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Oct 06, 2011 at 10:58AM vs Mar 16, 2012 at 03:42PM
Lucy Waverman's Roast Turkey--Adapted
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bring the bird to room temperature. Stuff and truss. (This means tucking the wings in close and tying the legs together.)
Boil the neck and innards in water. Save the water for basting liquid. Save innards for your cat! Unless your family likes innards in the stuffing, some do, some don't. We're definitely saving them for the cat!
Rub skin with butter salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes per pound for the first 10 pounds and 7 minutes a pound after that. A 14-pound turkey will take about three hours.
Waverman keeps the turkey at 400 the whole time, but I do not. I reduce it to 325 after about 45 minutes. I also baste the turkey with the liquid from the innards and neck about every 15 minutes. If you are using a convection oven, you might want to reduce to 300 F.
Do not ever cover with foil, while roasting, then you get a steamed bird.
Use a meat thermometer, stick into thickest part of the leg and it's done around 165 F.
Let rest for 20 minutes before carving. (You can put a foil tent on when its resting.)
Gravy: I brown flour in the fat and then add a couple of cups of chicken consume. If there is too much fat, I skim some off. What is too much fat? Afraid this is a matter of judgment!
Enjoy!