Turkey- easy, I promise!
October 18, 2009Take a thawed turkey and remove any giblets that might be inside. Sometimes they are in a little bag in there and sometimes they are just laying in there. If you forget this step- DO NOT PANIC!! Just remove the cooked giblets when you get the turkey out of the oven!
For a 12 lb or larger turkey; put the turkey in one of those turkey roaster pans or dutch oven an hour before bedtime or before work (you pick). Add 9 cups of water. Put the lid on- it must fit down flat on all sides. Bake at 450^ for 1 hour. DO NOT CHECK THE TURKEY!!! DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT OPENING THE OVEN DOOR. When the buzzer goes off at 1 hour, turn the temp down to 175^ (original recipe said to turn oven off- you can if you’re brave. . . .) and go to bed. In the morning, your turkey is done! (or when you get home depending. . .. ).
The original recipe recommends soaking the turkey in a sink of cold water that has 1 cup of salt dissolved in it, patting dry, and spraying the turkey with spray oil. You can do this, but don’t think it won’t turn out if you don’t. It may be a little tougher w/out this step but still muy delicioso!!
The other easy turkey recipe requires a Reynolds Turkey Roasting bag. These are available at your local grocery store. Mine are found in with the baggies, foil, plastic wrap, etc. Follow the directions in the package for a wonderfully moist and flavorful turkey!
We raised our own turkey this year and ended up having to wait an extra month before we could get them processed by the butcher (had to wait our turn). The turkey roasting bags produce excellent meat even if the meat grew for an extra month longer than the butterballs you buy in the store! The roasting bags are excellent for any meat!
