This is my mom's recipe from when I was a kid. Best turkey I have ever eaten!
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Rinse bird in cold water. Drain and pat dry. Fold wings, bringing wing tips to the back of the bird. Fill neck cavity with stuffing, if desired. Stuff body cavity as well, but do not pack stuffing as it will expand as it cooks. If you do not wish to stuff the bird, rub the inside of the bird with salt. Push drum sticks under a band of skin at the tail.
Place turkey, breast side down and allow to bake at least 1/2 of the time. Then, turn the turkey over carefully. Baste with butter. The browning of the bird will take place now so continue to baste with the juices from the roasting pan every 30 minutes. If you use a meat thermometer, make sure it does not touch the bone.
Covering with aluminum foil will prevent excessive browning. Allow the turkey to stand 20-30 minutes to set before carving.
Mom would always set the oven temp low and usually got up around 2AM and put the turkey in. She let it bake on about 250-300 degrees F, depending on the size, until dinner time the next day. She started all the basting, etc. after she got up for the day, around 6AM. The slower the turkey cooks, the more tender it will be and believe me, if you do it like this, it will literally fall apart. Yum!
By Robin from Washington, IA
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Is this time for serving at noon time or 5-6?
Francis
Sounds so tasty, it's making my mouth water. Thanks Robin!
Sounds good! But how big were the turkey's she cooked and how did she prepare them for the oven? Did your Mom use foil or something else?
I have always done mine in a cooking bag and it always seems to come out good, but cooking it at a low temp for a longer time is interesting to me as I might try it sometime.
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