Have you heard the story of the new bride who, after following her mother’s turkey recipe exactly, asked her mom why they cut the legs off of the turkey and cooked them on the side? Her mom replied that she didn’t know; it was grandma’s recipe. So one day the young lady had a chance to ask her grandmother. Imagine her shock to discover that the reason behind this recipe secret was simply the fact that her grandmother’s original pan wasn’t large enough to hold the turkey with its legs still attached!
I am not going to be recommending that you cut off your turkey’s legs, but this recipe did come from my grandmother! And honestly, I don’t know that I can even call this a “recipe” because it is so incredibly simple; however, as an adult, when it finally became my turn to cook the Thanksgiving turkey, I knew this was the way I wanted to go because I remembered how tender and juicy the turkey always turned out to be.
The only thing you need is your turkey and butter (I use a stick for a 10-15 lb turkey and 1.5-2 sticks if its over 20 lbs).
(Side note: If you’re looking for a great pan, this one has amazing reviews and is big enough for that large-family turkey … including the legs!!)
* Thaw the turkey (about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4-5 lbs)
* Preheat the oven to 250° F.
* Place the turkey in your roasting pan upside down (breast-side down) – this will make the normally dry breast meat sooooooo much jucier and save you from having to baste the turkey!
* Cut up the butter into pats and place them around the turkey
* Put in the oven approximately 14.5 hours before your planned meal
* Roast for 14 hours (no basting needed – hurray!) Note: if the turkey starts to get too brown on top, place a foil “tent” over it.
* Carve and enjoy!
Note: for an easy Keto/THM-S gravy, I put the turkey drippings plus another stick of butter in a pan over a low-to-medium heat and stir in Xantham gum until I reach the desired consistency (noting that it will thicken more as it cools).
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