Might be worth checking Sears - not sure what their price is now but this past Fri/Sat the 18qt red Nesco was on sale for $44.99. Might be a different model though because regular price was $54.99.

My first year with a Nesco. Single oven here too and I just didn't want to hassle with the juggling.

I bought the red one at Sears. I think Sears has it for 39.99 at the moment. Might check your ads. Even if you can't get there tonight - you can order it online with store pick up and still get sale price. Burn off wasn't bad. You have plenty of time to do that

I did a 12 pound turkey in my new Nesco this week. Mine did not brown. I pulled it before it was absolutely completely cooked but I still can't imagine it browning. I cooked it at 325 for the right amount of time for the size. I cut up the white meat, which was perfect, and put the dark meat back to cook for a little bit longer. All of it went in the freezer as I only cooked this bird to have turkey stock for stuffing and gravy.

Based on my experience, I'd use this for stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, etc. and use the real oven for the bird. Maybe I did it wrong and there is another trick. I didn't read the manual! I did read enough of it to do the burn off outside, however.

Walmart has roasters for even less money, but they may not be Nescos.

I was going to cook a turkey in my old Nesco that I got at a garage sale. But it is only a 16 qt (not marked so had to measure by pouring water in and counting quarts) and I thought it was bigger and got a 21 pound turkey. It won't cook in there, will it.

Barnmom I read that the way to brown a turkey in a Nesco is set it for 400 the first and last hour and 350 for the time inbetween. Probably also baste before the last hour starts.

I have cooked turkeys in an electric roaster....not sure if it was a Nesco or a Westinghouse or a GE....but it browned....
Think I also cooked it at3 25....or maybe 275....but it browned and the skin was crisp....but perhaps the breast was overdone?
Don't know the secret....perhaps removing the lid an hour before it'd done and cranking the temp?...

Well, I sure didn't do that or read up on it. But that makes sense. For this purpose this time, the bird was fine.

Some of them seem to have a removable cookwell, which I thought would be nice. That may be difference between the one I had my eye on and the one at Sear's. Then again, I don't think my Mom's did, and it served her well for a long time. I have seen suggestions for browning, though, that recommend putting the turkey in the cookwell in the oven for 30-45 min. to brown it, and then moving it into a preheated roaster.

Does the outside get hot? That bothers DH, but it's not like we have little ones around anymore.

Yes, the outside will get hot. I put mine on a cutting board on top of my granite countertop. I also crank it up to 400 to start and then reduce the temp. Helps but it will not brown like in the oven. Does not really matter to me because I carve it before I bring it to the table. I've looked for that attachment lid that helps to crisp the bird but cannot find it so if your Nesco has that I'd grab it for that price. Good luck and be sure to do the burn off outside.

I borrowed my mom's Nesco for Canadian Thanksgiving this year. We had a 22lb turkey and it did not brown.

Mom told me to crank it up to 400 or 450 for the first hour before reducing it to 350 for the remaining time. I didn't follow this instruction (because her bird is always dry!) but maybe I should have. :-(

I don't have a picture of turkey, but here's a chicken that I did in the rotisserie:

and here's one that I did in the 6 quart Nesco:

As you can see, the bird in the rotisserie was a bit more evenly browned than in the roaster, but the roaster bird did brown. I don't adjust the temperature at all.

Susytwo, a dry turkey isn't usually the result of the high heat at first, it's overcooking the bird entirely, IMO. I think many of us just cook the things too long "to be sure".

Annie

One suggestion to prevent dry breast is to cook it face down for the first few hours then take it out and turn it for the last hour. I tried doing that once. The breast was very moist but try getting a grip on a hot greasy bird to turn it over without pulling it apart or burning yourself. I used forks and just barely managed it.

Lindac I read that oven temps should not be below 325 for turkey. 350 or 375 is usually recommended for most of the time. Opening the door to baste lets heat out and makes the time longer.

Another reason for a dry turkey, IMO, is failure to allow a suffient rest period after removing from the oven. For a 15-20 lb. bird, resting for a good 45 minutes is not too long. The temperature will continue to climb during the rest period so if you take it out when the temperature reads "done" - it's going to be overcooked after resting. If you don't allow adequate time to rest the juices will run out of the bird during carving. Result - dry turkey.

/tricia

I have a Nesco roaster with the removable cookwell. I think I use the cookwell more than I use the roaster :) I love the cookwell for making chex mix, caramel corn, fresh salsa....anything that is easier to mix in a LARGE container.

I tried roasting my turkey in it one year & the skin didn't get brown. I had brined it that year so I thought maybe that was why the skin was soft. I bet I didn't start it out at hot enough as the ladies suggest here. The turkey was moist & flavorful. I may buy a small turkey & try the higher heat trick :)

Ginger

Well, this year is going to be my maiden voyage with my 18 qt. Nesco. I usually use an oven bag to roast my birds and the skin gets "so-so" brown, but the flavor and moisture is divine!

My plan is to take the removeable cookwell out with the bird and shove it in the oven under the broiler to brown a little if needed.

I'm also in the same boat of not carving at the table and mostly removing the skin anyway.

Now, my biggest concern is I have a 23 lb. bird and I hope it fits! LOL!

I have never cooked a turkey larger than 16 pounds.....maybe 18...in an electric roaster. Perhaps having lots of extra air in that roaster helps the skin to brown well...?
Don't know....

Linda, I'm going to see if the bird fits tomorrow night...if not, my backup plan is to do the bird in the oven and then do the stuffing in the roaster. My stuffing usually takes about 2 hours anyway. Win-win!

There is a new rack for roasting turkey that holds the whole bird well up off of the pan and out of the juices. Here is one example

Why are they making these now instead of sitting in the pan in a flat rack? To try to get the whole turkey browned all over? Doesn't it get very dry from all the juice coming out and no contact with the juice, or do you have to keep basting it?

