I've never stuffed a bird with citrus before. Now I'll have to try this with a roast chicken because my curiosity is peaked!
Here's a recipe for turkey that I've been making for 20 years and I never fail to get asked for the recipe. I got it from a caterer friend. I've seen different versions of this recipe with the claim of all kinds of people developing it. I don't know when or who developed it but I won't make a turkey any other way. It saves valuable oven time for pies, stuffing and anything else you need to make!
Two Hour Turkey... Promise!
- Wash and pat dry the turkey.
- Place in roasting pan, breast side up. (Some say upside down but that's unnecessary.)
- Lightly coat with olive oil and season how you like. (I use garlic salt and black pepper.)
- Pour one can of chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. (Not over the turkey.)
- Bake in preheated oven at 450*F for one hour. (The high heat sears the skin and seals in the juices.)
- After one hour, pour another can of chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. (Only if you plan to make homemade gravy, but who doesn't?!)
- Turn the oven down to 350* for one more hour.
After two hours your turkey timer will be popped-up and the bird a gorgeous, golden brown. If you have a very large turkey, it may take an extra 15 minutes but that only happened when I had a 22 or 24 pound bird.
Personally, I like peeling and crushing (with the flat of the knife) several cloves of garlic to add to the broth and putting a few inside the turkey. Helps make a tastier gravy, too!
It's the juiciest turkey you'll ever have. I'm not a name brand loyal person but, when it comes to turkey, I only buy Honeysuckle White.
I always make Vanilla Mashed Sweet Potatoes (made with vanilla beans) to go with my turkey. It's a nice change from the overly-sweetened and overly-buttered recipe that includes brown sugar and marshmallows. It has a comforting aroma that contributes to tryptophan effect of the turkey!