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Turkey Cooking Times
Recommended oven temperature: 325°
Unstuffed: 13 - 17 minutes per pound
Stuffed: 15 - 20 minutes per pound
Internal temperate of thigh should be at 165°
Plan Ahead for Maximum Flavor and Tenderness
After removing the turkey from the oven, loosely tent with aluminum
foil and let repose (set) up to a half hour before carving. Enjoy!
Basting: Before you slide the turkey into the
oven, pour two cups of turkey stock (or low salt chicken broth)
into the pan. This mixture will become your basting liquid. Use
a bulb baster to pick up the roasting juices and bathe the turkey
with the liquid every 30 to 40 minutes. Each time you baste, lift
the foil, and then replace it. About an hour or so before you expect
the turkey to be done, remove the foil so that the breast can brown.
If, during the course of roasting, the pan liquids bubble down to
a glaze, add more stock, broth, or even water.
Brining: In a large cooking pot, (big enough
to submerge turkey) bring one gallon vegetable stock and 2 cups
Kosher salt to a boil. Stir until salt is dissolved. Remove hot
brine from heat and add ½ cup brown sugar, stir until dissolved
then add one gallon cold water and stir. Once the brine is cold
add the thawed turkey breast side down (remove giblets, neck). Make
sure brine goes into cavity. The turkey will float at this point,
so add a heavy plate or something to hold the turkey down in the
brine mixture. Let turkey sit in brine for 8 hours in the refrigerator.
Remove turkey from brine and rinse and pat the turkey dry. (Turkey
has already absorbed a significant amount of salt - any drippings
that you use for gravy will already be salty. so no salt will need
to be added to compound butters or spice rubs)
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