Thanksgiving
It is almost Thanksgiving, which has never been my favorite holiday. Probably because it's always involved going to my aunt's house and eating in her depressing basement amongst my annoying second cousins. I have taken various measures over the years to avoid going, including scheduling trips to Hawaii, Seattle, and Tahoe. This year, thankfully, my husband's grandparents are coming to town so I have to go to my in-laws and spend it with them (as you can see). And my father-in-law has agreed to make my turkey recipe, which is the most awesome recipe ever. I have posted it on LJ before but I will post it here again if anyone is looking for a tasty and SUPER EASY to make turkey for Thanksgiving. My favorite part: it's super, super moist without ever basting once!
Slow Roasted Turkey
Choose desired size turkey, wash it well, and remove the neck and giblets. Dry turkey with paper towels, salt the cavity, and stuff with dressing of your choice, tying closed. Rub the outside well with olive oil.
Put the turkey breast down (this bastes itself, making the white meat very moist) on a poultry rack in a roasting pan. Put into a 300°F preheated oven for one hour to destroy bacteria on the surface. Then adjust the heat to 185°F for any size turkey. This is important. The turkey can go in the oven the day before eating it. Example: I have a 22 pound turkey. At 5:00 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving I put the turkey in the oven prepared at 300°F for one hour. I turn the temp down to 185°F and leave the turkey uncovered until it’s done the next day about 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.
Although the cooking time seems startling at first, the meat is amazingly delicious, juicy and tender. It slices beautifully and shrinks very little. It cannot burn so it needs no watching. It really cooks itself.
A good rule for timing is about three times longer than that of moderate temperature roasting. For example, a 20 pound turkey that normally takes 15 minutes per pound to cook would take 5 hours total. The slow-cook method takes 3 times longer, so it equals 15 hours to cook a 20 pound turkey this way. A smaller turkey takes 20 minutes per pound at moderate roasting (an 11 pound turkey would take 3 hours, 40 minutes). Times that by three for the slow-roasting method and it has to cook for 11 hours.
Since the lower temperature requires longer cooking, when you start cooking must depend on when you want to serve your turkey. However, once it’s done it will not overcook. You can leave it in an additional 3 to 6 hours and it will still be perfect. Thus your roasting can be adjusted entirely to your convenience.
Short version:
1 whole turkey
Olive oil
Stuffing
Wash turkey well, remove neck and giblets. Dry with paper towels. Salt cavity and stuff. Rub outside with olive oil. Place breast down on poultry rack in a roasting pan. Put in pre-heated 300° oven for one hour, then turn down the temp to 185°.
Minimum cooking time:
20 lbs. - 15 hours
11 lbs. - 11 hours
Slow Roasted Turkey
Choose desired size turkey, wash it well, and remove the neck and giblets. Dry turkey with paper towels, salt the cavity, and stuff with dressing of your choice, tying closed. Rub the outside well with olive oil.
Put the turkey breast down (this bastes itself, making the white meat very moist) on a poultry rack in a roasting pan. Put into a 300°F preheated oven for one hour to destroy bacteria on the surface. Then adjust the heat to 185°F for any size turkey. This is important. The turkey can go in the oven the day before eating it. Example: I have a 22 pound turkey. At 5:00 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving I put the turkey in the oven prepared at 300°F for one hour. I turn the temp down to 185°F and leave the turkey uncovered until it’s done the next day about 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.
Although the cooking time seems startling at first, the meat is amazingly delicious, juicy and tender. It slices beautifully and shrinks very little. It cannot burn so it needs no watching. It really cooks itself.
A good rule for timing is about three times longer than that of moderate temperature roasting. For example, a 20 pound turkey that normally takes 15 minutes per pound to cook would take 5 hours total. The slow-cook method takes 3 times longer, so it equals 15 hours to cook a 20 pound turkey this way. A smaller turkey takes 20 minutes per pound at moderate roasting (an 11 pound turkey would take 3 hours, 40 minutes). Times that by three for the slow-roasting method and it has to cook for 11 hours.
Since the lower temperature requires longer cooking, when you start cooking must depend on when you want to serve your turkey. However, once it’s done it will not overcook. You can leave it in an additional 3 to 6 hours and it will still be perfect. Thus your roasting can be adjusted entirely to your convenience.
Short version:
1 whole turkey
Olive oil
Stuffing
Wash turkey well, remove neck and giblets. Dry with paper towels. Salt cavity and stuff. Rub outside with olive oil. Place breast down on poultry rack in a roasting pan. Put in pre-heated 300° oven for one hour, then turn down the temp to 185°.
Minimum cooking time:
20 lbs. - 15 hours
11 lbs. - 11 hours