no no no no~~ Shiny stainless steel is about the worst choice for a roaster! Something dark works so much better. My favorite roaster for using with a lid ( and I use a roaster for other things besides turkeys!) is an old dark blue enameled one that belonged to my grandmother....the brand name is "Savory" and they are still being sold on ebay and other places. I also have a roasting pan very similar to the one in the link below. It holds a really big bird....doesn't have a cover...but if it's browning too fast I can tent it with foil. And that dark pan makes nice crispy bits for gravy and goes very well over 2 burners. It has been said that if you cook your turkey with a lid, you are steaming it not roasting. Shiny stainless is not only a poor conductor of heat....but hard to keep looking like that. If you want a roaster to use to make wonderful roast turkey, buy a dark one. Linda C Here is a link that might be useful: roaster

Ironically, I do this method for all kinds of bone broth and I make it several times a year with meaty bones I collect from cooking, or those I buy when they are drastically reduced, and store in the freezer until I have about 10# of bones per batch, and make it with poultry, beef, and occasionally a ham bone and/or ham hocks. Pour the strained and reduced stock into a shallow cake pan, chill until it gels, cut into cubes, place the cubes on a plate lined with paper towels and leave them in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours more to dehydrate a little, which makes them a little more solid from loss of moisture, and the flavor concentrates. Next, place the cubes in containers in the freezer, or I'll freeze the cubes and place them in a FoodSaver bag and vacuum-seal them for longer freezer storage. These are my "instant" bouillon cubes for making flavorful sauces, gravy, broth.... Never buy instant bouillon cubes or granules ever again. I also have some ice cube trays I use only for food (not ice), and I'll make the cubes in them. -Grainlady

Like Linda I always made gravy from a brined turkey. Also with a presalted turkey. If you haven't tried pre-salting you might want to try that instead of brining. I was a big fan of brining until I was introduced to presalting. Better and much easier than dealing with a big pail of water. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Pre-Salting =========== Judy Rogers' Zuni Cafe method Servings: 11 to 15 Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting. ADVERTISEMENT 1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey Kosher salt 1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons). 2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted. 3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side. 4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day. 5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours. 6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts). 8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting. 9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve. Each of 15 servings: 564 calories; 77 grams protein; 0 carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 26 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 261 mg. cholesterol; 856 mg. sodium. . Notes: This same method can be used for chicken, chicken pieces, pork roasts, ribs, chops, etc.. With the smaller cuts just pre-salt 4 or five hours in advance. Even this short period of pre-salting makes an amazing difference. Don't cover, just refrigerate and then remove from the fridge in time for the meat to come to room temperature before cooking.

I always cook a fresh turkey. Since I baste with the pan juices, it's easy to pull off any extra juices in the bottom so the turkey doesn't end up boiling in the juices. I always have "bits" in the bottom. Like my mom, once I take the turkey from the oven, I put the roasting pan on the burners and cook down the juices (deglaze, not a word she would have used!), till they are nice and brown and concentrated. I usually get more bits during the deglazing, too. I make my gravy in the roasting pan. This makes nice dark, tasty gravy. I sometimes add veggie broth for a nice taste, and if necessary, Kitchen Bouquet for color (and taste). I get a very good gravy.