How to Roast Succulent and Perfect Turkey

_{How to Roast a Succulent and Perfect Turkey}

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_{The year 2020 has not been kind to us but the holidays are approaching. We are fighters and have the need to live life while complying with masks and social distancing.}

_{Truth be told, I entertained the thought of dining out but with Covid still lurking, the only option is outdoor dining which has no appeal especially for Thanksgiving, no matter how many heated bubbles restaurant owners set up.}  

_{The fun part of Thanksgiving is the after-dinner picking and ongoing snacking for the following week. It’s what we do and what we love!}  

_{So! I decided that this year I would host Thanksgiving again. The only difference is wearing my mask before and after dinner and social distancing as best possible.} 

_{In the past, I always ordered and cooked frozen turkey. Then a few years ago curiosity and a change of pace had me purchase a fresh bird and a good choice it was. The only problem is that a fresh turkey does not come with a lifter; hence, I created my own. See the illustration at the end of this article.}

Items Needed
70 inches of twine for make-shift turkey lifter

_{4 Sticks Unsalted Butter}

_{Salt and Pepper}

_{Carving Board with Moat (if possible). The moat}

_{are the recessed edges of the carving board that contain the juices while carving and making for easier cleanup.}

  
_{Food Station}
I always set up my kitchen table as the food station. This is where I place the leftovers in their respect servers after dinner. This allows everyone to choose their pickin's "to go". I usually provide the extra containers for my first-time guests but family usually brings their own. The best part of Thanksgiving Dinner is the leftovers. 

_{Thanksgiving Eve} 

_{Remove giblets and anything that doesn't look right. Rinse the bird inside and out. I run a cup of warm salt water through the bird to ensure the insides are clean.} 

_{Place in the refrigerator on a shallow pan and cover the bird with plastic wrap. This ensures freshness and keeps the bird moist.}

_{Thanksgiving morning:}

_{Remove bird from the refrigerator - rinse off the remaining juices, pat dry and allow to sit at room temp for at least 20 minutes}

_{Preheat Oven 325 for 10 -15 minutes, depending on the speed of your oven.}

_{Place the twine (makeshift turkey lifter) lengthwise on the roasting rack with ends hanging over the edges of the pan. (See illustrations below)}

_{Please note: In the above illustration, it is better to make 2 or 3 center knots for the bird to lay on. This offers leverage.}

_Prepping:

_{Place bird on the roasting rack. Using one stick of unsalted butter, insert slices under the skin without ripping the skin from turkey and insert slices into the skin of the legs.}  

_{Salt and pepper the bird, then use the remaining stick of butter to smooth over the entire bird. (You can nuke the butter just a tad for smoother coverage)}

_{(Optional) Place the 2nd stick of Unsalted Butter inside the turkey to keep it moist while roasting or, use other ingredients (chopped onions, oranges, celery) in and around the turkey for added flavor.}

_{Truss (tie) the bird's legs together with a short piece of twine. Now place the bird in the oven and let Tom do his thing.}

  

_{Microwave the remaining 2 sticks of Unsalted Butter in a small dish for a few seconds. This will be used to baste the bird every 45 minutes. I am old-school and find this method more rewarding for a moist and succulent bird.} 

_{After 3 hours, check with a meat thermometer – place on the highest, thickest part of the thigh w/o touching the bone / it must read 180. The last half hour of roasting, baste it one more time then cover the bird with foil. The top tends to brown faster.}

_{Once the turkey is a deep, golden brown, remove from oven, and place on top of the stove to cool down for 30-45 min.  This helps contain the juices and make for a cleaner, neater carving.}  

_{Optional: I use McCormick’s Low-Sodium Turkey Gravy. You can make your own, but this is faster and tastes just as good. The recipe calls for 1 cup of water but I add an extra one-quarter cup of water to cut the salt and give it a smoother taste.}

_{Additional questions/concerns can be addressed to me at lorilogic811@gmail.com} 

Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving.