Turkey Drama!!! HELP!!!!!?

Question

My family is coming down for Thanksgiving and this is my first time cooking the dinner! I did like most people and I just waited around for the food to finish, then get's to digging! I have an 11 pound turkey and I need to know the best way to defrost it? U known the day I need to start and how? I also need to know what's a good poultry seasoning? I would ask my family but the names they give me don't exist in Kansas! So I will ask the great world of Yahoo Q&A!

Answer 1

Turkey Size (lbs.) , Refrigerator (Days), Cold Water (Hours)

8-12 , 1-2 , 4-6

12-16 , 2-3 , 6-8

16-20 , 3-4 , 8-10

20-24 , 4-5 , 10-12
What is the best way to thaw a turkey? There are three ways to safely thaw a turkey, but refrigerator thawing is recommended. Defrost the turkey in its original wrapper on a tray in the refrigerator 24 hours for every 5 pounds. Never thaw a turkey at room temperature.

You may also place the wrapped turkey in the sink and cover it completely with cold water for about 30 minutes per pound. Change the water every 30 minutes to make sure it stays cold. If the wrapping is torn, place the turkey in another plastic bag, close securely, and then place in water.

mccormicks is a good seasoning...if you cant find poultry seasoning.....just use the following spices....THYME, SAGE, MARJORAM, ROSEMARY, BLACK PEPPER, AND NUTMEG.

Answer 2

Don't panic! First of all, defrost your turkey in the fridge at least 3 days before Thanksgiving, transfering it from the freezer early in the morning. Just keep it in its wrapper, on a tray (to catch anything that drips off). The seasoning I use is just plain old poultry seasoning, found in your seasoning isle at your local grocery store. I'm sure even Wally World has it too. I buy mine from the dollar store. Poultry seasoning has mostly sage in it, so even if you can't seem to find it, rub your turkey's insides with sage, along with a little salt, after rinsing the bird and patting it dry with some paper towels. Bake your 8-12 pound turkey at 325 for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. Cover bird loosely with foil. Press lightly at the end of drumsticks and neck; leave air space between bird and foil. Baste bird occasionally, if desired, every 30-45 minutes. Roast, uncovered, the last 45 minutes, until bird is done. Make sure your bird is in a pan with enough room all the way around, and deep enough to catch the drippings. You can use butter for basting, which will mix with the bird's own drippings as it bakes. You might have to check for doneness, especially if you stuff the bird, which can add to baking time. I always leave my bird unstuffed, to cut the baking time. You can also use one of those cooking bags that Renolds Wrap makes. They make them in turkey sizes, plus they have directions inside to help you make the best turkey possible. Anyway, your turkey is done when you can easily move the drumstick up and down and twist easily in its socket. I highly recommend the baking bags, as you don't have to baste the bird and clean-up is so much easier. Hope you have a very successful Thanksgiving dinner. Save room for pie! <*)))><

Answer 3

Put the bird in your fridge 2-3 days before Thanksgiving. If it is still a bit frozen that morning you can speed up the defrosting by running it under cold water in the sink.

You can't go wrong with Bell's Poultry Seasoning, it comes in a little yellow cardboard box and you'll find it anywhere- even in Kansas. Basically it's a mixture of thyme, sage, salt, pepper, celery salt and a few others. Go to your local grocery store these days and they'll have tons of pre-printed turkey roasting recipes as well as stuffing recipes.

If you're planning on making pies, make them the day before! Also, there is nothing wrong with asking your family to help with the cooking by bringing some of their favorite dishes with them.

Answer 4

To defrost the turkey, just put it in a foil pan in the fridge starting the morning prior to Thanksgiving, or Tuesday night if you really want to be safe. In the fridge and in the plastic wrapping, it should be fine. Put it on the bottom shelf of the fridge.

Poultry seasoning is sold in the spice section of the grocery store. It's labelled "poultry seasoning". You can also look on foodtv.com, epicurious, or recipezaar.com. then you can find other seasonings to use for turkey. I am sure there are lots.

You can just use the poultry seasoning and also baste the turkey with some chicken broth and it will be very tasty!

Answer 5

An 11 pounder you should put in the fridge on Monday to start thawing. I'm from the East Coast and have access to McCormicks spices. Easiest thing to do is go to your local supermarket and ask at the customer service counter what "spices" they use to season a turkey with.

I season mine with a rosemary/salt/pepper/cilantro mix that I just rub onto the bird. You can also get the "chicken" or poultry rub that Emeril has.

Answer 6

Also, for the turkey to come out extra juicy, you can brine it. Brining it is just leaving it overnight in a mixture of salt, water and spices if you like. Just remember that the turkey will have extra salt in it already.

It does take extra effort, but it's worth it because the turkey will come out extra juicy.

Here's a recipe from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

* 1 gallon vegetable broth
* 1 cup sea salt
* 1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
* 1 tablespoon dried sage
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme
* 1 tablespoon dried savory
* 1 gallon ice water

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
2. When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.
3. Wash and Dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place the bucket in the refrigerator. Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine.
4. Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.


(If not, you can always buy one of the meat injectors and inject a liquid mixtures of flavors in your turkey)

Answer 7

put the turkey in the fridge for a few days then make a poultry seosning with old bay or somthing use a betty crocker cook book or somthing or family americas test kitchen book other than that americas test kitchen book alwasys has suggestions on turkeys and seasonings

Answer 8

well, you should start defrosting it 2 days before you will roast the turkey. Place it on your fridge to start defrosting. Then on the night before the roast, clean your sink and soak your turkey in hot water. Make sure to check the inside to make sure its defrosted. Then wipe the turkey with paper towel and make sure its dry before placing it back to the fridge.

As for poultry seasoning, i usually used sage, salt, thyme, and parsley flakes. It will make it smell good and the taste really well.

Answer 9

in case you experience torn between the two families, why do no longer you're taking this threat to start your man or woman family members custom? Afterall, that's no longer any exciting next year once you have a diaper bag and play pen and all of the toddler fixings to hold to 2 grandparents residences for each holiday. Set your floor policies early, enable the two families recognize they're invited and welcomed to have fun with you and your place with your guy and your baby. That way the toddler isn't contained in the chilly and ingesting 3 nutrition each and every holiday, and you do no longer might desire to pass away the living house. Do it now, till now the sentiments initiate getting injury and the jealousy instruments in on who's the popular grandma! stable success! playstation you will possibly desire to no longer have been positioned into this occasion, i think for you! Wanna come to my living house for turkey day??? :)

Answer 10

The best way to make a juicy turkey is to put it in a salt water brine in the fridge for 24 hours.