Baking a turkey sounds so intimidating. But really it is just like roasting a really large chicken. There is so much more meat on a turkey and a good turkey is so much better than a chicken. That is why you must buy a Butterball Turkey.
Butterballs are all natural and raised without hormones. There are no artificial ingredients and it is minimally processed. However, the processing they do for you is worth the extra pennies or should I say dollars. You could buy an organic turkey from a farm and my steps would work the same, but I recommend a Butterball, especially for your first turkey experience, because I want you have less hassle and worry. I promise, if you follow these easy steps, your bird will be great!
I did this on a ten pound turkey. So my cooking directions are for a 10 lb., But I will include a chart at the end to include other sizes and their baking times.
1. Thaw your bird.
If you are going to make on Thursday morning, then you need to take it out of the freezer on Tuesday morning (based on a ten pounder) Put it on a pan just in case it leaks- mine did not leak at all. Don’t open the packaging or anything. Place in fridge and don’t worry about it till Thanksgiving day.
2. Rinse and prepare.
This is where I am thanking God I bought a Butterball. Pull the strap around the turkey and it pops right out. No need to use scissors. Release the legs from under the skin and pull out the gravy pack, put in fridge for later. Rinse the bird, filling the cavity a couple times with fresh water then just pull the neck out of the cavity and save for gravy and open the top of the bird, there is a flap of skin. Under the skin is a nice tidy little bag of giblets, heart, liver and other stuff I don’t eat. But it makes great broth for gravy. Put the neck and giblets in a pot of water and start boiling slowly on the stove, or put in crock pot with 2 cups water on high.
3. Stuff the bird.
I do not like to stuff my turkey with bread stuffing because it takes longer to bake and also I don’t really like digging the stuffing out after it is done. I feel like you loose a lot of stuffing that way, also I usually make a lot of stuffing and the cavity is not big enough for all and you have to bake in a pan anyway, so I don’t do that step anymore, but you can if you want. Recipe follows for stuffing and gravy.
I like to stuff my turkey with herbs and onions, garlic, and apples.
Just loosely cut and stuff in. The herbs I like to use are sage and rosemary. I like to use the big sprigs and let them stick out a bit.
4. Prepare for baking.
Grease a big baking pan with olive oil and sprinkle herbs (italian blend) all over the bottom. Rub turkey with olive oil and seasonings.
Melt 2 sticks of butter for later basting. add 6 cloves of garlic and herb blend to the butter and set aside.
5. Bake 3 1/2 hours on 325 degrees
Make a foil tent and put over turkey when it starts getting brown. I check my bird every 30 min. or so and baste several times when it gets near the last 1 1/2 hours. I pull the whole bird out and place on top of the stove. I pour a bit of butter with garlic and herbs on about three times during the last hour or so.
If the garlic starts getting too brown, brush off turkey and let it fall into the drippings below and continue to baste with the melted butter. You can use a baster or a brush or just spoon some on.
6. Check for doneness. stick a meat thermometer into the thigh not touching the bone and if it is 180 degrees, it is done. If you stuffed with stuffing then the stuffing center must be 165 degrees.
7. Let sit 15 min to 2 hours before carving.
Take bird out and pour remaining butter on bird and cover with foil. Later you will need the drippings but you can just pour them out of the pan and then put the turkey back in the pan and keep covered with foil.
8. Carve.
Remove drumstick, cut leg off holding drumstick and cutting through skin all the way to the joint. Don’t be afraid. Grab that thing! Remove by pulling out and back using point of knife to disjoint it. Separate the thigh and drumstick at joint.
Insert fork in upper wing to steady turkey and make a long horizontal cut above wing joint through to body.
Beginning halfway up breast, cut thin slices When knife reaches horizontal cut the slice will fall free. Continue slicing, starting cut at higher point each time. You will have carcass left and can use for soup or stew or picking the meat off the bone later.
9. Place on plate
Arrange on plate. I like to cut the meat off the thigh but you could just leave the legs whole if you wish and arrange on plate. I usually separate the brown and white meat. arrange fresh herbs and fresh cranberries on plate for a garnish. Keep covered with foil till serving time.
10. Serve with a thankful heart.
Stuffing:
I like to make the day before if I can, place in pans, cover with foil and then throw in the oven at the last 35 min. of baking the turkey.
Put carrot- cut into four pieces at least, onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic into a blender fill with water. Run the blender till all carrot is grated. Put into a big pot add more water to make at least 6 cups water. You will need to use for stuffing and gravy.
Add to pot: Chicken bullion cubes (several) salt, pepper to taste, herbs (dried and fresh as you wish) add two sticks butter.
boil 10 min.
Bread crumbs dry and soft. Make your own combo. I like to cube some whole wheat bread and also use the white bread crumbs from a bag. Also make a cornbread and crumble in. I usually fill a huge mixing bowl with crumbs. Then add broth and veggies, a little at a time, stirring to make sure all is moist. You want it to be soaked but not mushy. remember you will be baking so it will too dry if it is not soaked, but you don’t want it to be mushy because then it will take so long and be crusty outside and wet inside. So be careful. The bread should not be totally loosing its shape. If you want the stuffing to have the veggies and not the gravy, then you could just pour the liquid through a colander and save the water. Some of the water will go for your gravy. Put all the veggies in the stuffing mix then add some of the water till it is like you want it.
Gravy: Add the broth from the giblets to the other broth you made from the veggies. Add 1/2 cup cold water with 1/2 cup flour mixed together to form a liquid to pour into the gravy. Boil gravy on low till you like it. It will not be thick. If you want thicker gravy, you must mix the flour with some more cool liquid before adding to hot or you will have lumps. Taste and add other salt or cajun spice, red pepper flakes, herbs etc…
Baking Chart:
| Approximate Roasting Times for Stuffed Turkey | |
| Turkey Weight | Hours |
| 6 to 8 pounds | 3 to 3-1/2 hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 5-1/2 to 6 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 6 to 6-1/2 hours |
| Approximate Roasting Times for Unstuffed Turkey | |
| Turkey Weight | Hours |
| 6 to 8 pounds | 2-1/2 to 3 hours |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 3 to 4 hours |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 4 to 5 hours |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 5 to 5-1/2 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 5-1/2 to 6 hours |
chart credit: http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blturkey7.htm
Julie Hughes Recipes 