Turkey Recipe
Serves: 10
Prep Time: inutes
Cook Time: inutes
Total Time: inutes
Finally… our famous turkey recipe! Our turkeys cook differently than most turkeys because they have less fat. But the flavor is off the charts! Read Scott Sechler and our own Bell & Evans turkey master’s blog on how to prepare the perfect turkey, including How To Brine a Turkey.
For sizing, a general guideline for serving is 1.5 to 2.0 pounds per person.
Ingredients
You'll Need
- 1 Bell & Evans Turkey
- 1 Large shallow pan
- Small saucepan
- Enough Cheesecloth to cover your turkey
for Basting
- 1/2 lb. of butter
- 1/2 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/2 tsp Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Marjoram
- 1/2 tsp Crushed Rosemary
Preparation
Estimated Roasting Times- Weight and Roasting Time
- 8-12 lbs. at 2-3 hours
- 12-16 lbs. at 3-4 hours
- 16-20 lbs. at 4-5 hours
- 20-24 lbs. at 5-6 hours
- 24-28 lbs. at 6-7 hours
- 28-32 lbs. at 7-8 hours
- These are estimated cook times. All of our turkeys have a pop-up timer. When the timer pops up, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your turkey to ensure it is 173° F. Add 1/2 hour for stuffed turkey
Turkey Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- The turkey should be refrigerator temperature. The colder the bird, the longer it will take to cook.
- If you prepare your stuffing separately, you may want to place onion quarters, celery stalks, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in the turkey before roasting to add flavor and richness to the drippings.
- Cut cheesecloth to a length that will cover the turkey and unfold it to a single thickness.
- Melt butter and add spices.
- Put the cheesecloth into the saucepan, thoroughly saturating it.
- Place your turkey in the pan, breast-side up.
- Place the pan in the oven, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees
In the Oven
- After 15 minutes, drape the butter-soaked cheesecloth over your bird, completely covering it.
- After one hour, baste turkey every 15 minutes to keep the cheesecloth moist
- Remove the cheesecloth for the last 30 minutes of roasting time to crisp the skin.
- Let the turkey sit for 20 minutes after removing from the oven. It will allow the juices to be evenly absorbed and the meat will slice easier.
Bell & Evans are the ONLY turkey I use!
My guests LOVE how moist & delicious my Thanksgiving dinner is each year.
This was my first Bell and Evans turkey. I am very familiar with Bell and Evans chicken products so I decided to give one a try and ordered a Bell and Evans turkey from my butcher. I brined and roasted according to instructions on this website. This turkey and the recipes did not disappoint! You can taste the difference with a Bell and Evans turkey. They are more dense and yet still very very tender. I will always buy Bell and Evans, the quality is worth the price. The recipes I used were flavorful and everyone commented. Even this 65 year old can learn new tricks!
Hi Deb! We are so glad you liked it!
Best turkey ever! The only turkey we eat.
This is the first time I am writing a review. I ordered a Bell and Evans turkey for the first time for Thanksgiving. I did exactly as the directions instructed you to do and I thought it was by far the best turkey I ever had. The thing that surprised me most was the amount of breast meat. I never had a turkey that had that much breast meat. It is definitely my go to turkey in the future. A little pricey but worth it.
Thank you, Kas!
I love Bell & Evans! I want to thank you for the great cheesecloth tip. I didn’t have any on hand, HOWEVER… You can substitute 100% Cotton Gauze in a couple of layers for the cheesecloth. Make sure the gauze is 100% cotton and that it is sanitized in a sealed container.
I have my first Turkey from B&E…we have always exclusively bought their chicken-it is the best-so excited to try the Turkey.
Is it ok not to brine…can I cover the skin with a butter/herb mixture…also I don’t have cheesecloth should I use Tin Foil to cover breast instead…I also see that the recipe says to cook with Bird fridge temp (not room temp) any help would be so appreciated…can not wait…Happy Thanksgiving!
Congratulations on your first Bell & Evans turkey! It is absolutely ok not to brine the turkey. As far as the cheesecloth, you don’t need the cheesecloth. It just helps keep the butter mixture on the skin the bird. Some people have had luck putting the butter mixture UNDER the skin. Just lift the skin with your fingers and push the butter mixture between the meat and the skin. You shouldn’t need the tin foil. Take the bird out of the fridge and start your preparation– that is what is meant by “fridge temp”. Things NOT to do– Try to cook from frozen, or let it on your counter for hours before roasting. Happy Thanksgiving!