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perfect turkey

(3 ratings)
chachi avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
joeyjoan K
@chachi
Clarkston, MI

The turkey comes out perfect every time. My family loves how I do a bird so much that we have turkey more than once a year. Juicy, tender, mouth-watering meat, white and dark meat alike. Very easy to prepare because like that old infomercial says, you set it and forget it.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

With instructions like set it and forget it, this is a perfect holiday turkey recipe. It's slow-baked to tender perfection. Mayonnaise rubbed all over the skin makes it crisp and holds in the juices. A simple seasoning lets the natural flavor of the turkey shine. If you've never stuffed your turkey before, this is a great recipe to try. The stuffing soaks up the wonderful flavors from the turkey drippings. We used a simple cornbread dressing to stuff this. Keep in mind when stuffing the cavity, the dressing will expand a bit when cooking. You'll hear oohs and ahhs when guests take their first bite.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(3 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 6 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For perfect turkey

  • 1
    turkey defrosted
  • stuffing of your choice
  • mayonnaise
  • salt
  • pepper

How To Make perfect turkey

Test Kitchen Tips
Our turkey was cooked in 6 hours. But check the internal temperature at the time calculated for your turkey.
  • Turkey gizzards, neck, and liver in a pot of water.
    1
    Remove neck, gizzards, and liver. Place them in a pan with water and cook them on the stovetop. (Even if you don't use them, it is like turkey potpourri.)
  • Drying washed turkey with a paper towel.
    2
    Rinse the bird inside and out. Pat dry with paper towel.
  • Stuffing the cavity of the turkey.
    3
    Stuff the bird in both the head and rear.
  • Turkey legs tied together.
    4
    Tie the legs together.
  • Spreading mayonnaise on the turkey's skin.
    5
    With a spatula, spread a very thin coating of the mayonnaise all over the bird. Don't glop it on. Get the heavy glops out of the leg crevices and such.
  • Sprinkling salt and pepper over the turkey.
    6
    Salt and pepper the turkey.
  • Turkey in a roasting pan with an aluminum foil tent on top.
    7
    Place the turkey in a roasting pan. The bird should fit comfortably in the pan it shouldn't be crowded. Using a piece of aluminum foil, make a tent over the turkey with the front and back of the tent open for airflow.
  • Roasting the turkey.
    8
    Place in the oven and bake at 275 degrees. The size of the turkey determines the length of time (25 minutes per pound at 275 degrees).
  • Foil removed from the pan and continue to roast the turkey.
    9
    Remove the foil for the last 1/2 hour of cooking time. Until it is time to remove the foil the bird should not be disturbed. Don't baste it and keep the oven door closed. If you're tempted to peek, look through the glass.
  • Perfect Turkey on a plate with dressing and cranberry relish.
    10
    When the bird is cooked remove it from the oven and let it stand for a 1/2 an hour, at least, before carving. The pan drippings make a wonderful gravy and the liquid from boiling the bird parts works well in place of water. Place on the table and watch your friends and family enjoy.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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