How Do You Roast A Turkey?!

[LeeAndra]

So I cooked my first turkey last week. It turned out fine but I don't really do 'fine' in my cooking. :p

How do you make the turkey actually taste like something besides, well, turkey?! How do you make the meat taste herb-y or spicy or whatever? Does it get that way when you inject stuff into the bird?

I had the cavity stuffed with herbs & onion + had the skin nice & crispy with s&p + butter but I don't eat either of those parts. :p

Please impart your turkey roasting knowledge upon me, O Wise Sweet Shoppers! :thumbup:

[MamaBee]

We - and by we I mean my husband since I don't like touch raw meat - always brine our turkeys... have been for the last 8 years or so... :)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/traditionaloast-turkeyecipe.html

[YepBrook]

I've heard brining the turkey can really make the meat flavorful, but in our house we settle for a juicy turkey with GREAT gravy. The gravy is the ticket.

But don't ask me how to make either, because that's my mom's job. I am the queen of pies, cranberry sauce and other sides. The one thing I do know is that mom swears by cooking the turkey in one of those Reynolds Oven Bags. She stuffs the cavity with lots of onions, then from what I've seen I think she butters and generously does S&P on the skin on top.

[kendallt]

My brother-in-law always cooks our turkey in one of those oil-free air fryers. I have no idea what happens to make it so, but the turkey comes out juicy and flavorful and absolutely delicious.

[pewtertm]

We do smoked turkey every year. I've yet to find a roasted turkey with as good a flavor, esp once you get to leftover turkey sandwiches a day or two later.

[icindi]

I'll second the oven bags to keep it juicy. But I'm no good with adding flavoring . My turkey tastes like Turkey! LOL

[Captivated Visions]

I make a home made stuffing which has onions, pork and apple sausage meat, pecan nuts, herbs and what not (would have been more detailed but I can't find the recipe), and stuff the inside of the bird, ditto to seasoning and adding butter to the skin to crisp up, i add smoked bacon rashers over the top of the bird which gives it a lovely flavour too, and baste it during cooking so it doesn't dry out.

But I must say I no longer need to cook for so many recently and either buy a small turkey crown or cheat with a prepared meat joint from the supermarket, it's been a while since i've cooked a large turkey but this works for a large chicken too :)

[jessica31876]

My father-in-law used to stuff the turkey with lots of fresh oranges. Looking online I see some people add a couple bay leaves and some red onions. But just cut the oranges into slices with the peel and add them inside. (throw the stuffing all away afterwards)

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roast-turkey-with-oranges-bay-leavesed-onions-and-pan-gravy-105729

You can also try apples instead of oranges

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/219477/apple-stuffed-turkey/

I like to mix up some seasonings. Of course salt & pepper but I usually also buy a premade poultry rub (mccormick makes some awesome ones.) Rub butter on the bird, sprinkle on the seasoning and rub across so its nicely covered. cook covered with foil and halfway through baste with juices. About an hour before its due to come out uncover it and let it brown. If it starts to look like its browning too much cover it back up.

[carrie1977]

I watch someone else do it. :p

This year, for Thanksgiving, the turkey was roasted in an egg...one of these things. It was pretty good.
http://biggreenegg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/LG_EGG-package-e1440602052408.jpg

My mom roasts a turkey for Christmas. She always starts it early in the morning so I'm not sure what she does to it.

[bcgal00]

I cook my turkey the same way my mom and grandma did. I make stuffing with bread, onions, beer, chicken stock, s&p, celery salt, oregano, poultry seasoning and butter. I later baste with lots of butter in the last 40 minutes of cooking.

[ChristineF]

My dad always cooks his turkey dinners in one of those bags (made to cook things inside, no idea what they're called over there) and the actual turkey is covered (top) with rashes of bacon. The bacon fat drips off and onto the turkey which makes it moist, the bag keeps the juices and moisture inside and you get crispy bacon for an extra treat.