I am a big fan of brining the turkey. You soak it overnight in a brine of water, salt, brown sugar and spices. You rinse it the next day and roast as usual.
BEST TURKEY EVER!!!!
Have never had that but it sounds great. Send a few slices over by freepmail? I have had smoked turkey, and that was heaven.
Concur, for the last three years we have been brining the turkey, we will never go back, no matter how you cook it it comes out way more juicy and tender, from the brining FAQ:
*** What's in the Brine ? ***
The brine is mostly water, some salt at a minimum and some sugar
and spices and herbs and onions and garlic at a maximum.
What does the brining process do for my chicken or turkey ?
The brining process forces water into the muscle tissues of the
meat by a process known as diffusion and osmosis. This additional
moisture causes the muscle tissues to swell and hold more water.
The resulting water in the muscle tissues will make the meat more
moist and tender. Any spices, herbs or other flavorings you add
to the brine solution will get taken deep into the meat with the
water. See section 10.5.4 of the BBQ-List FAQ version 2.0 for more
information on brining (brining a chicken is similar to brining a
turkey).
*** What do I use for a brine ? ***
As a general starting point, take one gallon of water and add 3/4
(preferable - but you can use up to a cup) of salt (kosher is best !),
1/2 cup of sugar and then the rest is up to you. Sliced onions are
nice, a few cloves of crushed garlic add a nice flavor and then
there's the spices and herbs.
Email me if you want this faq.....