Cooking Juicy Turkeys

Yesterday I called 1 800 Butterball to ask them how to cook our turkeys that we raised. I wanted to avoid having the 10 to 15 pound turkeys be so dry as they have been in previous years.

First, the woman told me that to make sure the frozen turkey thaws, it should be in the refrigerator at least three days. If it isn't thawing fast enough, put him in the sink breast down and fill the sink with cold tap water. Keep the bird in the sink for 3 to 4 hours, changing the cold tap water every 30 minutes.

Cook the unstuffed turkey 3 to 3 and one-half hours at 325 degrees in a shallow pan filled with vegetable oil. Cook it uncovered for the first two hours, but put a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the bird for the last hour. The bird is done when the thigh is 180 degrees and the breast is 170 degrees. Let the bird rest for twenty minutes before devouring.