Things You'll Need:
- Turkey
- Roasting pan
- Water
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Vegetable oil
- Oven
- Cooking thermometer
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Step 1
The first thing you need to do is purchase a fresh turkey. To get the freshest visit your local butcher. Otherwise head to the grocery store and check the labels until you find a turkey that is labeled "fresh."
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Step 2
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
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Step 3
If you bought your turkey fresh, then it shouldn't be frozen. You can go ahead and remove any insides that may be stuffed inside the turkey. Now give the turkey a quick rinse under the faucet and place it in your roasting pan. Add a little water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
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Step 4
Add some spices for flavoring. Coat the turkey with vegetable oil instead of butter under the skin. This keeps the seasoning stuck to the turkey and gives it some more flavor. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper generously all over the top and sides of the turkey.
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Step 5
Now cover the turkey with the roasting lid or aluminum foil. Cook 15 minutes for each pound. If your turkey is 12 lbs. it will need to cook for 3 hours.
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Step 6
Once the turkey has cooked for the alloted time, take it out of the oven and check the internal temperature. If the temperature is 160 to 165 degrees in the breast area, then it is done. If not, put the turkey back in to the oven until it reaches this temperature.
