Cooking your Turkey

I promised directions, so here they are. I will be cooking our turkey on Sunday and will let you know how it goes!! Good luck with yours! Check out the entry before this one to see all the yummy veggies we will be roasting with our bird. And...if you read this soon, come see us at the Farmer's Market tomorrow 9/3/11.

If turkey is frozen, place the wrapped turkey in the refrigerator for 3-4 days to thaw (allow 5 hours per pound of turkey to completely thaw) OR placed wrapped turkey in a sink and cover it with cold water – allow 30 minutes per pound of turkey to thaw. Change water frequently.

Once thawed, brush turkey with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs. Place turkey, breast side down, on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan, about 2 inches deep. Some like to add 1 cup stock to the bottom of the pan before cooking, which creates some steam and helps keep the turkey moist but doesn’t prevent browning the skin. Turn the turkey over to breast side up during the last hour or so – this results in moist, white meat. The turkey is done when a meat thermometer (inserted deep into the thickest part of the thigh next to the body, not touching the bone) registers 165 degrees F. and drumstick is soft and moves easily at the joint.
If you want to stuff the turkey, spoon prepared dressing loosely into body and neck cavity just prior to roasting. Remove stuffing immediately after roasting.

Approximate Roasting Time (at 325 degrees F. oven) - PLEASE NOTE: BOTH VARIETIES OF OUR TURKEYS TAKE SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER TIME TO COOK, SO GO BY TEMPERATURE TO GUARANTEE IT'S NOT OVERCOOKED (ours was done about 1-1.5 hours before we thought it would be).

Weight Roasting Time Roasting time(stuffed)
6-8 lbs. 2 ¼ to 3 ¼ hours 3-3 ½ hours
8-12 lbs. 3-4 hours 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours
12-16 lbs. 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours 4-5 hours
16-20 lbs. 4-5 hours 4 ½ to 5 ½ hours
20-24 lbs. 4 ½ to 5 ½ hours 5 to 6 ½ hours
24+ lbs. 5-6 hours 5 ½ to 6 ½ hours

Begin checking for done-ness about one hour before end of recommended roasting time. Time is affected by type of oven, oven temperature, & degree of thawing.
When skin is golden brown, shield breast loosely w/ foil to prevent over-browning.