A classic, old-fashioned roast turkey recipe. If you want to cook a turkey like Grandma used to cook, this is a good way to do it. This goes well with Mama Peggy’s easy Chicken Gravy recipe!
Ingredients
- ▢ — 14-16 lb turkey ready-to-cook
- ▢ — 1 cup butter melted
- ▢ — salt
- ▢ — pepper
Instructions
- ▢ — Remove giblets and neck from the turkey.
- ▢ — Wash and set them aside.
- ▢ — Wash the turkey inside and out, and then dry with paper towels.
- ▢ — Remove and discard the excess fat.
- ▢ — Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
- ▢ — Spoon some dressing into the neck cavity.
- ▢ — Bring skin of neck over the back, then fasten into place with a poultry pin.
- ▢ — Spoon the remaining dressing into the body cavity (don't pack it).
- ▢ — Insert 4 or 5 poultry pins at regular intervals, and lace the cavity closed with twine.
- ▢ — Bend the wing tips under the body, and tie the ends of the legs together.
- ▢ — Insert a meat thermometer into the inside of a thigh at the thickest part.
- ▢ — Place the turkey in a shallow roasting pan and place into your oven.
- ▢ — Brush the top with some of the butter.
- ▢ — Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- ▢ — Roast the turkey, uncovered, and brush it occasionally with the remaining butter and pan drippings.
- ▢ — When your turkey begins to turn golden, cover it with loose foil, and cook it for about 4 1/2 hours, or until the thermometer registers 185 degrees F.
- ▢ — You're getting there when the leg joints moves freely.
- ▢ — Place the turkey on a heated platter.
- ▢ — Remove the twine and pins.
- ▢ — Let the turkey stand for about 20 minutes, and serve!
