Simple Roasted Turkey Recipe

Everyone demands turkey at thanksgiving, but very few really want to be in charge of preparing it. This much-maligned but oh-so-delicious bird has a bad reputation of being too dry, under cooked, or tasteless. The secret to how to roast a simple roasted turkey is in the prep work. To buy the right size turkey, plan on one to one and a half pounds per person-which will also give you enough for delicious turkey leftovers such as soups, sandwiches and turkey casseroles. For the freshest flavor, buy turkey that has been flash frozen after butchering. To allow adequate time for defrosting, plan on two to three days for a 10-to15-pound bird to thaw. Leave the turkey in its original wrapper, place it in a pan to catch any juices, and set the pan in the back (the coldest part) of your refrigerator until it's thawed, then you are ready to follow your recipe for an easy roast turkey. Save your turkey neck and giblets to make your own turkey stock while you turkey roasts this will add so much flavor to your homemade turkey gravy. To help keep the turkey warm during dinnertime, while the turkey is resting, heat up the serving platter. Depending on the type of plate, you can use a low (120f) oven or run hot water over it.