Mom's Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe

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Mom's Perfect Roast Turkey
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Ingredients:

  • 1 dash cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Defrost turkey, if necessary.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
  3. Open turkey package, (try this in a clean sink) removing turkey giblets and other interior cavity elements along with thermometer. Unless you want to make gravy or cook these elements, throw them away, noting the exact poundage of the bird (cut off the label with this on it if necessary and reserve for time calculations later). Leave the skin on the turkey for roasting.
  4. Wash (rinse) turkey inside and out, making sure that any stray feathers are removed.
  5. Place turkey breast-side down in a foil-lined rectangular cake pan (depending upon size of bird, use a 9x13 pan) or foil-lined roasting pan. Also take into consideration that some juices and fat will melt during roasting time and may fill up the pan a bit around the turkey unless put on a roasting rack in the pan. (No one likes to clean up turkey mess, but if you're out of foil, spray pan with cooking spray to have easier cleanup later. I prefer to use a disposable foil pan so that I can discard entire mess after Thanksgiving is over.).
  6. Place turkey with pan into oven, about in the middle (enough space needed for bird to fit), and not so close to heating element that anything burns.
  7. Do not change oven temperature. Cook for fifteen minutes per pound. (Example: 20.2 pound bird would be: 20.2x15=303 minutes. 303/60=5.05, so you would need to cook the bird for five hours, and one to three minutes.).
  8. Take out of oven, and let rest for at least 15-30 minutes. The juices will need to settle back into the bird. If you cut it immediately, you will have a dry bird. Basting is only required when you overcook the meat (aka meat thermometer), or if you want a particular flavor to the turkey (basting with stock, juice of some sort, butter mixture, BBQ sauce, etc.) Turkey, when done well, may be nice with seasonings, but has a great flavor on its own. If you left in the meat thermometer, you should not see it pop out. The bird is still safe to eat and YUMMY!
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Nutrition Facts

Per ServingPer 100 g
Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories 881.6 Kcal (3691 kJ)
Calories from fat 337.64 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37.52g 58%
Cholesterol 450.18mg 150%
Sodium 700.28mg 29%
Potassium 1400.56mg 30%
Protein 137.56g 275%
Iron 6.3mg 35%
Calcium 68.8mg 7%
Amount Per 100 g
Calories 141 Kcal (590 kJ)
Calories from fat 54 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 58%
Cholesterol 72mg 150%
Sodium 112mg 29%
Potassium 224mg 30%
Protein 22g 275%
Iron 1mg 35%
Calcium 11mg 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

  • salty
  • savory
  • bitter
  • sweet
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Recipe Tags

Weightwatchers Points

  • 20.8
    Points
  • 22
    PointsPlus

Good Points

  • saturated fat free,
  • low sodium,
  • sugar free

Bad Points

  • High in Sodium

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