Then there is this kind of rack that lets you roast the bird like this

Thanks for all your input. None of the BB&B's had that particular roaster in stock. I'm thinking maybe it was a limited production run in 2010 or something. SO - I went to Sears after work and bought the red one for $39.99. I think it will do me fine. I'll burn it off tomorrow. My work compatriots already have ideas for it when we do our annual blow-out Halloween extravaganza!

Happyday - I have that first roasting rack and always did my turkey in a brown-in-bag. Then, I'd poke holes in the bottom of the bag and let the juices run out while DH lifted it out of the pan. Because of the bag, the juices were never really an issue, but I was just happy to have a stable rack with handles, instead of those goofy turkey lifter chains.

I have often roasted a turkey in a Nesco, and everyone has always raved that my birds were so moist and tender. It really does a nice job. HOWEVER--it doesn't really brown the skin up much. There is a special lid that you can buy that will brown it, but I never did that since we don't carve the turkey at the table either.

Cj

Again, if you want dark brown, crispy skin you don't want to use a covered roaster, electric or non-electric. If you put a bird in a covered roaster in the oven it'll not be that mahogany color that some insist on. You need *dry* air to crisp the skin. Roasters keep the moisture in and it partly steams the food. I have the Roast-Air lid for my 6 qt and use it occasionally but I don't eat the skin anymore so I don't bother. I usually only used the lid the last 15-20 minutes, crank the heat up a bit too after I had removed all the juices. (Got to get rid of moisture to get dry, browning heat) You'll also have a lot more juice left in a roaster since it doesn't evaporate like in a dry oven. I've also cocked the lid to let the excess moisture out and cranked the heat up when I wanted it more crisp. Although even then I often microwaved the skin and ate it as a snack. I don't know what they do to the birds these days but I don't like the skin anymore. Even when it's dried out and crisper, I don't like the taste of it.

Dry air is also going to give a bigger danger of dry meat. The appliance is a tool. The cook makes it good or bad. You can't always blame the tools when the carpenter is incompetent.

FWIW I've never seen an electric roaster that didn't have a removable cookwell. Oh and removing the lid often loses a lot of heat and moisture. I highly recommend a probe thermometer that you can read outside of the oven or roaster.

Yes the outside gets very hot. I've never burned myself but I've used some not-so-nice language when I've touched it. I've thought about wrapping it similar to a water heater blanket. Thought it might save some energy too.

Target has an 18 qt Oster oven for $29, Menards has the 18 qt Nesco for $38.88 and Target has a Sunbeam 16 qt for $26. I imagine Target will put them on clearance before long too so if you want to wait you can pick up a bargain. Last year they had one on clearance for $17 (not a Nesco though).

AFAIK, Nesco has never made a 16 qt unit. Nesco's have come in 4, 5, 6, 12 and 18 qt. If you measured water, it could be they consider the domed lid as part of the capacity, I'm not sure. Virginia Olson of Nesco always used to say that the 18 qt would handle up to a 20# bird, however, I read all the time about people doing 22# birds in the 18 qt. That sounds like about the max but many say if you can stuff it in there, it'll cook! And I'm sure it would. If anything you might have a crisper skin.

Nesco's have come in 4, 5, 6, 12 and 18 qt.

Isn't there also a 14 and 22 qt? I guess mine could be an 18 qt if it was filled right up to where the lid sits , but that would be a spill hazard.

My roasting pan has that first kind of rack, I liked it because I could remove the turkey to a baking sheet to rest while I was making gravy from the drippings in the roasting pan.

kathy, how did that 23 pound bird go? I did a 21 pounder in my 18 quart Nesco and it was perfect, moist and delicious. Like Cynic, I don't eat skin, I never have, so crispy skin means nothing to me.

I also wonder what it is about the skin, I offered a piece to Cooper and he wouldn't eat it either, and this was a local turkey, not a Butterball or such. Then again, maybe he just was happy with the pieces of turkey the kids were giving him and he wasn't going to eat the skin, LOL.

Annie

17-pound fresh turkey in an 18-quart Nesco came out moist and juicy. Only problem was that it was done earlier than predicted. I just turned the heat down to 200, took the lid off and tented the bird. No one here eats skin either, although I don't think the dog would refuse it! Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night!

I've never heard of a 14 or 22 qt Nesco brand. I believe GE and possibly Sunbeam made 22 qt units. Sunbeam makes a 16 qt. There could be other brands who made a 14 though. I'm not sure.

As I understand the 18 qt Nesco has been a standard size and design since, nearly if not since it was first made. I understand the cookwells will interchange on a 50 year old unit if you wanted, for instance, a non-stick in the old unit and a Roast-Air convection lid on it. I guess when you get a design that works you stick with it.

I use to have an 18 qt that I did my bird in, it always was done faster than the oven. I don't cook turkey any more so gave mine away and bought a 6 qt.
Can you use the Renolds bag in the roaster?

Nesco's website says you cannot use a Reynolds bag in the roaster, because the bag will come into contact with the sides and is likely to melt. I usually use one of those bags when I do the turkey in the oven.

Annie, I wasn't impressed, BUT the bird barely fit in that thing and that could have had something to do with it. It finished cooking at 2:30 and I had estimated it being done at 3:30 for it to be served at 4:30...soooo I turned it down to 200 to keep it warm, but I think it still cooked a bit and the bird turned out a little tough.

We have a smaller bird in the freezer that we may try with again later. So, the jury is still out for me.

Also, hubby tried to lend a helping hand and scrubbed the crap out of the porcelain/non-stick cookwell with Barkeeper's Friend and a Scotch Brite pad...sigh.

I guess I'm in the market for a new cookwell. :-)