This was my first time ever making roast turkey. The experience was harrowing and exciting at the same time but the end results was totally and utterly enjoyable.
Celery (roughly chopped)
Carrots (roughly chopped)
Lemon
Onion (Halved)
Rosemary
Parsley
Thyme
Olive Oil (or Butter.. hhmmMMmmm yuuummmmmm)
Salt
Pepper
Method
1- First of all, leave the turkey out overnight so that it's at room temperature before it goes into the oven. This will help the turkey cook evenly :D If you buy a frozen turkey, defrost it a few days before to avoid frozen disasters.
2- Preheat the oven to 400F.
3- Remove the innards of the turkey and keep to make stock for the stuffing. Wash the bird once over to make sure there are no feathers or anything weird that might freak and gross people out.
4- Squeeze out the lemon and together with some thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper, rub it inside the cavity of the turkey. Then stuff the halved onion and the roughly chopped carrots and celery sticks. Sew up its backside so that nothing falls out :P
5- Start cooking the turkey at about 400F for the first 1/2 hour. And then reduce the heat to 350F for 2 hours. Then for the last hour and a half, reduce the heat to 225F.
6- Let turkey rest/stand for about 15 to 20 mins before carving and serving it.
Tips:
-My turkey's breast turned out a bit too dry unfortunately for the poor bird. So my brother's tip was to put about a cup or two of water in the pan with the turkey and then cover it with foil in order to let it cook in its juices and not dry out. Remove the foil with about 1 hour left to go and this should help the bird retain its juices.
- As this was my first time ever making roast turkey, I don't know what the usual timing and temperature are. And so I suggest that you check out a "Turkey Cooking Calculator" website before starting.
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