Roasting poultry like turkey is something I love to cook any time of the year, but especially in the winter months! I have been cooking turkeys for over 20 years and I often get asked on how to cook a turkey, and it’s much simpler than you may think! Really it is!! Season, add water and toss it to cook, checking periodically. I always cook the most delicious flavorful turkey that’s never dry! And it’s great as leftovers in an assortment of dishes!
I always have extra broth (half a roaster full as you will see) for stew, soup, homemade stuffing (or you may call it dressing) and gravy. There’s so many uses for the broth and leftover turkey — I think that is one reason I love it so much! It can be turned into an assortment of meals!
Let’s get started!
I placed the turkey in my roasting pan the night before, place lid on and set it in the fridge. I always cook poultry from frozen and have been doing so for many years without any issues. Of course if you feel more comfortable cooking from fresh or thawed, that’s great too! The next morning, it’s time to cook, but first let’s season!
I always add water so I can use that for stuffing and gravy. I never place my stuffing in poultry. I like the crispy edges from baking it in the oven! I start with about 3 cups of water since some water will come out as the turkey cooks. I add more water if necessary throughout cooking and I always leave my roaster covered which also helps keep the turkey from becoming dry.
I add half a chopped onion and seasonings. I always season with fresh cracked salt and pepper, garlic, onion seasoning and dill. I place the lid on and cook at 350F — I will check it in about 3 hours.
After 3 hours, there’s much more liquid and the turkey is looking great. I also removed the giblets. Often that’s hiding in the neck area.
After 2-1/2 more hours, the turkey is cooked! The meat falls off the bone, and that’s what I’m looking for when cooking poultry. I also check the breast meat to see if it comes off the bone to be sure it’s cooked through. And it is!!
It’s absolutely delicious! I made gravy by pouring the juices from the turkey into a saucepan, heating it and thickening with a cornstarch slurry. You do not want to over thicken because as the gravy sits in the fridge, it will become quite thick. If you see the gravy thick, once heated it will become pourable once again.
I also used the juices from the roasting pan to make stuffing. We love stuffing cooked this way and this is how I have always made stuffing! I also serve our turkey dinner with mashed potatoes and natchinka which is a Ukrainian baked cornmeal and a dish I’ve grown up with all my life!! It’s always a favorite at the dinner table! Sometimes we have fresh bread or buns to go with it too, which makes fabulous sandwiches the next day!
I like making stews and soups like zesty turkey soup, turkey noodle soup or turkey and dumplings with leftover turkey and it makes the best sandwiches, hot turkey sandwiches, salads and fajitas too! There really are so many meals that turkey can be turned into!
How to cook a turkey
Place turkey in roasting pan. Add some water which will keep the turkey moist during cooking. I add about 3 cups of water.
Season turkey well. I season with salt, pepper, onion seasoning, garlic and dill. I also add half a chopped onion to the roasting pan.
Place lid on roasting pan. Cook at 350F for 5 to 7 hours, depending upon the size of the turkey. I cook a 5-7kg turkey for 5-1/2 hours or until the meat falls off the bone.
Slice meat and serve. Be careful because it will be quite hot.
I shared more about cooking a delicious Thanksgiving meal, including the turkey, in my post here
If you have questions about roasting a turkey, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
Happy cooking!
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours