Recipe: Roaster Oven Roast Turkey

Roaster Oven Roast Turkey
Source: Nesco/American Harvest

14 to 22 lb. Turkey, fresh or frozen (thaw completely before roasting - see notes below.)
Poultry Seasoning, salt, pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet)(optional)

Preheat 18 qt. Nesco Roaster oven to 400F. If you have a 12 Qt. Nesco , a maximum of a 14 lb. turkey is recommended, although the cooking times (per pound) will remain the same.

Clean and rinse turkey; pat dry. Remove neck & giblets (prepare separately if desired.) Place turkey on rack. Using a pastry brush, spread mixture of butter & browning sauce evenly over skin of turkey. Season with poultry seasoning, salt & pepper, as desired.

Determine length of roasting time, normally 15 to 20 minutes per pound. A stuffed turkey will add 30 to 45 minutes on to the total roasting time.

First hour of roasting: Stuff cavity, if desired. Cover; roast one hour at 400F. With baster, remove any liquid and fat from cavity of bird and from cookwell. Set aside to make gravy if you wish. Brush bird with basting liquid or with butter mixture.

Reduce temperature to 350F. Roast for the remainder of the cooking time. With baster, again remove any liquid from the cavity of bird and from cookwell when cooking time is about half-way through. Baste turkey with some of the basting liquids you're removing.

If turkey isn't as brown as you like it, increase temperature to 400F. Roast remaining portion of time.

Remove turkey using the lift out handles. Be careful, as the rack will be hot. Set turkey on a platter or cutting board. Let bird stand 10 minutes before slicing.

If turkey is done early, reduce temperature to 200 degrees until serving time.

Note: Roast turkey until internal temperature of meat reaches 180F on the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh muscle. Save the juices to make gravy or as a base for soup. Variation: For extra flavor, add 1/4 cup apple or orange juice concentrate to butter basting mixture. A sliced onion or a little garlic inside the cavity of the turkey also gives it a nice flavor if you choose not to stuff it.

NOTE on thawing a frozen turkey. The National Turkey Federation recommends thawing the turkey in your refrigerator. This method takes one day for every five pounds of turkey you have. For example, a 20# turkey would thaw for 4 days. Place turkey in the original wrapping in a shallow baking pan in the refrigerator. Rinse completely in cold water before roasting.

In reply to:
I have a 19 lb. turkey to cook for thanksgiving. I bought an 18 qt. roaster oven cooker and can't seem to find a recipe to use. If anyone has one for the turkey and stuffing I sure would appreciate it.
Thank you
Maureen, North Carolina