If the very idea of roasting a turkey stresses you out, I have good news for you: it’s really not that difficult. And contrary to what you’ve been led to believe, you don’t have to get up at 4am to start the process (unless you have invited everyone over for breakfast, in which case I sincerely hope you’re not serving turkey. But I digress…..)
There are really only four main parts of getting the bird ready to go on the table. They are:
- Thaw the turkey.
- Season the turkey.
- Cook at 450 degrees for one hour.
- Flip and finish cooking at 325 degrees for two – two and a half hours.
Ingredients
- a turkey (of course!)
- salt and pepper
- one onion – cut into large chunks
- two ribs celery – cut into one inch pieces
- as many whole garlic cloves as you want to use (optional)
- one stick of butter
- olive oil
Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need:
An electric roaster, one or two clean dish towels that you don’t mind getting covered with turkey, a ladle for basting, a cookie sheet (the kind that has sides) or large pan to hold the turkey while it thaws, a knife to slice the turkey, containers for your leftovers
Thawing the Turkey
According to the USDA, it takes about 24 hours of thawing time in the fridge for every four to five pounds of turkey. If it thaws completely and you aren’t quite ready to use it, it is considered safe to leave it in the fridge for an additional day or two. I usually purchase a turkey that weighs about 19 pounds and count on it taking four days to thaw in the fridge.
You don’t have to unwrap the turkey to thaw it out, but I do recommend placing it on a cookie sheet or other large pan so that if juices leak out of the wrapper the pan will catch them. Skipping this step could lead to a giant mess in your fridge – just what you need with company on the doorstep!
Seasoning the Turkey
Unwrap the turkey and toss the plastic in the trash. Before you begin seasoning the turkey, you will want to have a little look inside. Yes, you will be getting up close and personal with the big bird – NOT the Big Bird. There is an opening on the North end of the fowl (where the head used to be), which may be covered with a skin flap. Lift the skin and reach inside – you can do this – and check for a paper packet that contains the giblets. Next, repeat the process with the South end of the bird, between the legs. This cavity usually contains the neck. Once you have removed the giblets and neck and set them aside, tilt the turkey to make sure it isn’t still full of icy liquid. If it is, dump out the liquid and discard it.
Place the turkey in the roasting pan. Season the outside of the turkey by sprinkling it liberally with salt and pepper. I like to cut several small X’s into the skin of the breast. Then I push little pats of butter under the skin at each X. (Hey, don’t judge me – this is going to taste sooo good!) But seriously, if you prefer not to use butter, it is ok to skip that step. Next, I put the rest of the stick of butter along with one chopped onion, several cloves of garlic, and two chopped ribs of celery inside the turkey. Finally, drizzle a little olive oil over the outside of the turkey. If you like, you can use your hand to smooth it over the skin so that it’s all lightly coated with olive oil.
Start Cooking the Turkey on High Heat
Put the lid on the roaster and set the temperature to 450 degrees. Bake it at this temperature for one hour. This high heat will get the process off to a good start and help seal in the juices.
Flip the Turkey and Finish Cooking on Medium Heat
Carefully take the lid off the roaster so that you don’t burn yourself with steam. Set the lid aside. Using one or two clean dish towels to protect your hands, grab the turkey by the legs (or by the plastic ring attached to the legs if your turkey has that) and slowly flip the bird over. Be very careful so that you don’t splash super hot liquid on yourself.
At this point, the meat may be already pulling away from the leg bones. Do not worry – it is not getting overcooked. Replace the lid on the roaster and reduce the heat to 325 degrees.
Every 20-30 minutes, lift the lid and use a ladle to pour juices from the bottom of the pan over the turkey. For a 19-20 pound turkey, I usually bake at 325 degrees for two to two and a half hours. For a really large turkey you may need to leave it at 325 degrees for three hours, but be careful that you don’t overcook it.
How You’ll Know the Turkey Is Done
In my experience, with this method it is obvious when the turkey is fully cooked because it is falling off the bone. If you grab one of the leg bones it will almost slip right out of the bird. The official guidelines from the USDA are that the internal breast temperature should reach a minimum of 165 degrees. Some turkeys come with a little “thermometer” attached. It usually looks like a red plastic button that pops out when the turkey has reached a safe temperature.
What to Do with What’s Left in the Pan???
The turkey drippings, carcass, and all those roasted vegetables are like gold – don’t just throw them out. They are the base for a variety of hearty soups. I’ll be posting recipes for these soon, so stay tuned! In the meantime, you can freeze all of that good stuff in plastic freezer bags or containers.
Thanks so much for cooking along with me on The Jamie Way! Let me know what you think of this recipe. I’d love to hear from you!