Looking for a straightforward turkey roasting recipe

[Anonymous]

In the past when I've hosted thanksgiving I've gone a little nuts and tried all sorts of complicated recipes (brining using a 20-spice brine? Yup, did that, totally not worth it.). This year we have 10 guests and I am working today and want something that will be delicious but won't require an insane amount of prep or stress. What are your simple roasting recipes? Thanks!!!!

[Anonymous]

Clean turkey (including removing giblets). Salt very well (inside and out). Put pieces of butter under skin. Place cut lemon, thyme and sage in cavity and sprinkle spices under skin. Roast at 425 for 30 mins, then turn down oven to 375 and roast until 160 degrees. Let rest for 20 mins. Easy peasy and tastes great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the past when I've hosted thanksgiving I've gone a little nuts and tried all sorts of complicated recipes (brining using a 20-spice brine? Yup, did that, totally not worth it.). This year we have 10 guests and I am working today and want something that will be delicious but won't require an insane amount of prep or stress. What are your simple roasting recipes? Thanks!!!!

Well I'm a HUGE fan of brining, I think it makes an enormous difference. However, I don't think spices make much difference. Normally I do salt and brown sugar. The purpose is to make the meat juicy by causing reverse osmosis. This year I bought a salt concoction at Wegmans in a jar. All I have to do is add water and throw it in the cooler. Here is my foolproof turkey roasting recipe:

-Brine turkey overnight
-remove from brine, completely dry turkey, allow turkey to come down to close to room temperature.
-Put turkey on rack UPSIDOWN (mean breast down) must use a "v" rack for this.
-Look at the USDAs recommended cooking times for said size turkey and back off %15 (USDAs guidelines will make your turkey taste like dried piece of particle board).
-Allow turkey to "rest" for 20-30 min before carving.

If you do not want to brine, at least cook your bird upsidown. This has two purposes. The dark, fatty meat is on the bottom. As the bird cooks the fat will drip through the entire bird, essentially self basting. Also the breast meat cooks the fastest. Cooking it upsidown allows the breast meat to cook slower-as it should. You will never have overcooked breast meat if you do it this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the past when I've hosted thanksgiving I've gone a little nuts and tried all sorts of complicated recipes (brining using a 20-spice brine? Yup, did that, totally not worth it.). This year we have 10 guests and I am working today and want something that will be delicious but won't require an insane amount of prep or stress. What are your simple roasting recipes? Thanks!!!!

Well I'm a HUGE fan of brining, I think it makes an enormous difference. However, I don't think spices make much difference. Normally I do salt and brown sugar. The purpose is to make the meat juicy by causing reverse osmosis. This year I bought a salt concoction at Wegmans in a jar. All I have to do is add water and throw it in the cooler. Here is my foolproof turkey roasting recipe:

-Brine turkey overnight
-remove from brine, completely dry turkey, allow turkey to come down to close to room temperature.
-Put turkey on rack UPSIDOWN (mean breast down) must use a "v" rack for this.
-Look at the USDAs recommended cooking times for said size turkey and back off %15 (USDAs guidelines will make your turkey taste like dried piece of particle board).
-Allow turkey to "rest" for 20-30 min before carving.

If you do not want to brine, at least cook your bird upsidown. This has two purposes. The dark, fatty meat is on the bottom. As the bird cooks the fat will drip through the entire bird, essentially self basting. Also the breast meat cooks the fastest. Cooking it upsidown allows the breast meat to cook slower-as it should. You will never have overcooked breast meat if you do it this way.

Ok, thanks, this is very helpful. So, I think I will use the instructions that the first pp wrote, and then cook upside down. One question: do I keep the bird upside down the whole time or do I turn it over at some point so that the skin gets crispy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clean turkey (including removing giblets). Salt very well (inside and out). Put pieces of butter under skin. Place cut lemon, thyme and sage in cavity and sprinkle spices under skin. Roast at 425 for 30 mins, then turn down oven to 375 and roast until 160 degrees. Let rest for 20 mins. Easy peasy and tastes great.

Thank you!!