Thanksgiving Help

I buy a turkey that already has the butter under the skin. I put it in the fridge 4 or 5 days prior so it can completely thaw. The day of, I take it out about 1 1/2 hours before I have to start roasting it. Take the bags of giblets out from the cavity, the neck is in the neck cavity. Rinse the turkey inside and out. Salt inside and out. Spray or coat the roasting rack with olive oil or pam spray and let the turkey rest there. If you will be using the giblets for stuffing or gravy or just to make stock with, rinse and boil with water, celery and and onion. Prepare the stuffing. If you plan on stuffing the bird, don't put the stuffing in until right before you are ready to cook it! I rub the outside of the turkery with olive oil, fresh garlic (minced or through a garlic press), fresh cracked pepper, fresh (or dried) sage, poultry seasoning (you can omit the sage if you use poutry seasoning, or just use a small amount of sage, and salt (you can use garlic salt instead of or in addition to regular salt. I mix it all together and brush or rub it all over the turkey.

Right before its time to put the tuekey in the oven, stuff it if you plan on doing so. Don't stuff it too full as it will expand while cooking. Then, put it in a pre-heated 500 degree oven for 30 minutes uncovered. Then, cover turkey with a foil tent and reduce heat to 350. Roast at this temp until done. You will need to use a thermometer, even if the turkey has a pop-up timer. Insert it into the breast or thigh before you put it in the oven. When I put the foil tent on, I also pour some chicken broth or the prepared stock into the bottom of the pan, it kind of creates a steaming effect with the tent. Plus, after an hour or so, you can use it to baste the turkey. I don't baste every 30 mins as I don't like to disturb it too much, but you can do it as often as you like.

When the thermometer is 2 or 3 degrees short of the "done" temp, remove the turkey from the oven and let stand, covered for 20 to 30 minutes before carving the bird. It will continue to cook and reach the proper temp. DO NOT REMOVE THE THERMOMETER OR THE POP UP TIMER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO CARVE!! You will lose a lot of the juices that way!

If you aren't stuffing the bird, put the pan with stuffing in the oven about 30 minutes before the turkey is done. Same goes if you just have extra stuffing. If I have extra (and I always do), I mix the two together when I take the stuffing out of the bird and serve it in one dish.

Also, don't forget to boil the water for the mashed potatoes about an hour before the turkey is ready. It will take some time for the water to boil and cook the potatoes. Plus, you will need to mash them when they are done. It might take less time to cook if you are using less potatoes than I do, I usually do a 5 lb bag.

Also, right when I take the turkey out, I put in any other dishes that need to be cooked or re-heated...they usually take about 30 mins, which is about the time the turkey needs to stand. Then, my husband starts carving the turkey and I pop the rolls in the oven to heat them. With any luck, its all done about the same time and we can sit down to eat!

For side dishes, we stay pretty traditional with stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams (mashed or candied), brocoli casserole, gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls w/ butter and sometimes rutabegas, cole slaw and/or green bean casserole. Wine for the adults and juice or milk for the kids and YUMMY! Oh, and of course, pumpkin pie for dessert! Sometimes I make a pumpkin cheesecake and brownies, too. Depends on the people and how many we have!

Just remember to relax and have fun! Also, give yourself enough time to get it all done and to deal with any snags that might happen. If you start a little early and have a set back, you will still eat at a decent hour!

Good luck! Have fun!

Happy Thanksgiving!
S.

We always use oven bags - the turkey cooks faster and is super moist (no basting required, super easy). It takes a lot longer to thaw the turkey in the fridge than you think, so maybe add a day to the recommended thaw time.

There should be instructions on the turkey for the giblets, and instructions for the bags are included with the box. Basically, look in both turkey cavities (top and bottom) and pull out the giblet bag and neck pieces. Be sure to cook to an internal temp of 180 degrees.

Oven Bag Info:
http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/product.asp?cat_...

Regardless of whether you bake, broil or fry, a guaranteed way to make turkey moist is to inject marinade in the bird. You can buy Tony Chachere's Injectable Marinade--many flavors out there, including plain butter. We usually use this stuff when we fry our turkey, but I used it to bake a chicken in the oven one time and it was marverlous.

This is going to sound crazy, but go to www.kiddlive.com and look at Kidd's Brown Bag Turkey Recipe. It takes about 3 days for a frozen turkey to thaw so you may want to throw it in a ice chest, with paper towels to absorb the thawing juice.

Try brining the turkey. Brining is basically soaking the turkey in water, broth and other spices overnight. It really helps keep the turkey moist. Alton Brown from the Good Eats show on Food Network has a great recipe. I have done it before and it was one of the best turkeys I have had. Here is the link to the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_99...

