Hi!! I have never cooked turkey before, are there any special tricks/secrets?Can you share some recipes?

Answer 1

Pretty much what I do is marinade the turkey in 2 gallons of milk or with 2-3 bottles of wine overnight or for 4 hrs if rushed. This usually works out great, less time in the oven and definately makes it tender and juicy. Or you could go with a more fattening (yet just as tasty!) butter and brown sugar :)

Good Luck!

Answer 2

My mom and I always put strips of bacon over turkey breast and legs so we wouldn't have to baste. Been doing like this for 50 years or so. And sure is tasty to pick at when turkey comes out of oven.
Anyhow, roast covered at 325 for about 1 1/2 hours. Then continue uncovered to total the times below. These times are for UNstuffed turkeys (I usually do my stuffing in the crock pot.)
Then, use a meat thermometer in the inside of the thigh. Should be about 165 degrees. If you don't have one, the thigh should be very "wiggly" and juices should be clear. If turkey starts to brown too much, tent with aluminum foil. We have a 21 lb turkey this year, will probably be in the oven for a little over 5 hours. Then let it sit for 20 minutes or so before you carve. Happy cooking! Here's the time chart :)

8 to 12 pounds 2¾ to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3¾ hours
14 to 18 pounds 3¾ to 4¼ hours
18 to 20 pounds 4¼ to 4½ hours
20 to 24 pounds 4½ to 5 hours

Answer 3

Get a large roasting pan
Get a digital thermometer for cooking
Put turkey in fridge to thaw out, if thawed out already can place in brine for 24 hours
get Reynolds oven bags
Roast turkey in the bag
Once the turkey thigh reaches 165 degrees it is cooked
Let it cool for 30 minutes and carve to serve

Answer 4

Reach inside the turkey and get the neck and bag out. rinse the turkey good and stuff with butter and put in into a Reynolds oven bags
Roast turkey in the bag
according to the directions and it will turn out perfect.

Answer 5

I like to baste the turkey in a mixture of butter and brown sugar. It browns and caramalizes the skin. Grab a turkey baster and every 15-20 mins just baste it with that mixture from the drip pan. It's delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Answer 6

1. Brine the turkey overnight the night before.
2. Do not overcook it. use a meat thermometer in the thigh (not touching bone) and remove bird when temp reads 150ºF.
3. THEN cover w/ foil and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes while it reaches 165ºF. It will also retain juices if you let it sit 30 min before carving.

ROASTED BRINED TURKEY

1 (14 to 16 pound) young turkey, fresh or thawed

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water

For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

--Alton Brown, Food Network

Answer 7

i simply rub it down in butter and season it with seasoning salt and black pepper i cover it with foil so it wont brown to quick and when the timer is almost popped up uncover it i use the neck and other stuff to made broth for my dressing by it boiling water and adding season to it and then take the meat of the neck and gebblits and add it to the dressing oh i also boil it with celery happy holiday

Answer 8

Cook it in a brown paper grocery sack. You still have to use the roaster pan but wrapping it in the paper will hold the juices in and make it good.