Please help me to roast a better turkey this year. any tips?

[TheTominator]

TheTominatrix suggests soaking overnight in brine too.

I've never cooked a turkey myself.

[mrbigstuff]

You could do the brine thing, but be careful that it doesn't become like that stuff they sell in the deli masquerading as turkey, but full of salty water. Myself, I've only done this once, but I did the heat blasting method and it tasted very good. I would agree with decocritter, cook something else if you can. I'm not a huge turkey fan and would prefer ham or a well-roasted chicken where you can eat the skin (can't really do that with turkey).

[Dennis S]

Cook it hot for awhile (not sure of the temp or time - my Mom does it) and then cook overnight at 210 degrees.

[anonymouse1]

Try these:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/holidays...turkey.php

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/..._tips.html

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/holidays..._guide.php

Brining really works really well--just make sure you have enough space in your refrigerator.

[mattkime]

definitely get a temperature probe thermometer. one that you leave in while cooking - don't guess about cook time.

[Ombligo]

Alton Brown to the rescue -- easy step by step that works great.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/ck_recip...71,00.html

You'll need a probe thermometer like a Polder - http://www.amazon.com/Original-Polder-36..._1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1195470467&sr=8-1

you can get them at Lowe's, Home Depot, kitchen stores, Wal-Mart sometimes.

Don't go opening the over door to baste or check temp, you'll just let heat out and cause both longer and uneven cooking.

[RgrF]

Are you all serious?

Put the bird in a roasting pan, cover it with foil and roast for 3-4 hours @ 325º. Remove the foil and roast for another hour or so while basting every 10-15 minutes.

Stuff the bird first.

I said first not fist.

[OWC Jamie]

Best tip: use a meat thermometer.
Don't trust your oven, time, size, weight or calculations.

I cooked for years using throw away aluminum foil pan.
Prefer roasting pan with a grate that keeps the bird of the bottom of the pan and its own juices.
I also stuff it with quartered onions(2), lemon(1), carrots(some),a little basil not stuffing.

No one here rteally likes the skin toasted or hard as a rock, so I keep a foil tent loosely on the bird which also tends to lengthen the cooking time a little. I've raised the temp a bit to compensate and also just added time. Take the tent off for the last hour or two.


I stopped doing the basting thing.
No one noticed a difference, except me. The turkey is done sooner.