2 Hour Turkey!

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2 Hour Turkey – A 12 lb. turkey can be baked in less than 2 hours without dressing.

2 Hour Turkey

Yes, that’s right I cooked this turkey in just less than 2 hours! I saw the recipe yesterday over on the Safeway.com site and made a few changes to it but the basic principal is the same. This is a 12 lb. turkey and it was not stuffed with dressing. The cavity of the bird was stuffed with oranges, rosemary and a little thyme. This turkey smelled amazing while it was baking.

I decided at the last minute to add a citrus twist to this turkey because I had gone and bought some of the first of the season oranges that are oh so good today. I intended to just get 2 bags of them and I did but, one of the bags was a quarter of a bushel. Now I’m not all that sure what I am going to do with all these oranges but I am sure gonna try to use them all. Did you know that dogs love oranges? My 2 dogs do, they will even beg for them.

This is the first turkey I haven’t brined since i don’t remember when. This turkey was so moist and juicy using this quick bake method. I brushed the turkey liberally with butter before seasoning the outside. I don’t know why I haven’t been doing it that way all this time. With the butter on the skin first the salt and pepper stayed where I put it even after the other basting.

While we’re talking turkey, if your turkey has one of those timers in it that pop up, remove it, by the time it pops up you will have overcooked your turkey. The thermometer is the best method and you’ll never have an overcooked dry turkey again. You can also add some vegetables if you desire to the bottom of the pan to help enrich the broth. I would use an onion, some celery and a couple of carrots.

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2 Hour Turkey!

Author: Mary Ellen

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 2 hours

Total time: 2 hours 15 mins

Serves: Serves 6 - 8

12 lb. turkey bakes in less than 2 hours with a hint of citrus and herbs.

Ingredients

1 10 - 12 lb. turkey
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper
2 oranges - cut in half
sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Rinse well with cold water. Place in a pan on a wire rack. Salt the inside. Add the water to the bottom of the pan.
Put the oranges and herbs in the cavity of the turkey.
Melt the butter. Brush on liberally all over the turkey. Salt and pepper the turkey on the outside.Put an oven safe thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh where it meets the breast. At this point do not cover the turkey, only if it gets too brown do you need to.
Place turkey in the oven on the lowest shelf of the oven. Turn down to 450 degrees.Set timer for 30 minutes. Rotate turkey and brush again with the butter. Repeat 2 more times. Bake turkey until it reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven and let set until the turkey reaches 180 degrees.
Note: If turkey starts to get too brown, cover it with foil.

More turkey recipes

Brined Turkey Breast

Turkey Breast with Pumpkin Stuffing

Turkey Stuffing Soup