from Mecox Bay Dairy
Unwrap your fresh turkey, remove the bag of giblets from top cavity, remove neck from the body cavity, and rinse turkey inside and out. Lightly fill turkey with your favorite stuffing.
Place turkey, breast side up, in large roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and rub with olive oil.
Place in preheated 425° oven for 30 minutes. Turn oven down to 350°. Baste turkey with pan juices every 30-45 minutes. If turkey starts to get too brown, cover with foil tent. Continue cooking according to the guidelines below, depending on the weight of your turkey.
When done, remove turkey pan from oven. Let sit 20 minutes. Carefully remove turkey and place on carving platter. Cover lightly with foil.
For Gravy: Place roasting pan on burner, turn to high, add 1 cup water, and scrape down sides and bottom. Bring to a boil, and let boil gently. Meanwhile, whip together ½ cup flour and 2 cups water until no lumps remain. Slowly pour mixture into gravy, stirring constantly. Let boil 2-3 minutes until creamy and thick. Serve as is or strain before serving.
Approximate cooking times
Stuffed Turkey
18 lbs........................ 4 hours
22 lbs........................ 5 hours
25 lbs....................... 5.25 hours
30 lbs....................... 6 hours
Unstuffed Turkey
18 lbs........................ 3.5 hours
22 lbs........................ 4 hours
25 lbs........................ 4.25 hours
30 lbs........................ 5.25 hours
What size turkey do I need? We recommend 1.5 pounds per person (enough for leftovers!)