moist delicious turky

[jimbo]

It'sthat time of year and I'm gonna let my secret go here for the best moistest breasted turky most people have ever eaten. I have had men want to leave and move in with me after eating this bird. HAHAHA!!!!
First defrost bird or use fresh bird. Place in roasting pan stuff if and prepare as usual. preheat oven at 325°. Take 2 sticks of butter or margerine and place in pan with bird. Then take Soda (I usually use Diet Sprite but Vernors,or 7up may be used) any clear soda will work. This helps keep bird moist and also add a sweet flavor. I bake to instructions on bird wrapper or in cook book letting bird brown till golden brown then covering or tenting with foil. oneof the most important things I also use is a meat themometer. I insert it in the thigh of the bird. when thermometer reaches 165° the bird is done. But if stuffed I also will pulll thermometer out and check inside center of stuffing to be sure it reaches 165° don't want to poison anyone.
Here is another one of my secrets to keep the breast moist. I take my turkey baster the squeeze type and insert it just under the skin on the top of the breast and inject fluid from the pan into the breast . Yes a lot come out of the hole but also a lot goes into the bird keeping the breast meat moist.I do this several times the last hour of cooking. this can make your stuffing moist but also add a ton of flavor to it. I remove bird from oven right when it reaches 165° because it will keep cooking for a while after you take it out. Let it set for at least 1/2 hour to cool and meat will firm up and juices will develope in the breasts. I have actually hadthe turkey squirt liquid when slicing them when cooking them using this tecnique.:rolleyes:

[jimbo]

Here is my stuffing recipe. I usually don't measure most of the ingredients cause they are cheap and you never can tell how much you can fit in the bird and I usually put a seperate casserole of stuffing in with the bird for the last hour of cooking.
giblets from the bird and also cut off any fat around the back of the stuffing cavity. Some people don't like the liver so i don't always put that ion with gizzard and heart.
chopped onion
chopped celery
chicken or turkey broth (turkey broth is available in some stores this time of the year)
about 2 carrots peeled and sliced
2-3 eggs
poultry seasoning
rubbed sage
black pepper (dash)
stuffing croutons (usually one bag)(seasoned or not it doean't matter. If seasoned you just have to add leass seasonong yourself)
a few slices of dried bread (I've used as much as a half of a loaf. I just let it set on cupboard overnight in a bowl to let dry)

First boil turkey giblets and fat in water in a small saucepan. While they are cooking place croutons and break up bread into pieces and put in large bowl. Add seasoning be careful to not overdo it. Set aside.
Remove giblets and fat from water discard fat. Place onions,celery,and carrots in the saucepan and simmer till tender. Add broth to cover. This is where you have to use your own judgement as to how you like your stuffing moist or dryer. Remover veggies and add to bread mixture then pour boullion over till desired moistness. Dice giblets and add to mixture. No one here eats the neck so I also cook neck and remove as much meat as I can and put in stuffing. Stir well and add eggs to stuffing. Stuff bird lightly and close cavities. Place remainder of stuffing into a casserole dish.
You may then bake the casserole dish the last hour your bird is in the oven. I usually will baste stuffing in casserole with turky juices when I baste my bird for added flavor. ;)