Fresh or Frozen Whole Turkeys
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove turkey from bag. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels.
• Place turkey lifter across full length of flat rack in a shallow roasting pan, 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep.
• Tuck wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Doing so will help stabilize the turkey in the pan and when carving. Place thawed or fresh turkey, breast up, on the turkey lifter. Raise one loop over wings and breast, and the other loop over drumsticks. Rest loops on turkey, not over edge of pan during roasting.
• Brush skin lightly with vegetable oil or spray with cooking spray to prevent the skin from drying.
• Insert oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh muscle but not touching the bone. When thigh is up to temperature and if turkey is stuffed, move thermometer to center of stuffing. Stuffing should be 165 degrees when done.
•Place your turkey in the pre-heated oven at 325 degrees.
• When the turkey is about 2/3 done, loosely cover the breast and top of drumsticks with a piece of lightweight foil to prevent overcooking.
Use this roasting schedule as a guide and start checking for doneness about 30 minutes before end of recommended cooking times.
• Your turkey is done when the meat thermometer reaches the following temperatures:
180 degrees deep in the thigh. At this temperature juices should be clear, not reddish pink, when thigh muscle is pierced deeply.
165 degrees in the center of the stuffing, if turkey is stuffed.
• Lift roasted turkey onto platter with turkey lifter and discard lifter.
• Before removing stuffing and carving, let your turkey stand 15 minutes to allow juices to set.
Turkey Cooking Times
Net Weight (lb.) Unstuffed (hrs.) Stuffed (hrs.)
4½ to 7 2 to 2½ 2¼ to 2¾
7 to 9 2½ to 3 2¾ to 3½
9 to 18 3 to 3½ 3¾ to 4½
18 to 22 3½ to 4 4½ to 5
22 to 24 4 to 4½ 5 to 5½
24 to 30 4½ to 5 5½ to 6¼
Butterball
