I'm curious to hear our chefs' advice on this! I still remember my grandmother insisting that turkey needed twenty minutes a pound, and since we always had a huge turkey for at least a dozen people, she usually put her turkey in on low the night before. (It wasn't good, though her side dishes always made up for it, luckily.)
Anyway, I do more along the lines of 11-12 minutes a pound. I've always done some sort of 'skin treatment'--either oil/honey/herbs or an herbed butter--and for the initial crisping I always put the turkey in at 450 degrees for at least the first twenty minutes--maybe a little more, until I see that beautiful brown starting to developing. Then I back off to 325 or so and go from there. I do baste regularly, and I tent or cover the wings if anything's browning too much. I've never had a dry turkey... :-)
Here are a few turkey cooking tips: Cooking: The most popular cooking method for cooking whole turkeys is roasting. Start by removing the giblets. Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry. After drying, tie the turkey legs together using kitchen twine (called truss); this helps hold the turkey’s shape while cooking. Next brush the turkey with oil or melted butter and season with poultry seasoning. Bake at 350 degrees until the turkey’s internal temperature, taken at the thigh, reaches 165 degrees. Today, it is advised to cook the stuffing separate from the turkey, to ensure both the turkey and stuffing are cooked properly.
Carving: After cooking, cover the turkey with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. A sharp, thin knife or electric knife is an essential tool to turkey carving. Cut into the joints and not bones, to easily break down and remove the thighs, legs and wings without much effort and the risk of breaking your knife.
And here is a general turkey cooking time chart, but always make sure your turkey reaches the 165 temperature.
APPROXIMATE COOKING TIMES
UNSTUFFED
4 to 6 lb breast.....1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hrs
6 to 8 lb breast...2 1/4 to 3 1/4 hrs
8 to 12 lbs................2 3/4 to 3 hrs
12 to 14 lbs..............3 to 3 3/4 hrs
14 to 18 lbs........3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hrs
18 to 20 lbs........4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hrs
20 to 24 lbs..............4 1/2 to 5 hrs
STUFFED
8 to 12 lbs...............3 to 3 1/2 hrs
12 to 14 lbs..............3 1/2 to 4 hrs
14 to 18 lbs..............4 to 4 1/4 hrs
18 to 20 lbs........4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hrs
20 to 24 lbs........4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hrs
about 1 year ago
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