Roast the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

Whether it's your first holiday dinner or you're a turkey roasting veteran, all eyes will be on your turkey this Thanksgiving Day. Rise to the occasion and wow your guests with a perfectly roasted, tender and juicy Thanksgiving turkey:

Featured Product: Oster® 22-Quart Roaster Oven with Self-Basting Lid and Defrost Setting, Stainless Steel

STEP 1 – Get Yourself An Oster® Roaster Oven

The newest Oster® Roaster Oven with Defrost Setting and Self-Basting Lid is just what you need to serve the most flavorful turkey possible, while also streamlining the defrosting, basting and roasting process. While all Oster® Roaster Ovens make it easier to prepare holiday meals with foolproof results, the Oster® Roaster Oven with Innovative Defrost Setting and Self-Basting Lid takes care of everything, including defrosting, to help you create the most delicious turkey you've ever served. 

The Oster® Roaster Oven with Defrost Setting and Self-Basting Lid has a 20-quart capacity that can fit up to a 24-pound turkey, which is enough to serve18-20 people. With this roaster, like all other Oster® Roaster Ovens, you'll free up your conventional oven for baking and warming other holiday dishes and desserts while the Roaster Oven efficiently roasts your turkey to perfection.

STEP 2 - Defrosting the Turkey

A large turkey is sure to take up lots of room in the fridge while it's defrosting. You can minimize the time needed to defrost and keep your turkey in the freezer just a bit more by using the innovative Defrost setting that enables you to take your turkey from frozen to roasted in hours - not days! This way you can pick up some space in the fridge to store your other ingredients during pre-Thanksgiving week. When you're ready to begin preparing the turkey, just place the turkey in the roaster, close the lid, select the Defrost setting - and get back to prepping the rest of the dinner. 

STEP 3 - Preparing the Turkey

You're turkey's fully defrosted - now it's time to season it to perfection. First, start by creating an aromatic base for the turkey to cook on. This has two benefits: First, the turkey is infused with extra flavor. Second, a layer of vegetables and herbs on the bottom of the roaster slightly elevates the turkey, which is important for even cooking. Try chopping two small onions, a handful of carrots and several celery stalks, then placing them on the bottom of the pan in a thin layer and tossing with a little olive oil and sprigs of fresh herbs, like rosemary, sage and thyme.  You could also experiment with other flavor combinations, like maple and brown sugar or lemon and garlic. 

Brushing butter or olive oil on the turkey helps the meat remain moist and juicy during roasting. For an extra tender turkey, brush olive or melted butter under the skin as well as on top of it. 

Additionally, you'll want to resist the temptation to make stuffing in the center cavity of the turkey. The turkey and stuffing require different cooking times, and you run the risk of overcooking the turkey in the attempt to get the stuffing inside to a hot enough temperature that's safe to eat. Instead, you can place fresh herbs or other flavorings inside the turkey. 

STEP 4 - Roasting the Turkey

After you've prepped the turkey, it's ready for roasting. Just set the temperature and let it roast! The Oster® Roaster Oven with Defrost Setting and Self-Basting Lid eliminates tedious hand basting while roasting up the turkey tender and juicy. The unique, innovative self-basting feature automatically circulates flavor and moisture around the turkey, so no basting is required. You won't have to give it another thought until the bird is ready for carving. You can go about the kitchen preparing other dishes and getting ready for guests to arrive. 

STEP 5 - Serving the Turkey

Once roasting is complete, it's time for the main event! Before slicing into the turkey, let it sit for 15-20 minutes - this helps the meat retain the moisture through the self-basting. Then, it's time to eat! Carve carefully, first slicing the drumsticks and then each side of the breast. Arrange on a platter and place as the centerpiece on the table with plenty of gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes and other family favorites.

The Oster® Roaster Oven with Defrost Setting and Self-Basting Lid also makes clean-up after dinner a lot easier. It features a removable enamel-on-steel roasting pan for fast clean-up, so you can get to the sit-back-and-relax portion of the dinner faster! 

You've read the guide, now you're ready to go! There's no better way to roast your Thanksgiving turkey than with the Oster® Roaster Oven with Defrost Setting and Self-Basting Lid. Its unique and innovative features mean less time spent in the kitchen and more time spent with family and friends - while serving the most delicious turkey you've ever had.