Turkey - It takes a Village

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

So for the last few weeks every newspaper, magazine, and blog that I have read and every TV show I watched has featured the best way to roast a turkey. So at 7AM this morning I decided to incorporate 4 of the methods into my way of roasting a turkey. If one way is supposed to be good why not incorporate many of the techniques to get the best turkey onto my table.

Roasting the turkey upside down was a big item this year. One show said to turn upside down for the first hour and another for the last hour. Butterball said no way because it is too wobbly to turn around.

Stuffing the bird with citrus fruit was another popular twist as was coating the bird with olive oil and paprika. Another old standby that I have not done was using a Reynolds roasting bag.

I decided to use a turkey bag because I figured it would be easier to flip a 22 pound turkey if it was contained.  I stuffed my turkey with clementine oranges and apples - mostly because that was the fruit I had in my fridge. I oiled it up and sprinkled salt and paprika all over its skin. Then I placed it in the roasting bag, which was already sitting in a foil roasting pan set on a cookie sheet, and put the tie on the end to keep the contents in the bag.

Since I was going to church after I placed it in the oven, I opted to roast it breast side down for the first two hours. A purely subjective amount of time because that was how long it was cooking by the time I got home from Mass. It was actually pretty easy to flip it breast side up since it was in a bag. I just had to use 2 potholders and rolled the bag right over in the foil pan. After the pop up timer indicated it was done I turned the oven off and let it rest in the bag for about 1/2 hour while I finished the mashed potatoes and other sides. That turkey stays really hot inside the bag!

Well I am not sure which technique made the turkey the most flavorful and moist that I have ever made but next year I am following the same routine!