how to prepare a turkey?

Question

how do you prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving properly?

Answer 1

1. If the turkey is frozen, thaw it in its original wrap in the refrigerator or submerged in cold water. When you're ready to cook your bird, remove the wrapper and preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Remove the neck from the body cavity and the giblets from the neck cavity. Drain the juices; rinse and blot the cavities with paper towels.

3. Just before roasting, stuff the neck and body cavities lightly, if desired. Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Return the legs to a tucked position, if untucked. No trussing is necessary.

4. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a flat rack in an open roasting pan about 2 inches deep.

5. Insert a meat thermometer deep into the thickest part of the thigh, next to the body but not touching the bone.

6. Brush the skin with vegetable oil to prevent drying. Further basting is unnecessary.

7. Wash utensils, work surfaces and hands in hot, soapy water after contact with uncooked turkey and juices.

8. Roast turkey at 325 degrees (see chart for approximate cooking times). When the skin is light-golden brown, about two-thirds done, shield the breast loosely with lightweight foil to prevent overbrowning.

9. Check for doneness 30 minutes before the turkey is expected to be done. The turkey is fully cooked when the internal temperature of the thigh is 180 degrees. The thickest part of the breast should read 170 degrees and the center of the stuffing, 160 degrees.

10. When done, let turkey stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Answer 2

Do not buy a frozen turkey; go w/ fresh only. This is my fave recipe, other than using a baking bag or soaking in a brine.

Perfect Roast Turkey

1 fresh turkey (12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch of fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
3 Spanish onions
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/2 cup good olive oil
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
10 red new potatoes, halved
3 heads fennel, fronds removed, cut into wedges through the core

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, one of the onions (quartered), and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with 1/4 cup olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey.

Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Toss the carrots, potatoes, and fennel with 1/4 cup olive oil and add to the roasting pan. Continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.

Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables. Serves 8.

--Ina Garten

Answer 3

Good question, I was just getting ready to cook turkey. The first time I made a turkey it turned out moist and flavorful. If you are using stuffing, prepare that first. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Remove neck and giblets from turkey, and reserve for the gravy if you want. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Place turkey in a roasting pan, if you don't have one, the base of a broiling pan works great. And this sounds odd, but it will keep the turkey moist. Before seasoning the turkey, spray it with a butter spray, like pam, then salt and pepper to taste. Make sure your turkey is breast side up in the pan. You can also season with any of your favorite seasonings like rosemary or thyme. Stuff the stuffing in the cavity loosely. Take about 2 carrots, celery, onions and 4 sprigs of parsely. Cut the veggies coarsley, and put in the pan around the turkey. Add about 2 cups of water. Roast turkey in oven for about 15 minutes uncovered then turn the heat down to 325 degrees. If you are using a roasting pan and it has a cover, cover it. If you don't have a roasting pan, use foil and cover it tightly. For a 12 lb turkey, roast for about 2 1/2 hours, then uncover and let roast uncovered for about 45 minutes more. But during roasting don't forget to baste your turkey with the juices in the pan. The temperature of the turkey should register 180 to 185 degrees on a meat themometor and the center of the stuffing regestering 160 th 165 on the themometer. Then let the turkey stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving. That lets it reabsorb its juices. But here is what I find to be important, when making the gravy, melt a little butter in a pan, then add a little flour to it, and let the flour butter mixture brown a little bit before you add any fluids to it. That makes it less starchy. Good luck

Answer 4

How to Roast the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey
Use this turkey recipe to prepare a Thanksgiving Turkey that your family will not forget!
By Martha Matthews

Published: October 28, 2003

When it comes to finding directions on how to roast the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, suddenly everyone you know becomes an expert. Your neighbor, your mail carrier, the waitress at the restaurant where you have lunch with your girlfriends, your best friend, the dog groomer, the checker at the grocery store, your hairdresser, your car repairman (even though he's never cooked a turkey in his life) and last but not least your pest control man. Everyone has to put in their two cents worth on the subject. Well, I guess that means I'm in good company. Here are my instructions on how to cook the best turkey you'll ever eat.

FLAVOR
I am going to let you in on a little secret. This is the method that the best restaurants use to give their turkeys incredible flavor. What is the secret? It's called flavor brining. Yes, that's what they do. Historically brining was done as a method of preserving. However, today it is used primarily as a vehicle to impart flavor and moisture into a lean cut of meat.

Here are the steps to brining a turkey.

Start with a non-reactive container such as a large food service container or other food-safe container.

Determine the amount of brine mixture you will need by putting your turkey in the container and covering it with water. Remove the turkey and measure the remaining water. This is the amount you will need to make. Discard this water and use fresh water for your brine.

Place your turkey in the container and cover with the brine (recipe to follow). Refrigerate in the brine for at least 12 hours or up to two days if desired. If you are concerned about the bird being too salty, stop after the 12 hour period. Better to err on the side of less than too much.

When the brining process is complete, rinse the bird well and pat dry. Air dry the bird over-night in the refrigerator to let the skin dry. This will help in the crisping of the skin as it roasts. Stuff your turkey as usual and roast according to the instructions below.

