A beautifully browned turkey often is the showpiece of a family gathering or holiday entertaining. The timing for coordinating a browned outside with properly cooked meat on the inside of the turkey is tricky. Tenting a turkey with aluminum foil often is the answer. The tent allows the turkey to cook thoroughly, but it blocks radiant heat, reducing the speed at which the turkey will brown. By including a foil tent as part of your cooking process, you ensure preparation of a turkey that is not only moist and delicious, but also a feast for the eyes.
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit or to the temperature recommended by your turkey processor.
Step 2
Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Rinse the outside and inside cavity of the turkey with cold tap water. Pat the inner and outer areas of the bird dry with paper towels and place the turkey on a clean preparation surface.
Step 3
Brush the entire turkey with canola oil or melted butter with a pastry brush.
Step 4
Stuff the turkey, if desired, with the stuffing of choice. Prepare 1/2 cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey. This is optional and will increase cooking time.
Step 5
Place the turkey, breast-side up, in a sturdy roasting pan that allows space around the body of the turkey.
Step 6
Fold a large piece of aluminum foil in a tent shape. Make the tent large enough to rise 1 inch above the top of the turkey and drop to the sides of the roasting pan when placed over the top of the bird. Pinch the foil along the edges of the pan to prevent steam from escaping while cooking.
Step 7
Slide the roasting pan containing the tented turkey into the preheated oven. Set the oven timer and bake the turkey as recommended by the turkey processor. This information is typically provided on a tag attached to the turkey when you buy it.
Step 8
Remove the aluminum foil tent from the turkey about 20 minutes before the bird is done. Baste the turkey with the pan juices with a large spoon or turkey baster to prevent it from drying out. The turkey takes on a beautiful brown color during this last 20 minutes of cooking time.
Step 9
Remove the cooked turkey from the oven and carefully place it on a serving platter. Allow the turkey to rest 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Tips and Warnings
- Cook the turkey until the temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit when you use a meat thermometer.
- The foil tent should not touch the turkey skin to prevent the foil from sticking to the meat while baking.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels
- Butter or canola oil
- Pastry brush
- Stuffing (optional)
- Roasting pan
- Aluminum foil
- Turkey baster or large spoon
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