Preparing the turkey to be roasted in the oven.
There are a variety of ways to cook turkey. Turkey can be roasted in the oven, fried whole in a deep fryer, barbecued or smoked. If a turkey is stuffed with traditional bread dressing, the ideal cooking method is roasting in the oven. Turkey can be cooked whole or in pieces, such as by the breast or leg. The raw meat can also be ground, and used like ground beef in a variety of recipes. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Safety
When cooking turkey there are safety measures to consider. If the turkey is being deep fried it is important that the bird or pieces are dry before adding to the hot oil. If stuffing a turkey with dressing for roasting, never stuff the turkey hours prior to cooking. This can result in food poisoning. Stuff the bird directly before cooking. When preparing the raw poultry always sanitize the workspace before and after handling the meat to avoid cross contamination of foods.
Moisture
To enhance the flavor and moisture of a roasted turkey, rub the inside and outside of a clean, dried bird with butter. For moister breasts, roast the whole turkey upside down. Unfortunately the bird will not be as appealing visually, as if it were roasted right side up. But, if the taste of the turkey breast, as opposed to the appearance of the finished bird, is your priority, turn it upside down when roasting. When deep frying, flavor can be added by infusing the bird with seasoning or juice.
Time
Roast a turkey in the oven at 325 degrees F, for about 15 minutes for each pound. Keep the turkey lightly covered with foil to avoid over browning, and remove the foil during the last hour. When deep frying, figure on six to seven minutes per pound. If smoking the turkey, it will take about an hour per pound for an average bird. When using a smoker, cooking time is based on the largest turkey being smoked, not on the total amount of meat in the smoker. For example, a 10-lb. bird might take as long to cook as two 10-lb. birds.
Tags: bird with, deep frying, roasted oven, turkey being, upside down, When deep, When deep frying