I hear people worry about having to cook the turkey for their family meal every holiday, and every year, hundreds of people write articles that promise to make the horribly, horribly difficult process of cooking a turkey easier for you so you won’t ruin the holiday for your friends and family.
There’s just one problem with that, cooking a turkey isn’t hard at all. It is easy. It is one of the easiest things to cook that you could ever cook. It is easier, for instance, than cooking a well seasoned and perfectly seared steak. It is easier than making bread, even from a mix in a bag. There’s no need to read a dozen articles on how to cook a turkey and then choose the best one.
So, maybe you have to stay at school over Thanksgiving break for some reason, or maybe you just moved into your first apartment after high school and can’t get home. You really want to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving and have some important people over, but you’re scared because you’ve heard it’s really hard. But I’m here to tell you, again, that cooking a turkey is very easy.
For many first-time cooks, roasting a whole turkey seems like an impossibly difficult task. Horror stories of dried-out, undercooked turkeys ruining holiday meals are enough to strike fear into any novice chef. But while cooking a turkey undoubtedly requires care and attention, it’s not as hard as its reputation makes it out to be. With the right techniques, even beginners can roast a juicy, flavorful turkey.
Turkey Roasting Basics
To start, let’s go over some turkey roasting basics. This will help you understand what’s required and make the process less intimidating.
Size Matters
When buying a turkey, plan on about 1 – 1.5 pounds of turkey per person. This provides enough for generous portions with a bit of leftovers. For a group of 8-10, a 12-15 pound turkey is a good size.
Fresh vs Frozen
Turkeys are available fresh or frozen. Fresh turkeys are ready to cook as-is but have a shorter shelf life. Frozen turkeys need to be thawed but allow you to buy further in advance.
Proper Thawing
Thawing is key for evenly cooked meat. Allow 24 hours of refrigeration thawing per 4-5 pounds of turkey. A 15 pound turkey will take 3-4 days to thaw. You can also submerge in cold water changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed.
Prep Work
Before roasting, remove giblets from the cavity. Pat the turkey dry and rub the skin with oil or butter. Season the cavity generously with salt pepper and herbs like sage rosemary or thyme.
Roasting Temp and Time
Cook at 325°F, allowing 15-20 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, aiming for 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh. Let rest 30 minutes before carving.
Step-By-Step Roasting Method
Now let’s walk through the full process start to finish
Prep the Bird
- Remove turkey from packaging and discard giblets.
- Pat the skin completely dry inside and out.
- Rub skin all over with butter or oil. Sprinkle cavity with salt, pepper and herbs.
- Tie legs together with cooking twine. Tuck wing tips under.
Ready the Roasting Pan
- Place turkey on a roasting rack in a sturdy pan.
- Add roughly chopped carrots, celery and onion around the turkey.
- Pour 1 cup chicken broth in the bottom of the pan.
Calculate Roasting Time
- Plan for 15-20 minutes per pound at 325°F.
- For a 12 lb turkey, roast 3-4 hours.
- Confirm doneness with a thermometer (165°F).
Roast the Turkey
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place turkey in, tent with foil.
- Roast until thermometer inserted in thigh reads 165°F.
- Let rest 30 minutes before carving.
Turkey Roasting FAQs
Here are answers to some common questions about roasting turkey:
Should you brine the turkey?
- Brining helps keep turkey extra juicy. Soak 4-12 hours in a saltwater solution before roasting.
Is it safe to stuff the turkey?
- Stuffing may not cook fully if stuffed inside. Cook it separately for safety.
How do you make turkey gravy?
- Use pan drippings to make gravy. Whisk in flour, then broth, herbs and seasonings.
How long do leftovers last?
- Store turkey leftovers 3-4 days in the fridge. Freeze portions for longer storage.
Can you roast a turkey breast?
- Boneless turkey breast halves roast just like a whole turkey in less time.
Conclusion
While roasting a whole turkey requires some planning and prep work, it’s a very manageable process for even novice cooks. With the right techniques like proper thawing, seasoning and calculating roast time, you can have a picture-perfect turkey on the table this holiday season. Don’t let fear of dried-out meat stop you – just follow a reliable recipe and use a meat thermometer. Before you know it, you’ll be a turkey roasting pro!
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/turkey-in-oven-6442-000032-583363aa5f9b58d5b18a374d.jpg)
Prepping Everything But The Turkey
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Wash your filthy hands.
- Take your thawed turkey out of the package it’s in.
- With your hands, rinse and dry the turkey under running water that is any temperature from warm to cold. The exact temperature is is not essential. I just don’t want you to scald your hands.
- Remove the giblets and turkey neck from inside the turkey. It is in a wax bag most likely. Don’t use these unless you’re making gravy, which is harder than cooking a turkey. Instead, throw them away or cook them in a pan and give them to your pet.
- Place your turkey in the baking pan.
- Put four or five large Idaho potatoes in the pan and cut them in half lengthwise. Then, place them around the turkey.
- Four medium to large yellow onions should be cut in half and put around the turkey in the pan.
- Take a bunch of whole carrots (not baby carrots) and cut them in half or four. Place them around the turkey in the pan.
- Spice these vegetables with salt and pepper and some paprika.
This whole process will take about ten minutes but might take twenty the first time you do it. Regardless, it is easy.
I Bought This Turkey And This Pan, Now What?
Your turkey will be frozen. Your turkey should be bought by Monday, November 23rd, or maybe even Sunday, and put in the fridge instead of the freezer. It will take three days to thaw there. In three days it will be thawed. To be exact, it takes twenty-four hours for every five pounds of turkey to thaw. If you have a fifteen pound turkey it will take three days. Twenty pounds? Four days. Plan accordingly.