WHAT DO YOU BASTE TURKEY WITH RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lowest position. Make herb butter: In a small bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons butter with chopped herbs; season generously with salt and pepper.
• Prepare and stuff the turkey. Loosen skin: Working from the neck end, slide fingers under skin until you reach the end of the breast, being careful not to tear the skin; rub herb butter under the skin. Fill neck cavity: Place turkey breast side down. Fill neck cavity with stuffing; avoid packing. Close up by folding skin over and fastening with skewers or trussing needles. Tuck wings: Turn turkey over; bend wing tips underneath bird so they stay in place (you may have to break the bones). Loosely fill large cavity with stuffing. Tie legs: Using cotton kitchen twine, tie legs together securely (they will overlap) so bird retains its shape and moisture during cooking.
• Cut neck into pieces; mix with carrots, onions, celery, and 2 cups water in a large roasting pan. Set roasting rack over vegetables in pan.
• Lift turkey onto rack; rub with remaining tablespoon butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour, then baste every 30 minutes with pan liquids, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 125 degrees, about 3 hours.
• Remove foil; raise oven heat to 400 degrees. Continue roasting, basting occasionally, until thigh reaches 180 degrees, 45 to 60 minutes more. Tent with foil if bird browns too quickly; add more water if pan becomes dry. Transfer turkey to a serving platter; cover loosely with foil, and let it rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Serves 12 to 14 If your roasting pan only fits sideways in the oven, turn the pan every hour so the turkey cooks and browns evenly.
• For step-by-step photos, see our Roast Turkey and Gravy feature.
• Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels.
• Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Place rack on lowest level in oven.
• Heat oven to 450°.
• Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl.
• Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square.
• Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan.
• Remove pop up time if there is one, use regular meat thermometer in thick part of leg.
• Fold wing tips under turkey.
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey.
• (Stuff loosely if you choose, I do not stuff) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later).
• Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks.
• Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp.
• Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area.
• Place turkey, legs first, in oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°, and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes, you will need to reheat the butter-wine mixture occasionally as the butter will harden.
• Watch pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
• After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth.
• Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven.
• Baste turkey with pan juices.
• If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine.
• The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully.
• Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
• After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
• Do not poke into a bone.
• The temperature should reach 180° (stuffing should be between 140° and 160°) and the turkey should be golden brown.
• The breast does not need to be checked for temperature.
• If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy.
• Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup.
• Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off.
• Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan.
• Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan.
• Add giblet stock to pan.
• Stir well, and bring back to a boil.
• Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
• Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more.
• You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy.
• Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.