COOKED TURKEY PICTURES RECIPES

Steps:

• Turkey must be thoroughly thawed before preparing for the oven unless you are using a fresh turkey.
• Remove turkey parts from cavities and use as you desire.
• Wash cavities well with cold water.
• Boil a kettle of hot water (scalding hot.).
• Place turkey in a clean sink or a large roasting pan.
• Pour hot water over the entire turkey including in the cavities.
• The skin will shrink tightly to the turkey.
• "This will help hold the natural juices in the turkey while it is cooking. Do not peel skin back to layer herbs under the skin. This will destroy the process for a moist turkey.
• "Pat dry both inside and outside of turkey.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Sprinkle cavities with salt and black pepper and granulated garlic powder.
• If you are stuffing the bird, then line inside of cavity with cheesecloth, then stuff with your favorite dressing,"stuff loosely",.
• Tie legs and wings with a good meat wrapping twine and leave a lifting loop to remove the turkey from the pan when cooked.
• Place a wire rack in the bottom of roasting pan.
• Place the turkey on the wire rack, breast side up.
• Pour 2 cups of water or 2 cups of chicken broth into the pan.
• Pour about 1/2 cup or more if required of extra virgin olive oil over the exterior of the turkey.
• Cover the turkey with heavy aluminum foil, but do not let the foil touch the turkey as it will stick to the turkey while cooking.
• Pinch foil tight to the sides of the pan.
• Place turkey on lower rack in oven and cook for 1 hour.
• Reduce heat to 325 F and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
• Now turn heat up to 350 F and cook for another 1/2 hour.
• Remove foil from turkey. At this time test for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the breast to see how the cooking temperature is. We are cooking towards a reading of 175°F.
• Baste,the turkey and continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 1 hour at 350 F, basting about every 15 minutes so that the turkey turns a nice brown color.
• When the time for cooking is finished, test for doneness. Insert the instant read thermometer into the thickest portion of the turkey breast, reading should be 175 F and no more. .
• Remove from oven, lift turkey out the roasting pan using the string loops.
• Cover with foil and let the turkey rest for about 1/2 hour before carving.
• Total time for cooking a 16 pound stuffed turkey is 5 hours.
• There is no need to baste the turkey until the last 1 hour of cooking, this saves you a lot of time as you do not have to remove the foil tent during the first 4 hours.
• For a crispy browner skin, you may wish to consider rubbing butter over the entire bird after pouring olive oil. This works very nicely.
• COOKING TIMES: Left Side -Stuffed---- Right Side - Unstuffed.
• *12-14lbs.
• 4 - 4 1/2 hours-- 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 hours.
• *14-16lbs.
• 4 1/2 - 5 hours-- 3 3/4 - 4 hours.
• *16-18lbs.
• 5- 5 1/2 hours-- 3 3/4 - 4 1/4 hours.
• *18-20lbs.
• 5 1/2 - 6 hours-- 4 1/4 - 4 1/2 hours.
• *20-22lbs.
• 6 - 6 1/4 hours-- 4 1/2 - 5 hours.
• *22-24lbs.
• 6 1/4- 6 1/2 hours-- 5 - 5 1/4 hours.
• NOTE: Test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, reading should be 175 F and in the thickest part of the leg or thigh, reading should be 180°F.

Steps:

• Select a turkey that is plump and meaty with smooth, moist-looking skin. The skin should be creamy colored. The cut ends of the bones should be pink to red in color.
• If the turkey is frozen, thaw it either slowly in the refrigerator or in cold water or quickly in the microwave, following the manufacturer's directions. A turkey weighing 8 to 12 pounds will thaw in about 2 days in the refrigerator. A turkey weighing 20 to 24 pounds will thaw in about 5 days in the refrigerator. A whole turkey can be safely thawed in cold water. Leave the turkey in its original wrap, free from tears or holes. Place in cold water, allowing 30 minutes per pound for thawing, and change the water often.
• Remove the package of giblets (gizzard, heart and neck), if present, from the neck cavity of the turkey, and discard. Rinse the cavity, or inside of the turkey, with cool water; pat dry with paper towels. Rub the cavity of turkey lightly with salt if desired, but do not salt the cavity if you will be stuffing the turkey.
• Stuff the turkey just before roasting--not ahead of time. Fill the wishbone area (the neck) with stuffing first. Fasten the neck skin to the back of the turkey with a skewer. Fold the wings across the back so the tips are touching. Fill the body cavity lightly with stuffing; do not pack the stuffing because it will expand during roasting. Tuck the drumsticks under the band of skin at the tail, or tie or skewer the drumsticks to the tail.
• Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with melted butter or margarine. It is not necessary to add water or to cover the turkey. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of thigh and does not touch bone. Follow Timetable for approximate roasting time. Place a tent of aluminum foil loosely over the turkey when it begins to turn golden. When two-thirds done, cut the band or remove the skewer holding the drumsticks; this will allow the interior part of the thighs to cook through.
• Roast until the thermometer reads 165°F (for a whole turkey) and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. Thermometer inserted in center of stuffing should read165°F. When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes for easiest carving. Keep turkey covered with aluminum foil so it will stay warm.