Golden Brown and Juicy Roasted Turkey: the Perfect Poultry
Cooking your first, second, or any Thanksgiving bird can be a nerve-wracking experience. Many of us continue to proudly volunteer our kitchens for this annual family gathering. Even cooks who have packed poultry into many a roaster pan can claim missteps along the way. Armed with a few tips, the proper oven temperature, and time to baby-sit the bird, it becomes easy as (pumpkin) pie.
Whether you stuff the bird or leave the cavity empty, a trusty temperature gauge and aluminum foil will be your best friends. Many turkeys are fitted with a pop-up timer – it's a bright little button-on-a-stake that will alert you when a certain heat level has been reached inside the bird. This is a great resource, but should be "second-guessed" with your own gauge. If you don't have a gauge, prick the thigh and the breast with a toothpick. Clear juices mean the bird is (probably) done; pinkish liquid means it needs to roast longer.
The internal temperatures should be checked at three points: the thigh (recommended 180º F.), thickest part of breast without touching bone (170º F.), and the cavity if stuffed (165º F.). Remember that the bird will continue to cook when it comes out of the oven, so if the temperatures are five or so degrees lower, they'll rising while resting. You can also place a layer of foil – like a tent with gaps - over the bird while it's waiting for the carving knife.
For moister meat, slit the skin in several spots and slide pats of butter in between skin and meat. Basting the skin itself will not affect the interior. It will, however, crisp up the outer layer, which will help hold in moisture.
Use a shallow roasting pan, if possible. Those with higher sides can prevent the lower part of the bird from cooking at the same temperature as the parts that are more exposed.
You can cook other dishes in the oven at the same time as long as they are not crowded. Raise the temperature to 350ºF. to adjust for the lack of heat circulation space. Cooking times will vary based on the size of the bird and oven as well as whether it is stuffed or not. As a rule of thumb, plan on 3 hours or so for a 10-pound bird, up to 4 hours for birds weighing 12-14 pounds, and 4+ hours for birds up to 20 pounds. Again, let the temperature gauge be your final guide.
The overall challenge is to keep your turkey from drying out. The breast will be done before the thighs as white meat typically cooks faster. You can slow the process by covering the breast with a small blanket of foil and removing it in the latter part of the cooking process. As an alternative, cover the roasting pan with foil for the first few hours of cooking. Leave gaps for steam to escape. Remove in the last 30-60 minutes of cooking time to allow the skin to turn that beautiful golden brown.
It does not really matter which side of the foil faces outward (unless it's non-stick foil - the coated matte side should have contact with the food). Contrary to popular belief, the heating properties are the same. The shinier side is the one that meets the rollers, creating a reflective finish.
You'll discover plenty more tantalizing turkey roasting ideas right here:
Roast Turkey with Honey-Mustard Glaze
Simple Roast Turkey
Roast Stuffed Turkey In a Crockpot
Basic Roast Turkey
Golden Roast Turkey
Glazed Roast Turkey
Roast Stuffed Turkey
Silver Palate Roast Turkey
The Ultimate Roast Turkey