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READY IN 4+ hrs

Cola Roast Turkey

Read Reviews (7)

"Want a delicious, tender, juicy and BEAUTIFUL turkey? Try what my Grandpa taught me when I was just a little girl. I've ALWAYS made my turkey this way and it always turns out great. And besides, you get LOTS of wide eyed looks! The idea behind the cola is that the acid in the soda helps to tenderize the bird, the sugar and caramel gives it just a hint of sweetness, and the coloring helps to give the bird a beautiful roasted color. Enjoy!! " — Leslie Eickhoff-Davis

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Original recipe makes 1 whole turkey Change Servings

1 (16 pound) whole turkey - thawed, neck and giblets removed
1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups cola-flavored carbonated beverage (such as Coke®)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

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Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Wash the turkey well, and pat dry with paper towels. Use your hands to slather the whole turkey, front and back, with butter. Make sure to butter the wing tips and leg ends. Place the turkey into a roasting pan, and pour the cola over the turkey. Sprinkle the whole turkey with salt and black pepper.
Roast the turkey for 4 to 5 hours, checking for doneness after 4 hours. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes with the turkey drippings. If the breast skin browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

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PREP 10 mins
COOK 4 hrs
READY IN 4 hrs 25 mins

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Nov 24, 2010

Great recipe. In Louisiana ,down on the Bayou Teche we did this a lot, sometimes with Cola, then with 1/2 Cola and 1/2 Apple cider or even sometimes with Root beer. Try using a reduction to about 1/2 the amount of Cola or other as a baste. Note: never use a DIET Cola or DIET root beer ! Fantastic on ham !

—chezgery

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jan 12, 2012

This did brown especially beautiful and tasted good, but I probably would not use this recipe again.

—BlessedBaker

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7 Ratings

Nov 23, 2010

Love it! I tried it out before turkey day just to make sure it was tasty on a smaller bird and it worked out great. Highly recommended!

—Wayne

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Jan 11, 2011

I roasted a turkey using this recipe last night! My family & I were very happy with the results! This was probably one of the most tender & juicy turkeys we've ever had! In addition, the beautiful golden brown color made for a great presentation! I followed the recipe as written & wouldn't change a thing! Thanks for posting this recipe! It will be a "family tradition" from now on!

—Carolyn

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Nov 23, 2010

I used root beer instead of cola and it worked great! The turkey browned very nicely and was juicy and tender. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is that the gravy I made from the pan drippings was too sweet for me, but my husband liked it!

—Rhiannon

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Nov 29, 2011

Wonderful! We made this with Root Beer and added Celery and Onions! Very easy and yummy!

—sallycantcook

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Nov 24, 2011

We used this with a cooking bag and it turned out great. Very moist!

—kristin

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Nutrition

Calories
993 kcal
50%

Carbohydrates
4.6 g
1%

Cholesterol
378 mg
126%

Fat
50.1 g
77%

Fiber
0 g
0%

Protein
122.6 g
245%

Sodium
385 mg
15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Cola Roast Turkey

Serving Size: 1/12 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 993
Calories from Fat: 451

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 50.1g 77 %
Saturated Fat 17.2g 86 %
Cholesterol 378mg 126 %
Sodium 385mg 15 %
Potassium 1224mg 34 %
Total Carbohydrates 4.6g 1 %
Dietary Fiber 0g 0 %
Protein 122.6g 245 %
Sugars 4.6g
Vitamin A 5 %
Vitamin C 0 %
Calcium 15 %
Iron 78 %
Thiamin 25 %
Niacin 343 %
Vitamin B6 112 %
Magnesium 39 %
Folate 17 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.