How To Roast A Turkey

Procedure

1. Rest the turkey on the neck and giblets in a
roasting pan to keep the turkey from sticking. Let the turkey come to
room temperature for 4 hours before roasting.

2. Tie the drumsticks together to keep the turkey looking neat.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

4. Fold a triple-thick triangular sheet of aluminum
foil just large enough to cover the turkey breast without covering the
thighs. Smear one side of the foil with butter and set it on the turkey
breast butter side down.

5. Roast until the thighs are well browned, about
an hour, and remove the foil. Start checking the internal temperature
by inserting an instant-read thermometer between the thigh and the
breast. If the temperature is above l00°F and the breast is not yet
brown, turn up the oven to 425°F.

6. Roast until the temperature reads 135°F. Remove
it from the oven and let rest loosely covered with aluminum foil for 25
minutes.

Hints
  • Start the roasting process by taking the turkey out of the
    refrigerator for several hours before roasting to let it come to room
    temperature. It will roast more quickly and evenly
  • Don’t use a roasting rack, which can cause the turkey to stick to
    the rack and tear the skin. It also allows the juices to drip down on
    the burning hot roasting pan and burn rather than caramelize
  • Cover the breast with a buttered sheet of aluminum foil for the
    first 40 minutes of roasting to slow the cooking so it is done at the
    same time as the thighs