Turkey 101
How long does it take to thaw a turkey?
A perfectly roasted turkey starts with a perfectly thawed turkey. I recommend planning ahead and thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. First, make sure your turkey, still in its packaging, is set inside a tray or tub so that if it leaks, you don’t have a mess on your hands. Scrubbing out your fridge will not be a welcome addition to your to-do list come Thanksgiving Day. Next, and this is why I say plan ahead, your turkey will take about 24 hours to thaw per 4 pounds. So if you have a 20-pound turkey, you need to allow 5 days for the thawing time. Since a thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before cooking, it’s best to add an extra day. Of course, you can skip this step if you have purchased a fresh turkey.
Prep Time!
Okay, it is Thanksgiving, and your bird is thawed. It’s time to preheat the oven. You will probably have to remove one of the oven racks or move them to the lowest two slots. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Yes, you heard me right, 500! Don’t worry, we will turn it down later. You want to cook the skin before the fat melts and travels south to the bottom of the turkey.
So, where were we? Oh, yes, the oven is preheating, so let’s talk turkey. Remove the wrapping from your bird. Remove any parts that have been placed in the cavity of the turkey. That may sound like it goes without saying, but I cooked my first turkey with it all still inside. No worries, though; I have learned a lot since then. At this point, some people like to rinse their bird. I don’t recommend it, but if you feel you must, please, please, please remove all food or dishes from around your sink and scrub down your counter tops when you are done. Remember, any splashing from the turkey can leave harmful bacteria as far as the water droplets or spray can reach.
Next, let’s have a short talk about stuffing. Don’t do it! Was that short enough? Okay, I will explain. If you cook your bird to the correct temperature, the stuffing, which is dwelling in the bacteria cave of the turkey, will not be cooked to a safe temperature. If you cook it until the stuffing is at the proper temperature, your bird is now overcooked. Do yourself a favor: if you like stuffing, just wait until the turkey is done, add some drippings to it, and bake it in the oven while your turkey rests.
Now that I have told you what not to put in your bird, I will tell you what you can put in it. Onions, carrots, celery, herbs, or even a couple slices of orange all add a nice flavor to your turkey. Just put enough in so that the cavity is not stuffed full. A little fresh thyme or sage will not only make your meat taste good, but it will also make your house smell great while it is cooking.
So, your oven is preheating, and your turkey is not stuffed (except for some veggies and herbs). Now it is time to place it in a large roasting pan (if you have a V-shaped rack, place that in your roast pan and your turkey on top of it). Melt a few tablespoons of butter and brush it on the turkey. You could just rub softened butter on the turkey, but I find it much easier to brush on melted butter. Get it all over. Lastly, sprinkle it with some salt and pepper.
Cook Time!
Ding! Ding! Your oven is ready!
Put your uncovered turkey in the 500-degree oven and close the door. Set your timer for 30 minutes. After your timer goes off, check to make sure your skin is nicely brown. If it isn’t, cook for about 10 more minutes.
Remove your turkey from the oven and turn the oven down to 350. Cover the breast only with foil. To do this, take a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, fold it in half with the shiny side out, and place it securely over the breast of the bird. Since the breast meat and the dark meat do not take the same amount of time to cook, this will slow down the cooking of the breast. Next, place an oven-safe probe thermometer, set for 162 degrees, into the thickest part of the breast (right through the foil). Do not push it down so far that it touches a bone. These thermometers allow you to read the temperature of the turkey without ever opening the oven. Do not skip this step, and do not use a pop-up gauge that may have been pre-inserted in the turkey. These are generally set to pop at 180 degrees. This may be the proper temperature for the thigh, but it is 15 degrees too high for the breast and will result in a desert-dry turkey.
Place your foil-dressed turkey back in the oven. Now, do nothing! Don’t open the oven. Don’t baste your turkey! Basting your turkey may make you feel good. You get to look at it, tend to it, and smell it, but it doesn’t do a darn thing for the bird. Keep the oven door shut and your eye on the thermometer. A 20-pound unstuffed turkey should take about 3 ½ hours (give or take). This includes the time it spent at 500 degrees, but does not include the time it spent out of the oven getting its shiny aluminum party dress on.
Your turkey breast meat needs to be at 165, but you should pull your bird out at about 162 because the temperature will continue rising and cooking as it rests. But first, check that your thigh meat is at 180. If both have reached their proper temperature, your turkey is ready to be taken out of the oven. Now let it rest. Pull the foil off the breast of your turkey. If you’d like, you can loosely tent your turkey with a new piece of aluminum foil, but it isn’t necessary, as the turkey will remain hot for quite some time. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Don’t rush it! You did it perfectly, and you don’t want to ruin it now. Cutting a turkey before it rests will result in all the juices running out of your meat. This is a great time to get your other dishes into the oven to heat.
Enjoy your perfectly roasted turkey!
