The Cottage Smallholder

I tried one year, following a recipe that I think was a Nigella one, it involved soaking the turkey for several days in a brine, spices and orange solution, can't say it made a massive difference. My reccommendation is definitely one of those plastic looking roasting bags, they seem to work wonders at keeping things nice and moist.

Having searched the internet, if you search for brine, nigella & turkey, there are loads of links come up.

I do this to my older chickens to make them tender; I do this after hanging the feathered carcass for a couple of days in a cold airy place. You make a strong salt solution (I use Maldon salt or good sea-salt, don't use a cheap table salt to save money). Leave the chicken in the solution for a couple of days, then dry thoroughly & cook.  I am not sure that it would make a lot of difference to a standard bought bird ( which has been bred to fatten fast, so therefor is tender,although pretty pappy & tasteless) as it is a process for dealing with birds which have been running around the yard for a couple of years. You also have to cook these birds at a lower temperature for much longer.

I have never tried flavouring the salt solution with anything else, but I do sometimes marinate them in wine, vinegar,olive oil, garlic & herbs etc; sometimes I use fresh pineapple juice if the bird looks as if it might be very tough ( a very good tenderiser of meat).

I think you might find advice on this American poultry forum in it;s archives¦.it has an extensive archive for you to search in.

http://www.backyardchickens.com

I suspect you will find the information in either the recipe section or the processing one. The Americans are very forthright about the methods of processing so you have been warned. You can also join the forum & ask questions. They like Brits so they will be helpful. 

Good luck!

*** Added later¦..I just found this on Google.

http://bbq.about.com/od/poultry/a/aa120906a.htm

Have to say, I thought the same when I did it several years ago, I've givn up on turkey anyway, must be one of the most boring meats around and a whole bird lasts forever.

I used to buy legs occasionally for the dog, as they are always cheap during the year, and I can stick them in the oven when I'm cooking something else, there is a fair bit of meat on them, then the bones go into the stock making bag in the freezer.