Grandma G's Baked Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe #102731
The secret for my buttery tasting moist turkey, is the injector! Yes the large "syringe looking" injector usually used for injecting cajun spices into meats. The result is a very moist turkey, every time! Cook times are based on the size turkey you have. I usually cook a 12 to 15 pounder. I've based cook times on 12 to 15 pound turkey.
by GrandmaG
3½ hours | 15 min prep
1 turkey
- 1 (12 lb) turkey
- 1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
- 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (I use Parkay sticks)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped in 1 inch chunks
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 large carrots, cut in 1 inch chunks
- 1/2 cup butter
Basting
- 1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
- 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (I use Parkay sticks)
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Remove giblets and neck.
- For those of you who have never cooked a turkey before, check inside the body cavity, and inside the neck chest cavity.
- Rinse turkey and pat dry.
- Mix melted butter and salad dressing.
- Draw up mixture into injector and inject bird in several locations in the brest, thighs and leg.
- Place in roaster pan and add all vegetables inside the body cavity.
- Cut 4, 1/2 inch slices from the butter and insert under the breast skin, and push up as far as it will go.
- Place the remaining stick of butter in the cavity.
- Cover with heavy foil, making sure the foil does not touch the turkey.
- Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes in 450 degree oven.
- If meat thermometer reads 185 degrees, it's time to uncover and baste using all of basting liquid.
- If it has not reached 180 degrees return to oven for additional 30 minutes.
- Check therometer.
- Bake another 45 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and cover with foil again and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
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5 stars