How to cook a turkey in a Rival Roaster Oven is a video on LEAFtv.
Pulling together a big holiday meal is always a challenge no matter how many times you've done it.If you want to make your life simpler, take your turkey out of the oven and prepare it in a countertop roaster.The roaster oven gives you a finished turkey in less time, and it leaves your oven free for all of your side dishes.
Roasting in a roaster oven is the same as roasting in your conventional oven, but it is a bit different.The Rival roaster oven is much smaller than a conventional oven and that has a big impact on how it works.
The relatively small space inside the countertop roaster traps a lot of moisture that would evaporate from your bird in a conventional oven, and it keeps it in the roaster's small cooking well.That moist air transfers heat more effectively than the dry air of a conventional oven, so you'll find that your turkey cooks a bit faster than usual.
It helps keep the turkey moist as it is roasted.The turkey's skin won't come out as crisp and golden as it does in a conventional oven, but there are ways to work around that.
The turkey you can cook in your roaster is limited by its size.The Rival turkey roaster is capable of handling turkeys up to 22 pounds, and the 22-quart model can handle turkeys in the 25 to 28 pound range.If you don't want the bird to be in contact with the sides or lid of the roaster, you might want to use twine to keep it compact.
You might be better off buying a smaller bird if you're not sure of your turkey-trussing skills.A good rule of thumb is to allow a pound of turkey size for every quart of your roaster's capacity, which should leave enough room for your bird to fit comfortably and without fuss.
preheat your roaster to your preferred cooking temperature by setting the rack in the bottom.For a pre-basted bird, the directions call for a temperature of 350F.The USDA recommends that you go no lower than 325F to ensure food safety.
Take care not to burn yourself on the roaster's hot sides, Pat the bird dry and season it to taste, then reach in and position the turkey on a rack.If you're going to use a leave-in meat thermometer, you need to open the lid and set the timer for your expected cooking time.
The instructions that came with your roaster suggest cooking a fresh bird for 15 to 17 minutes per pound at 350F, or a prebasted bird at 375F.The old-school standard for a cooked turkey is 180F, so those times are based on that.The USDA's current standards consider a turkey to be fully and safely cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F, which leaves the bird a lot juicier and tastier.
It's best to cook a prebasted bird from the shortest cooking time of 12 minutes per pound, or 15 minutes for a fresh one, and check your thermometer at least 20 to 30 minutes before you expect it to be done.The turkey is ready if it shows a temperature of 165F or higher in the breast and inside of the thigh.
If you want to make your favorite part of the turkey, you'll need to take a few extra steps.Rival suggests roasting the bird with butter every 30 minutes.That works, but opening the lid often lets out a lot of heat and can stretch your cooking time.