I don't think the nature of the bird has as much to do with how you handle it. We have done our turkeys this way for years and they are always perfect, cooked, but still juicy.

CARYL�S ROAST TURKEY

13 Pound Turkey - Thawed
Juice of 2 Lemons
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Cups Dry Red Wine

For the Garlic Butter:
2 Sticks Butter
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Salt

Tuesday night, coat the thawed Turkey with the juice of the 2 fresh Lemons, and rub with Salt. Refrigerate covered for 24 hours. Wednesday night, wash and dry Turkey and return to refrigerator covered with clean foil. Prepare Garlic Butter the day before you will cook the turkey.

For the Garlic Butter, melt 2 � sticks butter with Garlic Powder and Salt. Remove from heat and refrigerate over night.

Just before cooking the Turkey, place it in a pan that is shallow enough to come no more than half way up the sides of the Turkey. Stuff the Turkey, if desired. Pat the Turkey dry with paper towel, and coat the outside of the bird with the Garlic Butter. Place aluminum foil loosely (in a tent like fashion) over the Turkey, leaving one end open. Bake at 350 degrees until the breast meat registers 160 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 3 hours. Uncover turkey, pour wine over the bird and roast for an additional � hour, or until the turkey is golden.

Remove Turkey from the pan to cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. Use the drippings in the roasting pan to make the gravy.

Steve

the secret of a moist turkey is easy.....don't over cook it!
I have had good luck with Honeysuckle White as well as supermarket brands as well as so called "Fresh" turkeys...
And frankly I preferred a frozen turkey to those "fresh" that are held at 28 degrees and feel hard but not deep frozen.
Just don't over cook!...get an instant read thermometer and cook until the thigh measures 155....remove, cover, tent with foil and I pile on several beach towels. The temperature should rise to 160 after about 20 minutes.
Dry turkey is overcooked turkey.
Linda C

For the moistest turkey, try the dry salt method. You have to start salting the turkey three days before you cook it, but it is by far the best method I have tried.

Steve's method looks good as well, although I generally put the garlic butter under the skin of the turkey instead of on top.

Lars

Thank you all for the techniques, my mouth is watering just thinking of turkey dinner. I forgot to add that my husband is planning on cooking the turkey in the Weber Kettle!

It'll be wonderful in the kettle.....just remember to have a handy instant read thermometer....it's easy to overcook a turkey in a kettle. Keep the fire low and the coals to the outside of the kettle.A couple of years ago, my son cooked 3 turkeys as a matter of comparison....3 14 pound birds for 24 guests. One stuffed in the oven, one on the Weber and one in the frier......the one from the frier was deemed best, with the one in the weber a close second.....but we had to have one in the oven for the smell and the gravy!

Oh, I long for our Weber Kettle. I get to roast a turkey (first time in 40 years without it) for a table at our RV Park's Thanksgiving dinner. Do wish me luck. They are providing "elec. roasters)" and I hope directions. Someone said "roasting bags" for easy clean-up. I am really dreading this, and looking forward to any and all ideas. I would almost be afraid of the garlic...one gal is french and I wish SHE had the turkey to do.