Everything You Need for Your Thanksgiving Turkey

A Stress-Free Thanksgiving Dinner

Get your list together and get ready to party.

• Are you fixing a whole turkey, or are you preparing for a smaller celebration? Do you want leftovers for easy meal prep while recuperating?
• What sides do you want? The traditional feast includes stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, candied yams (sweet potatoes), cranberry sauce, corn, bread rolls, and biscuits.
• Desserts include pumpkin, sweet potato, apple, and pecan pies.
• Do you want a non-traditional feast? Roasted chicken, braised beef, salmon or beef Wellington, paella, and honey-glazed ham are great mains. Fantastic sides include fondant and Duchess potatoes, potatoes au gratin, mashed sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, salads, artichoke hearts, and pumpkin soup.
• Is your family doing the vegan thing? Besides going the Impossible Meat route, polenta casseroles, mushroom-stuffed acorn squash, and stuffed shells make an ideal main dish. Elegant soups and salads will beautify any holiday spread.

How to Choose a Turkey

• Calculate how big a turkey you need. One pound of turkey per person should be enough. I know that sounds like a lot, but remember, there’s a lot of bone. If you want leftovers, multiply the number of guests by 1.5. I like going for two small turkeys so I can roast one and smoke the other.
• Fresh or frozen? I haven’t been able to tell the difference after it comes out of the oven. One of the reasons I go with frozen is that I can get it a week or two ahead and avoid the last-minute rush. Then I start thawing it a couple of days before the big day. Besides, they’re flash frozen immediately after processing, so sometimes frozen is fresher.
• Check the packaging for damage and the expiration date.
• Organic, heritage, free-range, and natural turkeys are a bit more expensive. That said, they also have more flavor than a commercially-produced feedlot turkey. They also have firmer flesh, a better texture, and are more likely to have had a healthy, happy life.
• Kosher simply means that it meets the Jewish standards of acceptable foods. It also means the sellers have brined it already, saving you a step.

Prepping

1. Take the turkey out of the freezer in time to thaw before roasting. It takes about 24 hours per five pounds of turkey. The cold water method takes about 30 minutes per pound, but you’ll need to change out the water every thirty minutes. A 12-pound turkey would take about 2½ days to thaw in the fridge, or 6 hours with the cold water method.
2. Leave it in the original unopened packaging, and completely defrost it. You’ll want to put it in a tray to catch the juices that will inevitably leak out as it thaws.
3. Remove the giblets and save them for the gravy.
4. Pull any feather quills out. A pair of needle-nose pliers will do the job nicely.
5. Brine your turkey (or not). Wet brine and dry brines both work fine. Prepare the turkey brine and submerge it for your allotted time. Or generously rub it with salt and pepper inside the cavity and on the skin. It’s about a tablespoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper for every 4-5 pounds of turkey. (If it’s kosher, it has already been brined.)

NOTE: I avoid self-basting turkeys because they’ve been injected with flavor-enhancers and liquids that I may not want in my body.

To Brine or Not

Turkey is lean, and therefore can be dry, especially the breast. So I almost always brine it because the salt draws out moisture, then somehow puts it back in with extra flavor while tenderizing it. How cool is that? What’s more, if you accidentally leave the turkey in the oven a little longer than you should have, the brine will save the day.

The Time Table

Cooking time will run 15-20 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey at 325℉ (165℃). A 12-pound turkey will take at least 3 hours to roast. Allow 16-23 minutes per pound if stuffing it.

Smoking will take 30 minutes per pound at 250℉ (120℃). Please don’t stuff your turkey if smoking it, because the stuffing won’t cook through.

Roasting the Turkey

Many people have never roasted a turkey because it’s just too scary. I remember how nervous I was the first time, but once I tried it, I realized that it was the easiest part of the dinner. So relax and go for it.

1. Take the turkey out of the fridge about an hour before you want to cook it. Pat it dry.
2. You may decide to stuff the turkey, but experience has taught me that it’s a good way to overcook the meat. So I prefer to make dressing separately. If stuffing it, do so immediately before roasting to minimize bacterial growth.
3. Tuck the wings behind the shoulders to prevent burning and to stabilize your turkey.
4. Truss the legs with cotton twine, cord, or thread (no plastic, please). Wrap the string around the ends of the drumsticks so they won’t move, and secure it with a knot.
5. Season the turkey by rubbing butter all over it, getting as much under the skin as possible for crispier skin.
6. Place it breast-side up on a roasting pan. You can cut up some potatoes and carrots, along with other veggies, and put them underneath the turkey. The turkey drippings will give them more flavor. Then roast it at the desired temperature.
7. Save your drippings for an incredible homemade gravy.

Tips and Tricks

• Preheating the oven to 450°F (205℃) will keep the temperature from dropping too much when you open the door and put the turkey in. Then reduce the temperature to 325°F (165℃) after you close the door.
• An instant-read thermometer will read 165℉ (75℃) in the thickest part of the thigh when the turkey is done.
• Let it rest for 15-30 minutes after taking it out of the oven before carving.

Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

• Baked Spatchcock Turkey
• Roast Turkey Breast
• Smoked Turkey Legs
• Roast Turkey Crown

Awesome Sauce and Side Dish Recipes

• Candied Yams
• Homemade Gravy
• Giblet Gravy
• Cranberry Sauce
• Green Bean Casserole

Leftover Makeovers

There are funny songs about all the dishes you can make with leftover turkey (Pizza Hut’s ad is my favorite). But honestly, I look forward to Thanksgiving leftovers, so I usually get a larger turkey than what I need for the feast. Almost any recipe that uses cooked chicken does fine with leftover turkey.

• Chicken Enchiladas
• Chicken Alfredo
• Fiesta Chicken Casserole
• Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad

By Imma