Roast turkey/Recipes

(CC) Image: Ethan Lofton
Basting the turkey.

Roast turkey is the preparation of a fresh or frozen turkey by placing the turkey in a hot oven. Frozen turkeys are normally defrosted before roasting. Fresh turkeys are removed from the refrigerator and then roasted.

Defrosting

Defrost the turkey in the refrigerator. All about 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. Be sure to place a container underneath the turkey to prevent turkey juices dripping onto nearby foods.

Fresh turkey

Purchase a fresh turkey two days before you plan to roast it. Store the fresh turkey in the refrigerator until you are ready to roast it.

Roasting

Heat the oven to 325 °F (165 °C) (Gas Mark 3). Remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Insert a rack into the roasting pan. Add the turkey. Roast the turkey until an internal temperature of 180 °F (80 °C) is reached. Insert a meat thermometer into the turkey to ensure this temperature is reached.

Roasting chart

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends turkeys should not be stuffed during roasting for food safety reasons. Stuffing should be baked in a separate casserole dish. Some people refer to stuffing as dressing when it is backed separately in a casserole dish.

Unstuffed Turkey

• 8 to 12 pounds (3.6 to 5.5 kg), 2 3/4 to 3 hours
• 12 to 14 pounds, 3 to 3 3/4 hours
• 14 to 18 pounds, 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
• 18 to 20 pounds, 4 1/4 to 41/2 hours
• 20 to 24 pounds, 4 1/2 to 5 hours

Stuffed Turkey

• 8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
• 12 to 14 pounds, 3 1/2 to 4 hours
• 14 to 18 pounds, 4 to 4 1/4 hours
• 18 to 20 pounds, 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
• 20 to 24 pounds, 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours

Storage

Remove the cooked turkey meat from the carcass. Promptly refrigerate the cooked turkey meat within two hours of serving. Turkey leftovers should be eaten within 3 to 4 days of preparation. Turkey gravy should be eaten within 2 days of serving. Heat the leftover turkey gravy to 165 °F (75 °C) for safe serving.

Foil Roasted Turkey

Defrost the turkey, if needed, before roasting the turkey. Preheat the oven to 450 °F. (230 °C) (Gas Mark 8).Remove the giblets from the turkey. Rinse the turkey and pat dry. Brush the turkey with vegetable oil. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil that is 2 1/2 times longer than the turkey. Place the turkey onto the foil. Fold over the ends of the aluminum foil to cover the ends loosely. Do not seal. Place the turkey into a roasting pan that is at least 2-inches deep. Insert meat thermometer through the foil and into the turkey thigh. Make sure the meat thermometer does not touch the bone. Roast the turkey for the following times:

• 8 to 12 pounds 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours
• 12 to 16 pounds 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours
• 16 to 20 pounds 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hours
• 20 to 24 pounds 3 1/4 to 3 3/4 hours
• 24 to 28 pounds 3 3/4 to 5 hours
• 28 to 32 pounds 5 to 5 1/2 hours

Store the turkey as directed.

Julia Child's Roast Turkey

• Turkey
• Vegetable Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Celery
• Onions
• Lemon (to season turkey cavity, if desired)

Defrosting Frozen Turkey

Do not remove the turkey from it's original wrapper. A 20-pound turkey will take around 3 to 4 days to defrost in the refrigerator. Child says you can defrost a turkey in a sinkful of water. It should take about 12 hours to defrost the turkey. Child also says not to stuff the turkey in advance.

Allow about 1/2 pound turkey per serving or 1 pound per person, if you want leftovers.

Servings: Figure 1/2 pound of turkey per serving, or 1 pound per person, with leftovers. Roast at °F (170 °C) (Gas Mark 3)

Cooking Times

Unstuffed Turkeys

• 12 to 14 pounds, about 4 hours
• 16 to 20 pounds, about 5 hours
• 20 to 26 pounds, about 6 hours

For stuffed birds add 20 to 30 minutes extra for cooking time.

