First time roasting a turkey

[Shelley]

It's my first time ever cooking a turkey. My bird is completely thawed.

I've got an 18.5lb turkey to cook tomorrow. I will be buttering, salting, and peppering the turkey skin and putting butter and fresh herbs between the skin and the breast. I am NOT stuffing it.

I found a few sites that said to cook the turkey at 475 for 20 minutes and then cut the temp down to 250 for 6 hours (based on my turkey weight).

I also found a few that said to cook the turkey at 325 and add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan and cover with an aluminum foil tent. Then bake for 4.5 hours (based on my turkey weight). And to remove the tent after 1.5 hours of cooking.

What do you think is the best way to go? What have you done in the past?

 

[Mama Mangia]

Shelley - send me a PM with your email addy - I will send you a turkey cookbook

 

[jglass]

I stuff my turkeys with garlic, onions & the fresh herbs thyme, sage and rosemary. I put a compound butter of roasted garlic, thyme, sage and Knorr's herb sauce mix between the skin and breasts. I drizzle the outside with olive oil, salt, pepper and a little herbs de provence, Wrap up tight in foil so that all of my juice stay inside the foil. I put on a roasting rack and in the pan I keep just enough water to cover the pan. During the last little bit of cooking I time it so that my water has cooked out of the bottom of the pan and I take the foil off the bird brush with a little more olive oil and brown the bird. I always bake my turkeys at 350. I use an instant read thermometer and when it hit 165 it is done.

 

[Shelley]

I ended up cooking the turkey at 350 for about an hour because I was baking something else as well. After that I turned it down to 325. I ended up stuffing it with sage, thyme, and rosemary. I also quartered a lemon and put that in the cavity. I mixed butter with Onion Onion (a spice made by Tastefully Simple) and put that between the skin. Then I mixed melted butter and olive oil and put that on the outside of the bird. Put a foil tent over the pan. Basted it every now and then. And then browned it at the end without the foil.

It turned out wonderful and made a great gravy!!

Thanks for all of the tips and advice.