any ideas on cooking aturkey please?

Question

WHAT CAN I DO TO A TURKEY ON CHRISTMAS DAY I CANT STAND IT BUT HAVE TO COOK IT I THINK IT IS VERY DRY SO CAN ANY ONE TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO TO MAKE IT MORE ENJOYABLE PLEASE

Answer 1

Never stuff it. Score across the breast with a carving knife. Add some knobs of butter and press well in. Place the trussed bird on a rack, in a large dish in the oven. Put 2 cupfuls of water in the dish. Leave uncovered and set the oven at gas mark 6--(200) for el.oven. When the turkey is a golden colour, remove from the oven. Add some more butter and baste with the juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the dish. Add more water1-2 cups. Loosely cover the bird with tin foil. Place in oven and cook on gas mark 5 (180) for the required time. A 16 pond turkey will take approx four and a half hours. For the last 20 mns remove the tin foil and the juices from the dish. Add more water and brown. The turkey is cooked when the juices run clear. Check this with a skewer. Happy Xmas.

Answer 2

Ok first relax and just know that a Turkey is one of the easiest things to cook. Its just a little frightening because of its size.
If you are not going to stuff the turkey then place large chunks of onion and celery in the cavaty.
The easiest way honestly is to use a cooking bag. This makes the meat moist and you dont have to do anything but put some flour and the turkey in the bag and roast it according to the directions. These turkeys are delicious but they dont have the brown crispy skin.
If you are looking for a crisp brown skin then take pats of butter and place between the breast meat and the skin. Place in a roaster, cover and cook according to size. Reomove the lid for the last 40 min .
Either way you go ALWAYS allow the turkey to "rest" about 20 minutes prior to carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes the meat more moist.
Good luck, take a deep breath and have confidence!

Answer 3

this always works for me........
slice the skin at the top or base of the turkey and smother it with butter and any herbs you may want. push back the skin to the original place and add stuffing if needed (don't forget to put half an orange in gives it the lovliest flavour) cook at the recommended heat for the recommended time turning it upside down for half an hour in middle of cooking, when you turn it back up the right way gather any juice in the baking tray and pour over the turkey...........it isn't as much effort as it sounds and keeps the turkey succulent! enjoy your christmas! xxx

Answer 4

I'm going to make you smile when you're done. Oven 450, buttered turkey stuffed with S&P, 3 oranges, 2 onions, 3 sprigs rosemary, 2 Tbs. dry saged, Breast side done in a wire rack, after 30 min, drop temp to 325, you'll cook 15-20 minute per lb, the last 45min turn your bird breast side up and let her brown, 170 internal temp at the thigh without hittin g the bone. Pull and let it rest for 15min before carving

Answer 5

How about deep frying it. If you are cooking it just for yourself and maybe 3-4 people total, you could fry a turkey breast instead of the whole turkey. Season it the night before and with the breast you can cook it right in your kitchen in a deep fryer. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Did you hear about what Sam H did the other day when she went to buy her turkey. Well here goes.

Sam went into the butchers shop to buy her turkey,

She took it home, put it on the side in the kitchen and

went and sat down, after a few minutes rest. she then got back up went into the kitchen and put the turkey on the meat tin.

She opened the oven door and put it in, and went and sat down again.

All of a sudden she heard such a mighty bang on the oven door, so she ran into the kitchen, she opened the oven door and the turkey said 'Either give me my bloody feathers back or turn on the gas, it is bloody freezing in here.

Answer 7

Relax cooking turkey is easy. Last two years I have been injecting mine. White wine, butter , what ever else sounds good. have a glass of the wine for yourself. Have not tried but sounds good is to buy some cheeseclothe soak it in melted butter and lay across the breast and baste while cooking. then take off to let the breast brown. sounds good to me

Answer 8

Only put stuffing in the neck end
Put bird on a rack n roasting pan,cover bird in butter.
Fill pan to below rack with water.Cover in foil.
Cook.
1/2-3/4 hr before finish take of foil baste & back into oven to finish cooking,till bird is cooked & skin crispy brown.
Use juices to make gravy.
My aunts recipe,been doing it for years.
Practice on a roast chicken before hand.

Answer 9

Before you place it in the oven, completely cover it with a thick layer of olive oil. It gives the turkey a nice brown look and locks in the juices.

Answer 10

,I think the secret is to cook it slow. and half way through I always add a drop of wine one glass pour all over the turkey , gives a nice taste and stops it from getting to dry