Perfectly Easy Roast Turkey in an Electric Roaster

Who doesn't love a juicy turkey this time of year? I recently picked up a Bella 18 Quart Roaster Oven from Target for $27. I have always had trouble keeping the breast meat moist when roasting in a typical oven due to conflicting recipes online. This roaster made the easiest, most juicy turkey I have ever had. Preparation was simple and it only took 3 hours to cook. I started off with a 13.5 lb Honeysuckle turkey that I picked up before Thanksgiving for .59 per pound. I then rinsed the turkey and patted dry with paper towels. I then rubbed about 1/4 cup Smart Balance spread over the entire bird and tucked a few pieces under the skin. Then a rubbed in a bit of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder all over the skin. 

Once the bird was seasoned, I preheated my roaster oven to the highest temperature possible and once preheated, cooked the turkey for 30 minutes. Then I lowered the temperature to 325 degrees for 2 and a half more hours. It is very important to leave the lid on for the entire cooking process. No basting is required or necessary. The end result was a moist turkey with crispy skin. Cooking times will vary based on the size of the bird. 

One of the best parts about using the roaster oven is that you have your regular oven open to make even more yummy dishes!

Update: since posting this recipe I have made a few additions to make a more flavorful turkey. I now stuff the cavity with 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped stalks of celery, and a chopped onion. Then I carefully pour a can of ginger ale and a small can of chicken broth into the cavity. Delicious!