How to make a turkey??????

Question

Ive never cooked a turkey before so i would like very detailed instructions for how to make an awesome Stuffed turkey THANKS!

Answer 1

Bread Stuffing
For a 12-14 lb turkey
(for a 20-lb turkey use 16 cups bread)

Ingredients
12 cups bread cubes (about 1 loaf)
9 tbsp chopped onion
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper ¾ tsp poultry seasoning
dash sage
½ cup melted butter or chicken broth (as needed for moisture)
2 cups chopped celery


Leave bread out overnight to get stale; cut bread into cubes. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Moisten ingredients slightly (you do not want this to get too wet) with the butter or chicken broth. This can be made the night before and stored in a bowl or plastic food storage bag. REMEMBER do NOT stuff the turkey the night before!
Stuff just before you put the turkey in the oven.

Turkeys can be thawed using one of three methods, but the most fool proof is in the refrigerator. The key to this method is to plan ahead and allow approximately 24 hours for every four to five pounds of bird weight for thawing in the refrigerator. This method is the safest and will result in the best finished product. Place the bird, in the original wrapping, on a shallow baking sheet in the refrigerator. The following chart provides good guidelines for thawing times.

Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time (40 degrees F)
Turkey Weight Days to Allow for Thawing Turkey
8 to 12 pounds 2 to 2.5 days
12 to 16 pounds 2.5 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds 4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds 5 to 6 days : Place the bird breast-side up on an oiled flat or v-shaped rack in a 12x17 inch roasting pan, or as recommended by your recipe.
Turkey Tip: Beware of aluminum roasting pans! Most of these pans are not sturdy enough to carry a 12 pound or more turkey. They can buckle and cave in, and have been known to cause injuries by collapsing under the weight. Make sure your pan is sturdy enough to handle the bird safely.


Step 2: If using an oven-safe meat thermometer, insert it in the inner thigh near the breast, but without touching the bone. If using an instant-read thermometer, wait until the turkey is nearly cooked before testing. Don't rely on plastic pop-up timers -- they aren't very accurate.

Step 3: Coat the skin with softened or melted butter or oil and baste the bird every 30 minutes, or according to the recipe. Or follow our suggestions below for keeping the breast meat moist.
Q: How do I keep the breast meat moist when cooking?
A: The best way is to cook the turkey at a low temperature like 325 degrees F. and to remove it from the oven when just done. While some people feel basting is unnecessary since it doesn't permeate the skin, others recommend basting and these techniques for keeping the bird moist:

Answer 2

here is what i did for my first turkey.
first i took the turkey out of the freezer about 24 hrs before i would be cooking it . then on the day to cook here is what i did first i made the stuffing. i use stove top because it is easy and has all the ingredients. before putting the stuffing in the bird i make sure i clean it inside and out. this part is kinda gross. but there should be a package that has the neck and gizzards in it and remove it. i personally throw it out cause i think its yucky.then after i do that i check the package that the bird came in to see how much it weighs. now most turkeys weigh about 12- 14 pounds so that is the information i am going to give you. turn the oven on to 325 degrees if you are stuffing the bird then insert stuffing now put turkey in big roasting pan then i pat some butter on the skin of the turkey and sprinkle just a little bit of brown sugar on it (that helps give it its golden color the sugar is optional) and if your oven is big enough put the lid on if not use aluminum foil to create a tent. put turkey in oven and cook for 3 1/2 hrs up to 4 hrs once an hour i take the turkey out of the oven and baste it with the juices that helps to keep the meat moist and tender. during the last half hour i like to take the foil off to kind of crisp the skin.now if you are not stuffing the bird it is only 3 to 3 3/4 hrs not all that much faster. most turkeys now have a button that is inserted and it pops up when the turkey is done. that is how you make a turkey very simply put. once done remove turkey from oven let cool just about 5 mins and put on platter and serve. sorry im not good at carving it but im sure you can get a guy to be macho and do that. good luck i hope you enjoy your turkey.