Good luck!

Hi R.,

I was in your same situation a few years back. I found that sometimes it can be the brand of turkey you buy. If you buy butterball you are always sure to get a very moist turkey. Also the bags are very good I highly recomend it because it really makes the turkey very moist. You can actually see the liquid in the bag when you take the turkey out. Also spread some butter on top of Turkey before roasting. The turkey will also cook in less time, you just follow the the bag insructions on the bag and it will tell you by weight how long to leave the turkey in the oven. For a 20Lb turkey I only had to cook it for 3 hours. Depending on the weight also is how long to thaw the turkey, usually 3-5 days before hand in the refrigerater is fine. Yes it does need to be completly thawed before cooking. As far as getting the giblets out you just have to stick you hand in and pull the bag out and feel to make sure everything is out. Hope this helps! Any questions just email me back.

Been there..done that. I only cooked a turkey breast for 4 of us..who needs the whole turkey for only a few people?

Make your sides....but you can always order your turkey, ham,whatever from the grocery store...already cooked!

Saves time and stress!

(Although it is a little more costly, but sometimes it's worth it!)

My husband bought a turkey deep fryer and deep frys it. Best turkey I have ever had. I normally don't like turkey. And the fryer was not a waste of money. He uses it for our crab boils, etc.

Hello,

One of the best ways for preparing a turkey is to cook the turkey with the breast down and cover with foil to bake in oven on about 325 to 350, depending on the size of the turkey. The temperature instructions should be on the package. Season with a mixture of season salt, sage, pepper. Rub(massage,with hands) over the turkey. We put a onion, cut into quarters inside the turkey(I don't recommend stuffing).
Now, if you are using an electric cooker, still follow the temperature instructions on the package. But, you can still use the seasoning instructions as stated. But, do cook with the breast side down. Remember, it's not a chicken, it's a turkey and you want it to cook a little slower. oh yeah, you can add green pepper with the onions inside the turkey. This just gives a little more flavor. Make sure you still cover with foil. You want to cover the top of the cooker with foil and poke a hole in the top and use the lid. If the turkey is too big to use the lid, do not poke a hole in the foil.
I hope this helps.
We have been married for a little over 22 years and we(spouse and self) have cooked many turkeys for family and friends.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Do the Deep Fry Turkey! we do it every year & it is wonderful ! we inject it w/ cajun seasoning the night before & sets all night ! then in the am we deep fry it in our huge bucket/pan ! you have to have special grease for it though !

Cooking it in the oven is yuk ! and too dry & a waste of time ! (we don't mess w/this anymore)

Get the oil & get to deep fryin ! you'll be amazed !
juicy too !

Go with the turkey bag!! The instructions are in the box. So, so easy, and you will have plenty of broth in the bag to make your gravy too. Good luck and happy Thanksgiving!

Why don't you check into Dickey's smoking a turkey for you? They are absolutely great, very moist, and YOU don't have to make it! Just a thought unless you really wanted to do it yourself.

Food Network.com has great recipes and start watching Paula deen show and the others during the day the next week and you will get all kinds of fun recipes and yummy!

Deep frying is the way to go! We use Peanut Oil (you can get a great big jug-in-a-box at walmart or sams. We've tried other oils and the Peanut gives it a much nicer color. Just be careful when using the fryer! Make sure it is AWAY from your house, don't leave it alone (even for a second) and make sure your bird is completely thawed. Our neighbor tried to do one once that wasn't completely thawed. When it hit the hot oil, the oil bubbled over catching his bushes on fire, and the turkey shot straight out of the oil landing right in the dirt. It only takes an hour or so do fry it, so standing beside the fryer for the entire cooking time isn't too bad and the result is so worth it! Good Luck!

i always use a roasting pan in the oven. i take the turkey out of the freezer 2 days before thanksgiving, then the night before i fill up the sink with hot water and stick the turkey in there so that by the morning it is completely thawed. then you take the turkey out of the packaging and wash it thoroughly, and this is when you reach inside and get everything out (it's usually just bagged up in there). then you put it in the pan breast up and this is when you would stuff the turkey if you're going to do that. then i make several cuts all over the top of the turkey and slide butter under the skin (this is what my mom taught me to make it extra moist). then you put it in the oven and after like the first 30 min. to 1 hr. of cooking is when i start basting the turkey and every 30 min. after that (another way i keep mine super-moist). i don't know off the top of my head the oven temp and how long to cook it, but i'm sure you can find that really easily online (try kraft foods, i like their site). just make sure you have a meat thermometer and check the temp in the thickest part of the thigh. most thermometers say on them the temp range for turkeys. good luck!