Nobody Beats Martha Stewart's Basic Instruction for Turkey Recipes! So, Here You Go...

As sassafras as I think I am in the kitchen, nobody beats Martha Stewart for basic cooking instruction. So, I am reprinting hers below. I have used the cheese cloth method, and it produces a wonderfully even browning of the skin. I highly recommend not skipping that step. 

The only modifications I offer is that I use my own LaDolceVitaGirl TURKEY BRINE RECIPE at least 24 hours prior to baking (see link). 

Then, I always use Rosemary, Thyme, Sea Salt, and Pepper on the outside of the bird, to season. 

I stuff the inside with my own recipe of LaDolceVitaGirl Thanksgiving, Green Apple Stuffing and I remove bird, cover, and allow to sit at least 30 minutes, prior to serving. 

**Happy Thanksgiving!**

Martha Stewart Basic Turkey Instructions

1 twenty- to twenty-one-pound fresh whole
turkey, giblets and neck removed from
cavity and reserved
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), melted,
plus 4 tablespoons at room temperature
3 1/2 cups dry white wine, plus 1 cup
for gravy (optional)
1. Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room
temperature.
2. Heat oven to 450° with a rack on the bottom. Combine melted butter and white wine in a
bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut into a 17-inch, four-layer square.
Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
3. Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey
comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; using an instant-read thermometer later will give a more
accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and
pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity with as much stuffing as it will hold comfortably; do not
pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish at 375° ). Tie legs together
loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under and secure with
toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
and pepper.
4. Lift cheesecloth out of liquid and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp; reserve remaining
liquid. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can
cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry
brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter-and-wine mixture. Reduce oven
temperature to 350° and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and
watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
5. After the third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so
that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough
juices, continue to use the butter-and-wine mixture. The skin will get fragile as it browns, so baste
carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
6. After the fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of
the thigh, avoiding any bones. The temperature should reach 180° (stuffing should be between
140° and 160° ) and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked
for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20
to 30 minutes.