I need turkey help

Please don't move!!! This board get more posters then the food board.

Anyone I am making a turkey for the 1st time. I have looked online and am now confused.

How long do I cook it for?

What do I put the oven on?

How often am I suppose to baste it?

Am I suppose to put a foil tent around it.



Also its a 19lb turkey and I was going to put it in a roasting pan and we are not stuffing it.

Ahhhhhhhh.... Why do I offer to do thanksgiving. I never cook.

Re: I need turkey help

The standard "formula" is 15 minutes per pound at 350. However, I find that this can dry out the turkey, so I actually put the oven at 375 and take off about half an hour at the end (I am usually roasting a 15 pound bird).

No foil in the beginning because then the skin won't brown. You can put foil over it towards the end if you think the skin is getting too dark. I also never stuff my turkey with stuffing, but I shove onion quarters, garlic cloves, lemons, thyme, rosemary, or whatever aromatics I feel like to flavor the bird. I don't baste my bird, but you can, once every twenty minutes to a half hour after the first hour. You can also add about 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pan and some sliced onions to make a gravy. You can thicken the gravy with a roux after the turkey is done, or get a container of Wondra flour to thicken it.

Re: I need turkey help

I googled "How long to cook a 19 pound turkey"

Re: I need turkey help

In addition to pp .. I rub herbed butter under the skin and on top of the skin .. Then I add chicken stock to the bottom of the pan with some pats of butter and thats what I baste the turkey with ... It comes ourt awesome!

Good luck