What is the absolute best way to cook a turkey?

Question

i want some tips, secret seasonings, certain prep procedures. whatever just ending in a delicious bird!
Thanks

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

The bird my family requests is brined and roasted.

A brine puts so much flavor into the turkey.
Using a fresh turkey that is 10-12lbs, you start with a cup of salt (yes, that much!) and a cup of brown sugar and some fresh herbs. This year I'm using citrus fruits, thyme, rosemary, and sage with whole black peppercorns. You put the turkey in a clean stock pot, bucket, ect... and using enough water to fully submerge turkey, dissolve salt and sugar into water. It works best if you heat the water, but you must take care that it is completely cooled before submerging turkey, you don't want to start the cooking process. After brewing your concoction, you let the turkey soak anywhere from 12-24 hours.

After removing turkey, make sure you rinse it and all cavities well, because you don't want all that salt to remain. I stuff the inside with sage, celery, apples, onions, carrots, and parsley.

I have a roaster oven, and I throw it in after brining, cleaning and salt, pepper & buttering, breast down for an hour with some white wine, low sodium chicken broth, more herbs, and turn upright after an hour to let it finish. I take it out when a meat thermometer reads 165, because it will continue to cook to reach 180. If you let the popper pop, you will have a very dry bird.

I've been making some sort of variation of this turkey for the past 5 years, and it keeps getting better. My younger brother has confided in me that it's waaaay better than mom's turkey, and actually even requested it for his birthday 1 year!

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

ty i will try it!

Answer 2

soak in a brine for 12 hours, then roast in an oven.


ROASTED BRINED TURKEY

1 (14 to 16 pound) young turkey, fresh or thawed

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water

For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

--Alton Brown

Answer 3

Don't get a 24 pound turkey, instead get two 12 pound turkeys OR have one turkey and a 5 pound ham, etc. Or a Crown Roast along with the bird. But a 24 pound turkey is obscene IMO.

Do brine the turkey before you roast it.

Draping the turkey in a butter soaked cheesecloth during the last 45 minutes ensure that the turkey skin doesn't get burned.

You could order a "fried turkey."

If you cook the turkey yourself, then don't put a stuffing in the cavity. Cook a dressing in a casserole dish.

Serve mostly "comfort foods," like classic mashed potatoes 'n gravy, or rice, Candied Yams, Green Bean Casserole, Corn Pudding, Cranberry Sauce, Corn bread muffins, and the usual desserts; Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, a good rich Chocolate Cake, maybe a Coconut Cake.

Answer 4

Loosen up the skin on the breast, thighs and legs. Stick your fingers under the skin and work it loose.
Then melt a stick of butter and mix in some of your favorite herbs and spices.
Take this herb butter mix and spread it out between the skin and meat.
Bake in a roaster for as long as recommended depending on how big the turkey is.
Be sure to baste every hour or so with the juices.