Cooking Turkey using a Cheesecloth Cover

• Ingredients   (for a 14 pound (+/-) Turkey)        
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  • 1 large (bunch) fresh parsley
  • 1 large (bunch) fresh sage
  • 1 large (bunch) fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon(s) table salt, (can be substituted for above ingredient)
  • 1 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1  lemon, cut in half
  • 2 small onions, cut into quarters, and other vegetables to your taste
  • 1 cup(s) dry white wine
  • 1 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces, 1 3/4 cups) chicken broth
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  • Heat the butter, wine, squeezed lemon, in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Figure out the size of cheesecloth you need to make about a 4-layer covering for your turkey. Soak the cheesecloth in the wine/butter/lemon mix.
  • Remove the neck and giblets (gizzard, heart,liver) from the turkey. If you've never cooked a turkey before, you'll find these by reaching into the cavities of the turkey. Typically the neck is in one side and a bag of parts in the other. If the turkey's legs are held together by wire, slip them out, remove the innards, then put the legs back in the wire. Keep these to make some broth for your gravy (except for the liver, the really dark dark meat.). Rinse your turkey and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Heat the oven to 450. Put the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up. Rub entire turkey with soft butter. Put mix of vegetables, a quartered onion, chicken broth, and some salt and pepper on the bottom of the turkey pan . Put the turkey rack over the vegetable mix to space the turkey above the mix.
  • Stuff with your favorite stuffing mix, or homemade stuffing( but don't over-stuff). Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, and all the other spices.
  • Take the cheesecloth out of the wine/butter/lemon mix, drain the cheesecloth out while  leaving moist,  and lay it over the turkey, covering it completely.
  • Put the turkey into the oven , legs toward the back if your pan will fit that way.
  • Every 30 minutes baste the turkey with the wine/butter/lemon mix.
  • In the meantime, put the turkey neck and gizzards in a saucepan and cover with 6 cups of water or so. Add a half a carrot, half an onion, stalk of celery, and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover partway, and let it cook for a few hours to get some good broth for your gravy.
  • Reduce the heat to 350 and cook another couple of hours. The USDA has an informative page on how to thaw and cook turkeys or check the cooking directions on your turkey. It all varies depending on how large a turkey you have and what temperature you decide to use. Use a meat thermometer at the end to verify.
  • About an hour before you think the turkey will be done, take it out of the oven and remove the cheesecloth. Baste again and put the uncovered turkey back in the oven and baste again after 30 more minutes. At this point you may cover the turkey legs and wings with aluminum foil to prevent overcooking of these parts.
  • Check the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer. The leg should register 170-175F and one in the breast 160-165. Let the turkey sit 30 minutes before carving.
  • This finished turkey should be moist and very tasty....