This is the first time I have ever made a turkey. I’ve never had Thanksgiving at my house (well once, but I was pregnant and so sick I could barely get off the couch. Someone else made the turkey but I have no idea who it was. I don’t even remember if I had any of it.) Anyway, I had a turkey in the freezer that needed to be used. I wasn’t sure how to cook a turkey that would be awesome, I searched online. Several recipes claimed that cooking turkey upside down makes the most moist meat. I wasn’t planning on carving my turkey at the table so I thought, “What the heck, I’ll try it.” Boy am I glad I did! It was amazing. The most moist turkey I’ve ever eaten. Even my husband and son who only like dark meat because “white meat is always dry”, raved about it. You really should try it.
Disclaimer: I think that taste is more important than presentation when it comes to food. If you are one of those types that want your turkey to look all pretty so you can bring it to the table and carve it, this recipe is probably not for you. People might laugh at you if you bring out a turkey with it’s legs facing north instead of south. Just giving you a head’s up.
2-3 stalks celery, cut in thirds
2 carrots, cut in thirds
1 onion, peeled and quartered
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
-Sprinkle the inside of the turkey with plenty of salt and pepper—use your hand to spread it around if you need to. Stuff the celery, carrots, and onion into the cavity of the turkey. My turkey had a plastic thingy holding the legs together. If yours doesn’t, you will probably need to tie the legs together with string (don’t use nylon string).
-Rub olive oil all over the skin of the turkey. (You can also use melted butter, but I don’t like that as much because when it touches the cold turkey, it gets all lumpy and feels disgusting. But you can use it if you want.)
-Sprinkle salt and pepper generously on entire surface of turkey.
-OK, here is the totally weird part. Are you ready? Place the turkey, breast side down, in a large roasting pan. I know, it sounds strange, but it works. The juices from the turkey drip down into the breast as it cooks, making it so moist and flavorful.
-Place turkey in an oven preheated to 400. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn temperature down to 350 and bake for 2 more hours. Then turn oven down to 235 and bake for 60-90 minutes or till turkey tests done with a meat thermometer.
-Let turkey sit for 15 minutes before slicing.
So when you are cooking the turkey (upside-down) does it sit right on the roasting pan or do you set it up on the v-shaped thingy?
Also I add some sour cream to my garlic mashed potatoes and those taste fabulous too!