what you do -- please, no web sites. I want tried and true recipes!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Susie

Answer 1

This is the best ever recipe for turkey...follow it exactly and you will get lots of WOW's....yummy! Happy Thanksgiving ;)

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons garlic herb sauce mix (recommended: Knorr)
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 (32-ounce) bag celery and carrot party sticks
2 large onions, large dice
1 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken broth
12-pound turkey, thawed if necessary
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
3 (3/4-ounce) packets fresh herbs poultry herb blend (sage, thyme and rosemary)
1 lemon, thickly sliced

In a small bowl, combine softened butter, poultry seasoning, garlic herb sauce mix, and crushed garlic. Use a fork to mix together until well combined. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, until firm but not hard.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange celery, carrots, and half of the diced onions in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add chicken broth and set aside.

Rinse the thawed turkey and pat dry. Use your finger to carefully loosen the skin around the entire bird. Take the butter mixture and cut into large pieces. Place the butter pieces under the skin of the entire turkey. Rub the remaining butter pieces on the outside of the skin and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the inside of turkey cavity with remaining onions, fresh herb poultry blend, and lemon slices. (Truss if necessary.) Insert the pop-up thermometer at an angle about 3-inches down from the neck cavity and 2-inches from the breast bone, in the thickest part of the breast.

Place turkey on the bed of vegetables in roasting pan. Place in the oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast for 1 hour, then baste with pan juices every 20 minutes until thermometer pops up or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 3 hours.

Answer 2

INGREDIENTS

* 3 gallons peanut oil for frying, or as needed
* 1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
* 1/4 cup Creole seasoning
* 1 white onion

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stockpot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Be sure to leave room for the turkey, or the oil will spill over. Layer a large platter with food-safe paper bags.
2. Rinse turkey, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub Creole seasoning over turkey inside and out. Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so the oil can flow freely through the bird.
3. Place the whole onion and turkey in drain basket. The turkey should be placed in basket neck end first. Slowly lower basket into hot oil to completely cover turkey. Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 45 minutes.
4. Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). Finish draining turkey on the prepared platter.

Answer 3

you recognize how the chicken is often slightly drier than something of the turkey? Its unlike that with this recipe: Get a pair sticks of butter. Get some clean herbs sage, rosemary, and thyme, and snip them into smaller products. some 0.5 cup of herbs. right here comes the exciting section! Smoosh the butter and herbs with your hands on some wax paper, tin foil, or plastic wrap. Wax paper works superb nonetheless. Smoosh it till the herbs are unfold everywhere in the butter. Then type it right into a log, and wrap it up contained in the wax paper and refrigerate for 2 hours or till corporation sufficient to shrink. you may refrigerate in a single day too. Take out the butter and unwrap the paper. Slice into skinny money, some million/2 inch thick each and every, sort of like reducing refrigerator cookies. Then take the money and slide it below the turkey's pores and skin. Sprinkle a rub over the desirable in case you like, produced from dried rosemary, thyme and sage. Stuff the turkey with regardless of you need. Roast the turkey in accordance to the time it says on the kit, or till the beef thermometer reaches a hundred and eighty, and the stuffing if there is any, reaches one hundred sixty five. Baste each and every 0.5 hour or so. This turkey would be juicy and each chew will flavor like the herbs you put in. i'm hoping this permits!

Answer 4

Nothing beats a good old fashioned rub!!! I mix freshly ground black pepper, salt, and poultry seasoning and basically coat the ENTIRE bird with this mixture- while cooking, the juices flow through the seasoning and not only does the turkey meat taste good, the juice for the gravy is excellent!!

And here is a family traditional stuffing recipe- saute a small chopped onion, 1 cup of chopped fine celery and already boiled liver from the turkey (boil it in salt water, then chop it up), in real butter- just until the celery and onions are tender. Take off stove- Boil 3 yams (or sweet potatoes, whichever you prefer) and boil them until they are still firm but can be forked easily. Peel and cube them. I use white bread (one loaf), and rip it up and season with salt and ground pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add the cooled celery, onions, and liver, and mix well then add until moistened well- 1 can of evaporated milk. When thoroughly mixed, add yams- you can't believe how good this stuffing is-- it is moist, and extremely flavorful because of the yams and ps. you dont have to tell anyone about the little bit of liver- it is just for flavor. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Answer 5

sprinkle seasonings to taste on top.

also poor the turkey juice into the stuffing and stuff it with that

cook the turkey at a little lower temp for a longer time 10 degrees= approximately 30 more min.

have tried this too
also try a flavored butter

Answer 6

Use softened butter with sage, thyme garlic and rosemary. Save a little of the butter. Then use your clean hands to spread the butter all over the turkey. Use the rest of the butter to put inside the turkey along with slices of lemons and onions.

Answer 7

We used this exact recipe last year and even though it's made to me healthy it was also extremely flavorful and filling. The recipe for the meal includes portions of stuffing, green beans, potatoes, carrots, and turnip, and explains how to put these together to make a healthy, tasteful, and exotic meal. The best and healthiest Thanksgiving meal ever: http://topherreimroc.com/ThanksgivingRecipies

Answer 8

I like to make a herb butter and place it under the skin.I just use what ever herbs I have on hand but garlic and sage are a must for turkey in my family.I also stuff it with an onion,celery and carrots.

Answer 9

Lay strips of fatty bacon on the bird while it roasts, and remove about 45 minutes before it is finished so the turkey can brown.

Answer 10

Hello- A friend told me brining, which is soaking it in salt water will give it a whole different flavor. Maybe you can get creative and season with garlic salt or rock salt for a different type of salty.