The turkey is done when the temperature measures 175 °F at the thickest portion of the leg. The stuffing temperature should be 165 °F. Figure about 1/2 to 3/4 a cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey.

She recommends flavoring the cavity with salt, pepper, a thin slice of lemon, a small onion and a handful of celery leaves.

Child says to cut out of the wishbone and cut off the wing nubbins. She also recommends skewering the neck to the backbone, and then skewering or sewing the cavity closed, or close it with foil. Rub the turkey with salt and vegetable oil.

Place the turkey breast side up on an oiled rack and then baste every 20 minutes. Start checking the turkey temperature about 20 minutes before the charted roasting time. The turkey will start to release juices into the pan as an indicator that the turkey is thoroughly cooked.

High-Temperature Roasting

Preheat the oven to 500 °F (260 °C) (Gas Mark 10) Roast the turkey 15 to 20 minutes or until the juices begin to burn. Reduce the oven temperature to 450 °F (232 °C) (Gas Mark 8). Add 1/2 cup each chopped carrots and onions along with 2 cups water to the roasting pan. Add water as needed to prevent the mixture from burning and smoking.

Start the roasting at 500 °F (260 °C) (Gas Mark 10), and in 15 to 20 minutes, when the juices begin to burn, reduce the heat to 450 °F (232 °C) (Gas Mark 8). Using this method a 14 pound turkey should roast in about 2 hours rather than the usual 4 hours. The turkey may not turn out as tender using this method though.

To prepare Julia Child's turkey stock and giblet gravy you can find the recipe at the ABC News Good Morning America web site.

Store the turkey as directed.

The recipe provided above is copyright ABC.

Canadian Roast Turkey

The Canadian roast turkey recipe is similar to what is cooked in the United States. This recipe is from Canadian Living.

• 15 pound (6.8 kg) turkey
• 2 tablespoons (25 mL) melted butter
• 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) paprika
• Herb Stuffing
• 1 1cup (250 mL) butter
• 4-1/2 4-1/2cups (1.125 L) chopped celery
• 4 cups(1 L) chopped oniononions
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) poultry seasoning
• 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoon (7 mL) pepper
• 2 loaves whole wheat bread, cubed
• 2 eggs, beaten

For the stuffing melt the butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven; cook celery, onions, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, stirring often, for about 25 minutes or until softened. In large bowl, combine onion mixture with bread cubes, tossing until moistened. Add the eggs and toss with the mixture.

Be sure to remove the giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for stock or gravy. Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry. Add about 3 cups (750 mL) of the stuffing; skewer opening closed. Loosely fill the cavity with stuffing. Loosely fill neck opening with about 3 cups (750 mL) of the stuffing; fold neck skin over stuffing and skewer to back. Spoon the remaining stuffing into a casserole dish and refrigerate.

Insert turkey legs under band of skin or tie together with string. Insert wings under back. Place the turkey breast side up in a roasting pan. Pour the butter over the turkey and rub into the skin. Season the turkey with paprika.

Roast in 325°F (160°C)(Gas Mark 3) oven, basting with pan drippings every 30 minutes, for 3-1/2 hours. Stir 1/2 cup (125 mL) turkey drippings or chicken stock into stuffing in casserole. Add casserole to oven alongside turkey and roast, basting turkey twice, for 60 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 180°F (82°C) and juices run clear when turkey is pierced. Transfer turkey to cutting board; tent with foil and let stand for 30 minutes before carving. Serve with stuffing and gravy. Cover the turkey with a foil tent during the last hour of cooking, if the turkey seems to be browning too fast. To make the gravy follow the directions found at Canadian Living.

Store the turkey as directed.

Recipe copyright Canadian Living.

