Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325. Transfer turkey to a rack in a large roasting pan.
Return the legs to the band of skin or wire. Fold the wings back and
underneath the bird. Pour the water and 1/2 cup sherry into the bottom of
the roasting pan. Combine remaining sherry, garlic, black pepper, poultry
seasoning, paprika, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Brush over the skin
of the turkey. Completely enclose the turkey in aluminum foil, crimping the
foil around the edges of the pan to seal. Bake for 3 to 4 hours. During the
last 30 minutes of cooking, remove foil and baste with pan juices. When
turkey is done, a thermometer inserted in the thigh will read 180 to 185,
and the drumsticks will move easily in the sockets. Remove turkey from the
oven, and allow it to sit, loosely covered with foil, for 20 minutes before
carving. |