How to Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving

Nov 21, 2013

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Scott Christofferson

Make a Lasting Impression With Your Marketing AND Your Turkey

Your marketing says something about you and your business just like your Thanksgiving Turkey says something about you – not just your cooking skills! We don’t want you to fail in either area so know that we are hear to help with everything from designing your ecommerce website to preparing your Thanksgiving Dinner!

Turkey, turkey, turkey. We all love turkey but how do we prepare a turkey for our Thanksgiving Feast? That’s the most difficult part of all. I’ve had delicious and not so delicious (dry) turkey as I’m sure you have too.

Here are some simple AND important tips from The Kitchn.

Follow them and even your mama will be impressed with your cooking this Thanksgiving!

Thawing the Turkey:

Make sure your turkey is thawed before cooking. Keep in mind that a turkey will thaw in about twenty-four hours for every five pounds of turkey when thawing in the fridge. If you need it to thaw more quickly try thawing it in cold water, changing the water about every thirty minutes until it’s completely thawed.

And now that the turkey is thawed, let’s start cooking!

What you’ll need: a turkey, two cups of broth or water, unsalted butter, a roasting pan, and roasting rack.

Prepare the Turkey for Roasting:

About an hour before you need to start cooking take the turkey out of the fridge and remove all of the packaging (check in the body and neck of the turkey too). Once the packaging is removed place the turkey on the roasting rack with the breast-side facing up and let it sit.

Heat the Oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit:

Place the oven rack in the bottom of your oven, rub some salt and pepper on the turkey and leave your turkey unstuffed. These recommendations will help your turkey to cook evening but if your family has different traditions for turkey preparation that’s okay too.

Roasting the Turkey:

Start by pouring two cups of broth or water in the roasting pan, put the turkey in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Set the Timer:

As a general rule turkey should be cooking for 13 minutes per pound. There are exceptions to this rule based on the way you prepare the turkey but stick to this rule and then check the temperature of the turkey once it’s been cooking for half of the allotted time.

Basting the Turkey:

Every forty-five minutes take the turkey out of the oven and baste the turkey. Use the liquids from the bottom of the pan to spread on top of the turkey.

Check the Turkey Temperature:

Although you don’t want to over cook the turkey you also don’t want it to be under cooked which is why you need to check the turkey’s temperature in three areas: the breast, outer thigh and inside thigh. The temperature should always be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If any part of the turkey isn’t at least at that heat put it back in the oven for another twenty minutes.

Rest and Carve the Turkey:

Tilt the pan so the drippings from the turkey run into the pan, transfer the turkey from the pan to a cutting board, cover the turkey with tin foil, let rest for thirty minutes, and then carve the turkey!

Not too difficult, right?! Best of luck to you this Thanksgiving Season.

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