How can I cook the turkey?

Question

This is my first time ever to prepare a Christmas Dinner and I'm doing a turkey. I know the thawing time and cooking time per pound stuff, but what is the best way to season a turkey? I've read about brining the turkey, but is that necessary? Any tips will be appreciated!

I know some people are tired of turkey, but the turkey was free.

Answer 1

Brining is an excellent way to guarantee moist meat. It is also an excellent way to introduce flavor.

Read up on some of the brining ideas out there. They range from traditional salt/sugar water, or apple juice, to bourbon, to cajun to teriyaki. Just don't "overdo". A 13lb bird needs 8-9 hours. More is not better.

Fruits, (like lemons, oranges), herbs (sage, rosemary), and some vegetables (onions, leeks) in the cavity can provide some flavor for the drippings and will help your gravy, but won't do much for the meat itself.

Another venue is under the skin. Slip some butter, herbs, hot sauce, whatever-you-like, under there, but don't overdo. When the meat hits the fire, a lot of that is going to drip out. Don't be wasteful.

Your cooking technique will make more difference than anything. Don't stuff, (except for a lemon, onion and some rosemary or something), Cook for 30 minutes at 500 (HOT!), reduce the oven to 350, cover the breast with foil and resume cooking until the thigh meat is at 165.

Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, and you will have a ball!

Best wishes!

Answer 2

Make sure you put some butter and sage under the skin of the turkey. Then rub the top with butter. Then add a splash of olive oil. Season with sage,basil, rosemary,oregano. A few pinchs will do. Fill the inside with stuffing (istant if you cant cook) so it wont dry out. Put some chopped carrots and celery and a can of chicken stock in the bottom of the pan,for great gravy. For gravy just mix the before said(straining the vegies to eat as a side) with some gravy master in a skillet on the stove till it is thick. Also keep the turkey in the oven for,every pound of turkey,five minutes. Good luck. Also if you can watch food network,it is their turkey month so there are a ton of recipes.

Answer 3

Check the Butterball web site. They should have some good tips. You could deep fry it, but from personal experience (my parents did this) use peanut oil, and cook away from the house(FIRE hazards, and yes they caused a fire by using cheap oil lol). What I'm planning on doing, is injecting the turkey with a butter/garlic combo-to get the flavor inside. Now gotta figure out what to use to inject it lol. Just use whatever seasons you like.

Answer 4

I like to slow bake the turkey for around 4 hrs. (breast down) with butter , gavander's seasoning, and some lawry's seasoned salt. (I drizzle melted butter from in the pan over the whole turkey about every hour.) People really seem to love it , they've asked me to do the turkey again this year. Hope this helps! ( Cook in pan covered with foil)

Answer 5

I'm not too familiar with seasoning turkeys and cooking them, but I do know that a great way to season them is to peel oranges and stick them in the little hole and leave them in while you cook it. The juices from the oranges will be absorbed into the meat in will make it taste great.

Answer 6

the first time i cooked a turkey was last thanksgiving. i used the safeway 2 hour turkey recipe. it was so easy and it came out delicious, crispy skin and juicy meat.

Directions:

1. Remove and discard truss, pull or trim off, and discard lumps of fat. Remove giblets and neck (also tail, if desired) and save for gravy.

2. Rince turkey inside and out with warm water. Pat dry with paper towel. Rub turkey skin all over with olive oil. Set bird breast down and sprinkle back with the salt and pepper.

3. Place an adjustable V shaped rack (set rack sides so bird is a minimum of 2 inches from pan bottom)in a pan about 13 x 16 in. deep. Put turkey breast up, on rack; sprinkle breast with salt and pepper. Fold wing tips under.

4. Using aluminum foil, form caps over the tips of the end of each drum stick. If wing tips extend beyond pan rim, fashion a foil collar underneath to make sure drippings flow back into pan. DO NOT TIE LEGS TOGETHER, ADD STUFFING, OR CLOSE BODY CAVITY.

5. Insert an oven safe meat thermometer near center of breast through thickest part of breast to bone (make sure it touches)

6. Set pan on the lowest rack in a 475 degree oven: roast according to time chart (below) checking as directed during cooking, until thermometer reaches 160 degrees. Halfway through roasting time, rotate pan to reverse it's oven postition and assure even cooking and browning. If areas on turkey breast start to get browner then you like, lay a piece of foil over the dark spots. If there is any smoke, check pan and wings for drips into oven: adjust foil under wings, or slide roasting pan into a larger, shallow rimmed pan. Wipe drips from oven bottom.

Answer 7

Wash the turkey, the rub it with olive oil. The key seasoning for turkey is Sage. I use "rubbed" sage, sprinkle it on after the olive oil and thats all you really need. Stuff it, bake it, eat it!!

Answer 8

why dont you fry the turkey it is awesome and delicious plus you can have it ready in 45 minutes last year i fry our xmas turkey for the 1st time and i will never go back to oven cooking it is that good.

Answer 9

u grease it with butter, stuff it with chopped up potatos, carrots, maybe a bit of onion. if u buy baby carrots it's easy. my and my sister like to toss carrots in the hole.. it's a fun way to prepare a meal. remember to put the turkey into the bag!

Answer 10

deep fried, but may i say one thing some people are tired of turkey from thanksgiving. i would make a ham that's easy.