# ISO help/tips for cooking turkey in roaster-oven



## garciamgd (Nov 24, 2009)

Hello,
So I bought a Roaster Oven  need so help on cooking a turkey in it .Do I stuff it or not need good receipe and easy .I would grately appreciate .


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## Chef Munky (Nov 24, 2009)

garciamgd said:


> Hello,
> So I bought a Roaster Oven  need so help on cooking a turkey in it .Do I stuff it or not need good receipe and easy .I would grately appreciate .



I know you can't post links just yet, if you could tell us what kind of roaster it is, and size of the turkey would help. Is it whole, boneless? 

You could stuff it, but personally I wouldn't trust it to cook thoroughly, unless a meat thermometer is used. Depending on the turkeys size, browning it to have a crispy skin won't happen without some work. 


Norbest



Munky.


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## Selkie (Nov 24, 2009)

I agree with Chef Munky. Stuffing a turkey has gone out of style and can be dangerous health-wise. Preparing dressing in a pot on the stove is much safer and easier. Use the gibblets that you get from the cavity of the turkey and simmer them in the liquid for your dressing (extracting their flavor), and then remove them just before you add the bread.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 24, 2009)

Make sure turkey is completely thawed and that you remove the giblets, and neck.  Gently boil the neck and giblets in 3 cups water for 45 minutes.  While the giblets are cooking, clean the bird inside and out with clean, running water.  Dry inside and out.  With a roasting pan, I would make the dressing outside of the bird.  Coarsely chop 1 onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1 stalk of celery.  Place the veggies into a bowl and add 2 tbs of good olive oil.  Add 1/2 tsp. each of fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper to the veggies.  Stir until everything is well combined.

When the 45 minutes have elapsed, remove the neck and giblets from the pot and set aside to cool.  Add salt and pepper to the liquid to taste.  Use this stock both for gravy, and for making the dressing.

Now, stuff the veggies into the turkey cavity.  Rub the turkey all over with butter and season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic.  Place a wire rack into the roaster oven and preheat to 350' F.  Insert a meat thermometer into the bird in the thickest part of the breast, taking care to not touch the bone.  Place the turkey onto the rack and cover.  Cook for 12 minutes per pound, and then check the meat thermometer.  Continue roasting until the thermometer reads 150' F.  Remove the bird and let rest for twenty minutes before carving.  To carve, remove the entire breasts from the turkey by running a knife from the breastbone and along the ribs until the whole breast is removed.  Slice the breast meat against the grain.  Remove the thigh/drumstickks at the thigh joint.  Do the same with the wings.  Remove the "oysters" from the turkey back.  These are chunks of the choicest meat on the bird and are located just behind the wings, along the turkey spine.  Save them for someone special.

For the dressing, you will need:
3 cups dried bread or croutons
2 tbs. rubbed sage
1 tsp. ground thyme
Salt
Pepper
1 lb. Itallian Pork sausage
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
Giblets and liver, diced (optional)
2 large eggs
1 cup turkey stock

Place the dried, broken bread or croutons into large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle the herbs all over the bread and stir until well distributed.  Add the stock and stir until all is moistened.  Add the remaining ingredients except the egg.  Let sit for a few minutes and taste.  Correct the seasoning by adding more salt/herbs to taste.  Beat the eggs and add to the dressing mixture.  Stir thoroughly.  Place in a casserole dish or rectangular cake pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour.  Remove and cover.  This can be re-heated in the microwave just before serving.

For the gravy, reheat the stock and season with a little salt, sage and black pepper to taste.  Thicken by combining 2 tbs. cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and stirring into a slurry.  When the stock is boiling, slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry until the gravy is as thick as you want it.

Serve all with sides and enjoy.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Chef Munky (Nov 24, 2009)

Stuffing a turkey isn't out of style in my house. 

What I meant was I wouldn't trust the temperature of the stuffing if it's cooked in a roaster. I don't like the lids on them. Steam escapes, they don't have a nice seal like an oven door has. The cooking temps can be off just a bit. 

If it's stuffed and cooked in the oven I'm ok with that. Providing the turkey temp and stuffing temps are correct.


Munky.


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