I used this recipe yesterday to prepare a half turkey I'd bought on sale. The turkey was perfectly moist (even the white meat!!!) I didn't skewer the skin, nor tie the wing. I washed it, patted dry w/paper towels, seasoned with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning on both sides. Smeared the whole skin side w/bacon drippings, covered w/ two layers of cheesecloth, and covered that with more bacon drippings. Baked a 9 lb. half turkey in a preheated 300°F oven for 4 hrs. Basting every half hour with a carton of turkey stock. I set the bird over a shallow rack, with carrots, onion, Yukon gold potatoes and rutabagas on the bottom. Adding the root vegetables after the first hour of roasting. It was hands down the moistest turkey I've made in 30 years! I've decided I'll prepare my whole turkey at Thanksgiving the same way! Props to whomever posted this method!

Did Paulette's version with dry sweet basil instead of chix seasonings. Sat it out for 2 hrs. to warm up. Rubbed it with salt. Did a 5 lb. half. Was the moistest turkey I have ever had. Highly recommend this way to cook a half turkey. Fed two and enough leftovers for another meal.

When I roasted the turkey I didn't have any cheesecloth so I used aluminum foil and it worked out just fine. It took 3 and a half hours and it was delicious. I added sweet potatoes and green beans. Since it was a lot of turkey for two of us, I cut the breast meat off the bone and froze it for another meal.

What was the size (weight) of your Turkey half?

My main oven is broken so I cut my turkey in half, followed these instructions, and put it in my countertop convection oven. I put slices of yam and onion underneath it. Fabulous and only 3.5. hours.

This is the best recipe! Wow we were impressed.. My turkey is usually dry and chewy.. Even butterball. This was moist and tender.. I will always use this way to cook turkey. You cannot fail. I used oiled foil and in a roast pan... It was the best!

Had a 1/2 turkey that needed to be cooked and used this recipe. Didn't use skewers, but otherwise followed the recipe. I have been cooking for 44 years and this was the BEST TURKEY EVER!! Moist, delicious, WOW! Thanks for this recipe!

Delicious!!!!! Moist and golden... Followed directions except didn't tie leg/wing! Wondering if you can cook a whole turkey this way??

Husband and I made our first turkey dinner together tonight using this method! The cheesecloth was a gamechanger. Layered the bottom of the pan with leeks, onions, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. Delicious!!

Hi, I used this recipe to prepare 1/2 of a turkey weighing 10 lbs. combined with another for an herbal/butter based rub which I placed under the skin and over the whole body of the bird. Set the oven on 375°F for one hour and reduced the temperature to 325°F. I used aluminum foil smeared with bacon grease over the breast for the first hour to protect the breast and then removed it for the final 40 minutes to allow the bird to brown. I use the convection mode and placed the turkey on a bed of carrots, apples, celery and onion. Added 1/2 cup of wine and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. The 10 lbs. of turkey was finished in 1 hour 40 minutes. It looked beautiful and was very moist. The liquid along with the drippings made for a wonderful gravy. I served the carrots as a side. A great recipe that gave me the confidence to roast 1/2 of a whole turkey with plenty of leftovers.