Topic: Cooking Turkey...

[Admin aka Dan]

How do we all cook turkey - covered, uncovered, stuffed, unstuffed ?

What do we put in the roasting tin - water, olive oil, vegetable oil, lard ?

I'm just curious you understand !!!

[busy_lizzie]

Happy Christmas Dan!  Although I will have chestnut pate, cooking Turkey for five others.

First thing I do is make the stuffing, which is Paxo Sage and Onion, I have experimented with more exotic mixtures myself, but Husband says he prefers good old Paxo. When the stuffing is done will stuff it into the neck up to the breast of the turkey under the skin. Then I spread butter all over the bird's breast and legs, season a little, then place some rashers of bacon over the breast.

I will then wrap it up in a generous amount of foil letting the air circulate inside, like a loose parcel. It is then placed on a large Baking tin,  and I place a little water inside.  I do about 20 minutes per lb. on a medium heat.  I do take it out at least once to see how it is doing, and then when I think it looks almost ready I remove the foil and baste it with the juices and put it back to brown for about 20 minutes. You can always tell it is done if you stick a skewer into the thigh and the juices run clear.  I take it out of the oven and rest it about 30 minutes before serving. Hopefully it is tender and succulent, but a little crispy on the outside.

Happy Christmas to everybody, hope everybody has a wonderful meal! :P :-* :D busy_lizzie  

[Gardengirl]

Well Lizzie - great minds think alike ;D  I cook mine in almost exactly the same way as you do, except that I never thought of putting water in the baking tin.   I put sausage meat in the neck end and make separate Paxo stuffing balls (if you'll pardon the expression!!)

Enjoy your Christmas dinner Dan, hope it turns out jut right........Pat

[Suze_O]

I was taught by my grandmother to put a whole apple in the cavity - theory being it helped keep it moist

Maybe it was a tradition local to South Wales ?

[Ragged Robin]

My way is a variation on a theme; I also add a glass of plonk to the water in the tin, plus any herbs to hand. I also cook the turkey upside dowm for the first half of the cooking time, keeps my breast moist, then turn it up the right way and add the bacon, always cook my stuffing seperate.

[Mrs Ava]

Aha, I have the greatest way of cooking a turkey!  Unbeatable!  Mum does it!   ;D