Aluminum Football (Roast Turkey)

Pokey in San Antonio, TX's Note:

I got this method for cooking a turkey off the internet a few years back. It's fool proof, and you'll have the most moist bird ever. You'll also have about a gallon of drippings for stuffing and gravy. I always cook two birds for Thanksgiving. One either smoked or fried, and the other this way. The smoked or fried bird goes to the table whole for carving. The bird cook this way is sliced up and brought to the table ready to eat. This is because the bird, while very moist and tasty, is not very attractive due to the fact it won't be very brown and the meat will literally be falling off the bone. The purpose of this posting is not to tell you how to prepare a turkey. Do it how ever you usually do. This posting is more about how to cook the bird. Once you have popped the bird in the oven, you’re done—no checking, turning, or basting necessary. Go do other things.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 15

• 18 lbs turkey
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the bird for cooking. I generally inject the meat with a store bought herb-butter marinade, then salt and pepper inside and out. I recommend not stuffing the bird.
2. Using heavy duty aluminum foil, the wide kind, lay out a sheet (approximately 3') on a flat surface. Cover the sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.
3. Place the bird in the middle of the sheet and fold the foil up over the bird pressing/molding the foil to the shape of the bird. Make sure the top edges of the foil are tucked inside the bottom edges.
4. Lay out another sheet and cover with oil just like before.
5. Rotate the bird 90 degrees and place the bird in the center of the new sheet. Fold over and mold into shape.
6. Continue this process, rotating and molding as you go. After the first two sheets, you don't have to use anymore oil. Do this for at least seven layers. You should end up with a turkey shaped "aluminum football".
7. Roast at 475 degrees (yes 475) for 4 hours. If you've done this properly, you won't be able to even smell the turkey cooking.
8. When time is up, bring turkey out and start cutting and peeling back the foil. Have a turkey baster handy and start transferring the drippings to another container. You'll get a lot of drippings. Once you've gotten the bird uncovered (at least the top half), check for doneness with a meat thermometer. I've never had to put the bird back in--it's always been done, but if necessary return to the oven and cook till done.
9. Once you've freed the bird from the foil, set aside for 15 minutes then slice it all up and put the juicy meat on a platter and serve.
10. Use the drippings for dressing or gravy.

Reviews

[KAS in MN]

This was so good and so easy! Everyone loved it and this will be my new Thanksgiving turkey. I mixed 2 Tbsp. of poultry seasoning with butter and rubbed it under the skin and on the outside. Salt, pepper, and garlic powder inside and out. I used a 14 pound turkey and cooked for 3 1/2 hours. Provided lots of drippings for gravy. Perfect. I might also try cooking breast side down next time to keep all that juice in the breast meat.

[Macmommy]

Great idea for cooking a turkey! I added s&p, garlic powder and sage to the turkey, and used the olive oil PAM cooking spray, which made it that much simpler! The turkey was moist, delicious and falling off the bone when I opened it up!

[Chef #1091748]

This was a great way to cook a turkey! It was juicy and flavorful without having to baste it alll the time. I used an 11 pound turkey and cooked it for a little over 3 hours, and it turned out great!