The 'How to Cook' Blog

If you crave the turkey your mother made, and just have to have it this Thanksgiving, this is the turkey recipe for you! Also, find out how to keep your turkey breast moist, instead of dry and stringy!
~ Kimberly Edwards

Type: Main
Serve With: A feast of amazing side dishes for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Prep Time: ~ 20 min
Cook Time: Depending on how big the turkey is: 10 – 16 lbs = 3 hr 20 min – 5 hr 20 min
Yield: 11-12 people

Ingredients:

Instructions:
1. Rinse defrosted or fresh turkey, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F.

3. Smear 1/2 of butter on skin of turkey, all over.

4. Sprinkle spices evenly all over outside, and a little bit inside, the turkey.

* Tip: If you are not stuffing the turkey, stuff 1 large cleaned apple in large cavity to keep meat moist.

* Tip: If you have a meat thermometer, insert it now. Make sure the end is not in the inner, empty cavity of the bird. It must be in the meat of the bird, and it is better to put it into the dark meat regions, as dark meat takes slightly longer to cook.

5. In a large roasting pan, on a rack, place turkey and put in oven for 10 min on 400 F.

* Tip: If you want moist turkey breast, instead of the usual dry stuff, place bird on rack in roasting pan breast-side down. This will ensure you get moist white meat.

6. Reduce temperature after 10 min to 350 F, and cover bird with tin foil very loosely.

7. Roast bird 20 min per each pound for an unstuffed bird.

8. During roasting, baste periodically (~ every 30 min) with the remainder of the butter, and drippings in the bottom of the roasting pan.

9. Turkey will be done when it reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.

* Tip: If you don’t have a meat thermometer, the way to tell if the bird is done is by wiggling the leg, and if it moves back and forth rather easily, and the juices coming out are running clear, the turkey is finished.

10. Remove turkey from oven, and allow to sit for 5 min.

11. Serve & Enjoy!

This is my staple turkey recipe for Holiday meals! Awesome stuff! It always has crispy skin, moist breast meat, and is super juicy too!

I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Cooking With Kimberly, preparing you for Thanksgiving…

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Are you like me, and find it really difficult to easily move that turkey out of the roasting pan after it’s roasted? If it is “falling off the bone” like I like it, it can be tough, plus it is soooo hot! Try this out, it is fabulous! Check it out here:

EZ Lift Turkey Transport The perfect tool for getting your hot fried turkey turkey from the pot to the carving board, No more wrestling with a boiling bird! Free Shipping! $18.95

Technorati Tags: turkey, poultry, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving recipe, main dish, turkey dinner, holiday turkey, Christmas, Christmas recipe

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