University of Illinois Extension

Cooking Techniques - The Good Method

Foil Wrapped Method

(See Wash Hands: Not the Turkey)

Wrapping and cooking the entire turkey in aluminum foil requires increased oven temperature to ensure safety. Preheat the oven to 450°F. This method actually steams the turkey in its own juices. It produces a moist bird with a light golden, non-crisp skin. The cooking time is reduced due to higher temperatures and the trapped steam inside the foil.

Brush the turkey with melted butter, vegetable oil or margarine. Tear off a piece of 18 inch wide heavy-duty aluminum foil that is 3 times longer than the turkey. Place the turkey lengthwise in the middle of the foil, breast side up. Bring the foil ends up overlapping the turkey. Insert the meat thermometer through the foil into the thickest part of the thigh.

Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan and bring sides of foil up around turkey. Do not make an airtight seal. To brown turkey: open foil during last 30 minutes of cooking.

Roast until meat thermometer inserted in the innermost part of the thigh reads 165°F. Check the temperature in the thickest part of the breast and the wing as well. Temperature in all areas should be 165°F or higher. Broth may accumulate in the foil during cooking. Reserve this flavorful broth for moistening stuffing or for making giblet gravy. Cooking time can be reduced by as much as 30 minutes to an hour compared to traditional roasting timetable.