How to Make a Decent Roast Turkey

Making a presentable turkey roast that is enjoyable and that doesn't require you to be a five-star chef, does not have to be a headache. Follow these tips that I have painstakingly discovered and save yourself the trouble.

One of the most puzzling things about poultry roasting is how to get the bird to stay juicy on the inside, not dry and crumbly. The key is NOT to cover the chicken. Strange you might say, but it's true. When you cover the meat, the pressure inside the hood builds up, actually forcing the juices out of the turkey, resulting in a lot of liquid in the pan but not much left in the fowl, this can be especially frustrating with turkeys because they are naturally dry on the inside. So how do you fix this problem?

First employ the good services of an herbal/seasoning rub. A mixture of olive oil and the herbs and seasonings of your choice rubbed generously over and in the turkey, will serve to flavor it, give it a nice finish to present on the platter and act as a sort of seal that the internal fluids of the roast will be reluctant to cross. In other words it seals in the liquid. Next is the oven temperature. It plays a very important role you know. If it's too high you'll burn the thing. Too low and you'll leech the liquid out despite all your efforts and end up with a very late dinner. So where's a body to turn to you say? 350° F is the norm and it works like a charm every time.

Now last but not least, keep the turkey uncovered for the duration of the roast. If you really don't like your turkey as brown as it will get with the cover off the whole time, like caramel brown, then cover it for the last half hour. If you really like your poultry white then cover it from the beginning but leave adequate openings around the edge to ensure that the pressure inside will remain at a desirable level.

Ok now, I've done all you say and I'm waiting for the big moment when I take it out of the oven and I know that it's done. But um, when is that?

Good question. The easiest way to tell is to use an internal thermometer. Most roasting chickens come with the meter already inserted in the thickest part of the bird and when it reaches the right temperature it pops. However the old fashioned way is more intuitive. What you're doing is testing the drumsticks to see if they exhibit tenderness meaning doneness.

To do this, you get a pair of kitchen thongs and use them to squeeze the legs of the fowl. What you're looking for is flesh that yields beneath your firm but not oppressive touch. You should be able to feel the bone. To get some insight into what you're looking for, test out the rigidity of the legs before you pop it in the oven. Then you'll have a better idea of what you're looking for. But don't rush it, turkeys tend to take a while to roast because they're so big. Plan your dinner around the extended cooking time of the bird so your meal isn't late or under cooked.

Now to show off the product of all that not so hard work, carefully remove the turkey from the pan, you may want to enlist some help for that since turkeys can be rather large, place it in the platter and present it for all to see and admire. Serve up your gravy and side dishes and Enjoy Your Meal.