Place the whole turkey in a large pot. Cover entirely with cold water, then remove the turkey, leaving the water inside the pot. (This will let you know how much water you will use for the cooking. Normally you will need about a 20-quart pot to cook a 10-pound turkey.)
Bring the water to a boil.
Cut off the wings and legs from the turkey, and set aside.
Put the body of the bird in the pot, and bring the water back to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover the pot, and allow the water to simmer lightly for 45 minutes.
Then add the wings and the legs to the pot. Cover the pot again, and simmer for another 45 minutes.
Then leave the lid on the pot and the pot on the burner. Turn off the heat, and allow the bird to stay in its own liquid for 2 hours. It is now ready to remove and be served or used.
At the end of the 2-hour period refrigerate everything and chill until the next day.
Turkey tips
Don't store the turkey in aluminum, but stainless steel ware is OK.
Do not season the turkey while cooking. Salt dries out the bird. If you wish to add salt, add it afterwards just prior to serving.
Low-salt/low-fat eaters will love this turkey. Just remove the skin from the bird after cooking (this holds in most of the fat) then eat without guilt!
Remove the meat from the bone, and serve with a light gravy for a lovely meal. The meat will be very moist and freshly flavored.
Prepare giblet gravy by cooking the chopped giblets in some of the stock for at least an hour before the bird is to be served. Season to taste.
You may add a bit of sage or thyme if you wish.
You may refrigerate the bird in its juice, and slice it the next day for a light dinner.