James Beard's My Own Favorite Roast Turkey

• 18 to 20 pounds turkey
• 1 onion stuck with 2 cloves
• 1 sprig parsley
• Additional salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 quart water
• Half a lemon
• 1/2 cup soft butter, more if desired
• Strips of fresh or salt pork, or bacon rind
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup Cognac or Madeira
• Stuffing
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup finely chopped shallots or finely cut green onions
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried tarragon, or 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon, finely cut
• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup pinenuts
• Additional melted butter, if needed
• 10 to 12 cups fine fresh breadcrumbs

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shallots (or green onions) and tarragon to the skillet. Cook until the shallots are just wilted. Add the remaining stuffing ingredients, and more melted butter, if needed to complete the stuffing.

Remove neck from the turkey and add to a 2-quart saucepan along with the liver, gizzard, heart, and the onion, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and the thyme. Add the water and bring to a boil, and boil 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer 1 hour. Drain and reserve for the sauce. If desired, chop the gizzard, heart, and liver to add to the sauce.

Rub the inside of the turkey with the lemon, and dry with paper towels. Lightly stuff the turkey cavity with the stuffing mixture. Stuff the neck cavity lightly with stuffing. Truss the turkey with a trussing needle, hand tying the the piece of neck skin to the back of the turkey. You can also sew with needle and twine to complete the trussing process. Close the vent of the bird by skewering or with twine and sew it up. Tie the legs together firmly and then tie them to the tail of the bird. With your hands rub soft butter and the season with salt and pepper. Lay strips of fresh pork or salt pork (or bacon rind) and set the rack into a shallow roasting pan. Place the turkey breast side down onto the rack. Roast 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven and turn the turkey so it is laying on its side. Rub with softened butter. Return the turkey to the oven and roast 1 hour. Remove the turkey, turn to the other side, rub with softened butter. Roast 1 hour. Roast 1 hour and then turn the turkey on its back, rub the turkey breast with soft butter. Return turkey to the oven and roast until the turkey tests done. Remove the roast turkey from the oven and place on a hot platter to rest 15 minutes, if being served hot. If being served tepid, "let it cool gently at room temperature". Remove all the twine and skewers.

Sauce: Skim fat from the roasting pan and reserve 1/4 cup. Over medium heat add the flour to the pan and blend thoroughly, scraping to loosen bits of caramelized dripping. Add any turkey juices and the reserved fat. Gradually whisk in 2 cups turkey broth, or more, cook stirring until the sauce thickens. Correct seasonings. Add the chopped giblets, if using, and the Cognac or Madeira. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes.

NOTE: For food safety purposes do not allow the turkey to stand at room temperature longer than 2 hours.

Recipe lightly edited and rewritten from James Beard's American Cookery

Historic Fannie Merritt Farmer 1918 Roast Turkey Recipe

Fannie Farmer was an American chef, nutritionist and author whose best selling cookbook is still being published over one hundred years after it was first introduced.

Dress, clean, stuff, and truss a ten-pound turkey . Place on its side on rack in a dripping-pan, rub entire surface with salt, and spread breast, legs, and wings with one-third cup butter, rubbed until creamy and mixed with one-fourth cup flour. Dredge bottom of pan with flour. Place in a hot oven, and when flour on turkey begins to brown, reduce heat, and baste every fifteen minutes until turkey is cooked, which will require about three hours. For basting use one-half cup butter melted in one-half cup boiling water and after this is used baste with fat in pan. Pour water in pan during the cooking as needed to prevent flour from burning. During cooking turn turkey frequently, that it may brown evenly. If turkey is browning too fast, cover with buttered paper to prevent burning. Remove string and skewers before serving. Garnish with parsley, or celery tips, or curled celery and rings and discs of carrots strung on fine wire. For stuffing, use double the quantities given in recipes under Roast Chicken. If stuffing is to be served cold, add one beaten egg. Turkey is often roasted with Chestnut Stuffing, Oyster Stuffing, or Turkey Stuffing (Swedish Style).

References

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