High Heat Roast Turkey
Ingredients
- 12 ¾ lb turkey, room temperature
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt to taste
- about ¾" water to cover the bottom of the pan
- pepper to taste
Special Equipment
- roasting rack
- roasting pan
- tin foil
- meat thermometer
How-to
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Clean oven thoroughly to prevent smoking while cooking. If this is not done, be prepared to call the fire department
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Bring turkey to room temperature in its plastic package – takes about 3-5 hours
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Preheat oven to 500º
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Remove giblets and the neck from inside the turkey
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Wash the turkey inside and out with cold water, dry thoroughly with paper towel or cloth.
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Tuck wings underneath the bird and remove the plastic/metal binder from the legs to let them hang free
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Put roasting rack into the roasting pan. Place the turkey on the roasting rack
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Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan but not on the bird – try to keep the turkey dry
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Rub olive oil all over the bird
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Sprinkle with salt and pepper
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Place foil around drumstick ends so they don’t burn
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Loosely cover the bird with a foil tent
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The back of the oven is the hottest part of the oven so place the turkey in LEGS FIRST since they take longer to cook
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Remove the foil tent about 10 minutes before the turkey is done
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Roast 12 ¾ lb bird for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until meat thermometer shows temperature of 170º. Thermometer should be plunged into the deepest part of the thigh without touching the bone
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Once the bird is done, let it rest for 20-25 minutes so the juices get absorbed back into the meat to keep the bird juicy and tender