How do I cook a Turkey?

Question

I have never cooked a Turkey and this year I have to. I have looked online for reciepes and have some on mind. Tell me how u cook your Turkey?

Answer 1

This is the cooking chart I follow
http://www.norbest.com/d_cooking_perfect_turkey.cfm
There are recipe links there too

Answer 2

Be sure the turkey is thoroughly defrosted first. Follow the directions that came with the turkey - it's pretty much just a question of taking the giblets out (the package in the body cavity of the bird), rinsing the bird well, and putting it in the oven. If it needs basting, use chicken broth, but many turkeys now are self-basting, such as the Butterball brand. Be sure to check for doneness in the way that the packaging specifies - undercooked turkey or any other bird is not a healthy thing to eat. As for stuffing, check for any directions as to how to alter cooking time or temperature that may require; many people cook the stuffing outside the bird first, so that there is no concern about undercooked stuffing becoming health hazard.

Answer 3

Fist you by the turkkey about a week early, and pop it in the fridge (not the freezer!)

Then the night before thanksgiving, you fill up the sink with water, plop the turkey in, unplug the sink, and pour cold water over the turkey.

In the morning, you cut the plastic off, untie the legs, and unpin the neck hole. Hopefully by now it will have thawed enough that you can reach into the hole in it's bottom. There's a huge hole ther, filled with the turkey's neck, and some internal organs in bags. Usually there's some stuff for dressing in bags in there too. Get all of those out, and make sure there isn't any other plastic or paper wrappings inside there. If it hasn't thawed out enough to do that, you can use hot water

Once you've got the guts out, run hot water through the cavity inside the turkey while you mix up the stuffing, preheat the oven (about 450, I think) and get out a pan, some large turkey pins, a baster, a meat thermometer, and a bit of turkey tie thread.

check the turkey, it's insides should no longer be icy. If they are free of ice, plop it belly up in the pan, pin it's neck shut as high up on the body as possible, and fill the inside cavity with stuffing before you tie it shut. Some people like to put various seasonings on top of the turkey at this point, such as salt, cumin, cloves, etc.

stick the thermometer deep into the turkey near the bottom of it's rib cage, and put it in the oven for two to four ours, depending on the size of the turkey. (Most turkeys have directions based on size on their wrappers) Every hour or so, take it out for a few seconds while you use the baster to suck up fluids that have dripped out, and to pour them over on top of the turkey. Check the thermometer when you do this.

The turkey will be done once the thermometer has read 160 for at least ten minutes straight.

At that time, you can suck the juices off to make gravy and such, and work on slicing the turkey and all that good stuff.

Answer 4

I rinse the whole turkey, in and out with cold water. Make sure to take the bag of livers out of the cavity. Salt the cavity and stuff it with;
1 c. chopped celery...1 c. chopped onions sauteed in butter
1 cup chopped apples
6 sausages cooked and chopped
1/2 c.chopped pecans that you roast in oven first
about 1/2 loaf of torn up french bread
1/2 c. chicken stock
3 tsp poutry seasoning
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
Mix altogether and stuff the cavity then stick in the neck to hold dressing in and the leg tips.

Salt, pepper all turkey then put in large roaster and dot with some butter. Cover loosely with foil then bake 15 min per pound in a 350 oven

after about 2 hours baste the turkey with juices and take off the foil an hour before the bird is done to brown it nicely and baste it again.

When done , lift to a serving tray and let it sit for 10 min undisturbed. (while you make gravy)

GRAVY
about 2 cups of the fatty juices in roaster , mix in flour slowly til like a sauce then add the potato water and cold water slowly and whisk it as you do (over med heat) keep adding water as it thickens til its the way you like it. Season to taste. If you like add a bit of chicken in a mug , but not too much as its salty.

enjoy:) Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Answer 5

assuming it's defrosted and emptied of pkgs, and rinsed... 325* 1hour for each 4lbs of bird, add an hour if stuffed.. put in a plastic turkey bag (or covered roasting pot). Turkey is a BIG roast chicken! Stick it in the oven and until done.. then you're done, besides the sides. Several years ago was MY first time and I was scared silly, until I looked at it and realized it's an overgrown chicken. Treat it as such and you will be fine. Happy holiday!

Answer 6

GET YOUR BIRD AND A COOKING BAG IN THE SAME AREA OF THE STORE. DIRECTIONS ARE IN THE PACKAGE AND ON THE TURKEY FOR HOW TO FIX, IT BAKES QUICKER IF YOU DON'T PUT DRESSING INSIDE THE BIRD. IT'S NOT THAT HARD. ENJOY. REMEMBER TO TAKE THE THINGS OUT OF BOTH ENDS OF THE TURKEY BEFORE BAKING. I USUALLY JUST THROW THEM AWAY, THE NECK, GIZZARD AND LIVER, SOME LIKE THEM.

Answer 7

I salt and pepper it I trim the fat and stuff it under the skin of the breast with some butter then roast it in aslow oven of 300 degrees for 15 to18 minutes a pound

Answer 8

you put it in the oven and cook it for a few hours till the pop up thing pops up i even no this