Brine Recipe
This is a general recipe. You may need to double the recipe to get enough to cover your bird. Spices may be added to this mixture to create your own unique flavor.

In a non-reactive container, mix until dissolved the following ingredients.

- 1 gallon of cool, water.
- 1 cup of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (if using Morton's Kosher salt, use 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup of white or brown sugar

Pour the mixture over the turkey and refrigerate.

Additional spice and seasoning suggestions:

Add any or all of the following to your brine mixture: bay leaves, juniper berries, black pepper corns, dried thyme, and garlic cloves.
ROASTING
The goal in cooking a turkey is to get your bird cooked and beautifully browned without drying out the breast. Here's the problem: white meat cooks faster than dark meat. Traditionally, the bird is cooked breast-side up. This method causes the breast meat to cook quickly while the legs that are under the bird cook slowly. What you end up with is dried-out breast meat in order for the legs and thighs to be done properly.

So what is the answer you ask? Roast your turkey breast side down. Now before you brand me a heretic and have me burned at the stake, hear me out. Yes this is not how your mother or grandmother did it but I am telling you, once you try this method you will never go back to cooking your turkey breast-side up again.

Why do it this way? Because when the breast meat in on the bottom, not only is it protected and cooks a little slower but all the juices that are in the turkey drain down into the breast making it moist, tender and juicy. Unless you have your heart set on a Norman Rockwell presentation, this is the best position in which to cook your bird. It may not look as pretty as the other, but who carves their turkey at the table anyway? We never do.

The last tip to the perfect turkey is to put your bird in the oven a leave it there until it is done. Calculate the amount of time that it will take to cook your bird, then put it in the oven and don't peek until the timer goes off. No basting is necessary. You don't need to baste if you cook the turkey breast-side down.

Bon Appetite!

Answer 5

There are so many ways to prepare a turkey. We started buying ours fully cooked smoked, and frozen. They are so good, and very easy to prepare, just thaw, heat, and eat. They are not time consuming compared to the raw turkey, the flavor is much better, and you don't have to worry about your turkey being fully cooked.

Answer 6

First time preparing a turkey?
No problem, preparing a turkey is easier than you think. And Butterball has everything you need to make your first turkey a delicious success. Just follow these simple steps and you'll feel like a professional in no time.

Step 1: Determine how much turkey and stuffing you will need
Let Butterball do the math with the Turkey and Stuffing Calculator.
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=prep_calculator.jsp&t=Turkey%20Calculator&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=plan

Step 2: Decide what kind of Butterball Turkey to purchase
Fresh or Frozen? Here are some tips http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=faq_7.jsp&t=Turkey%20FAQs&s0=faqs&s1= to help you decide.

Step 3: Prepare your shopping list
Save multiple trips to the store by Creating Your Own Shopping List.
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=shopping_list.jsp&t=Shopping%20List&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=plan

Step 4: Thaw the Turkey
Refrigerator or Cold Water? Decide which method http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=thawing_methods.jsp&t=Thawing%20Methods&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=guide is right for you.

Step 5: Stuffing the Bird
To stuff the bird, or not? See our easy-to-follow Stuffing Instructions http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=stuffing_turkey.jsp&t=Stuffing%20a%20Whole%20Turkey&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=guide and Video.

Step 6: Roasting to Perfection
Follow our Open Pan Roasting Method http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=roasting_perfection.jsp&t=Roasting%20to%20Perfection&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=guide and Video for tender and juicy turkey every time.
And learn where the meat thermometer goes http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=faq_4.jsp&t=FAQs&s0=faqs&s1= and how to tell when the turkey is done. http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=faq_6.jsp&t=FAQs&s0=faqs&s1=

Step 7: Carve Like a Professional
For expert carving, stick to our straightforward Carving Techniques and Video. http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=carving_techniques.jsp&t=Carving%20Techniques&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=guide

Step 8: Store Leftovers...if there are any
Check out our helpful leftover tips and fabulous recipes.
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=leftovers.jsp&t=Leftovers%20Landing%20Page&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=leftovers

Still looking for fail-safe preparation? Consider preparing a Butterball Fully Cooked or Frozen Stuffed Whole Turkey.
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=turkey.jsp&t=Turkey%20Landing%20Page&s0=products&s1=turkey


Helpful Tools and Tips
Cooking Conversion Charts
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=conversion_charts.jsp&t=Conversion%20Charts&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=guide
Garnishing
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=garnishing_turkey.jsp&t=Garnishing%20your%20Turkey&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=guide
Home Food Safety
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=prep_foodsafety.jsp&t=Home%20Food%20Safety%20&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=plan
Stuffing, Broth and Gravy Tips
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=prep_stuffing.jsp&t=Stuffing%2C%20Broth%2C%20and%20Gravy%20Tips&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=prep

Still have questions?
Check out the Butterball Turkey FAQ's
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=faqs.jsp&t=FAQs&s0=faqs&s1=

Answer 7

properly??? wow. well i what i do i just go out to the store and buy turkey, but the rest i can help because i make it