How to Make a Turkey
Mom didn't teach you how to bake a turkey? This simple recipe shows you how.
Ingredients
- 1 12-pound Turkey (or any size)
- Salt (use sea salt for corn free)
- Pepper
- Covered Roasting Pan
- Traditional Sage Stuffing
Instructions
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Remove the interior parts of your thawed turkey (usually found in the cavity and in the neck of a store-bought turkey).
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Rinse the turkey inside and out.
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Preheat the oven to 425°F degrees.
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Stuff the bird's cavity with Traditional Sage Dressing (stuffing). (Or cook the stuffing separately to be sure it is safe.)
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Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with a little salt and pepper.
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Place the turkey in the roasting pan or the free-standing roaster. It's best to have one that has a lift-out rack.
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Cover and place in a preheated 425°F degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. This seals the juices in the bird.
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Reduce the heat to 325°F degrees and bake the turkey for 20 minutes a pound (so for a 12 pound bird, you would bake it 12 x 20, or 240 minutes or 4 hours and for a 20 pound turkey, you bake it nearly 7 hours).
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Baste it with its own juices 3-4 times during the roasting time.
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Remove the cover prior to the final 20 minutes and return the pan to the oven. These last few minutes help the turkey to develop a nice, browned skin.
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The legs will start to pull away from the body when it is done. If you are unclear about when it's done, check the temperature with a meat thermometer. It should reach an internal temperature of 165F degrees in its thickest part.
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Remove the turkey from the pan to a platter or another pan for carving. Let stand 10 minutes before carving.