Answer 3

Stuffing a turkey is not all it's cracked up to be. I wouldn't stuff the turkey at all. When I have actually stuffed a turkey with stuffing, it's not all that great. Follow the directions on the bag when you buy the turkey when it comes to basting, temp, and cooking time. You do not want to over cook the turkey. If you buy a turkey frozen, you need to allow several days in the frig for it to thaw completely. If you want to add some extra seasonings or butter, that's your option. What has been good is to fill with celery, onions, peppers, and the like. This helps add a really nice flavor.
Good luck

Answer 4

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Check the wrapper to see how much the turkey weighs and determine approximate cooking time (see chart below). Remove the giblet bag and the neck from the turkey cavity. Wash the turkey inside and out and pat skin dry with paper towels.

2. Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow (about 2 inches deep) roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thigh. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of pan, if desired.

3. Cover turkey loosely with a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Roast the turkey until temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180°F. Cooking time will vary. For example, a 20 pound turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 hours to cook, check the temperature on the thermometer after 4 1/4 hours.

4. Meanwhile, mix the stuffing or dressing. Place in a casserole and pop it into the oven during the last hour or so of roasting time.

5. Remove the foil tent after 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking time to brown the skin. Brush with vegetable oil to enhance browning, if desired.

6. A whole turkey is done when the temperature reaches 180°F. The thigh juices should run clear (not pink) when pierced with a fork and the leg joint should move freely.

7. Allow the turkey to set 20 to 30 minutes before carving to allow juices to saturate the meat evenly.

Answer 5

For a minute there you had me worried. To MAKE a turkey, the mummy turkey has to lay an fertilized egg, which is done by a daddy turkey, then she has the joy of sitting on the egg until baby turkey pops it's ugly little head out of the shell.
I would be happy to give you some recipes [plain old bread stuffing is the best - and I always add cooked chopped up liver to it] but do yourself a favor and buy a cookbook. You will need one some day anyhow, and that way you can pick the recipe that appeals to you.

Answer 6

The easiest and best tasting way to cook a turkey that I've found is to grill it. You'll need a regular charcoal grill (like a Weber). Get the coals hot and put most of them around the edges of the grill. Put a drip pan in the middle (so you have "drippings" to make gravy our of). Stuff the turkey. Put the turkey on the grill and cook 10-12 minutes per pound. If it's really large you might want to turn it over about 1/2-way through.

That's it - it's so easy, it doesn't heat up your house or take up your oven, and we've never had one turn out dry or bad. We grill year-round.

Yummy!

Answer 7

Makes 8-10 servings.
Ingredients:-

-1/2 c. butter
-1 (14 oz.) pkg. Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned cube stuffing
-1 c. chopped onion
-1 c. cooked wild rice
-1/2 tsp. dried savory leaves, crushed
-1 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
-1 (14 1/2 oz. can) chicken broth
-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
-2 c. cooked, chopped celery
-14-16 lb. ready-to-stuff turkey, washed

Method:-

Wash turkey under cold running water; remove giblets, neck, etc from inside and save for making broth for giblet gravy.

Stuffing:-

In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté mushrooms, celery and onion in butter with savory and nutmeg until tender. Remove from heat. Add stuffing, rice and broth. Mix well.
Spoon stuffing mixture into neck and body cavities lightly; do not compress. Skewer or sew opening closed with butcher's string. Tie legs together.

Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan deep enough to allow up to 1 inch of juices to collect. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of meat between breast and thigh, being careful not to touch bone (or use an instant thermometer).

Roast, uncovered, at 325°F for 4 hours or until internal temperature reaches 180°F and drumstick offers little resistance when moved.

Baste turkey occasionally with pan drippings or butter.

When skin turns golden, cover loosely with tent of aluminum foil, if desired.

ENJOY!!

Answer 8

First you need a papa turkey and a momma turkey..

oh wait.. you didn't mean MAKE a turkey.. you meant COOK a turkey.

Listen.. if you want the best turkey you have ever eaten.. try the "deep fried" method. (go to wal-mart or Sams) or someplace.. that has the deep fryer. the instructions are included. MUCH better tasting than a baked turkey if done right.

Answer 9

Buy a fresh (not frozen) Butterball turkey. The directions come with it so it's easy. Also Pepperidge Farm makes a delicious cornbread stuffing mix. Just follow the directions on that package, too. You can't go wrong.

Answer 10

I have found that the easiest way to make a turkey is to use those Reynolds baking bags.........turkey size ones. Follow the directions that come in the box. The turkey will be moist and tender and it is so easy!!