how to thaw/cook a Christmas Turkey?

Question

How and how long should I be thawing out my turkey. What are the rules for cooking?

Answer 1

I have included the best website i have ever come across.
I have brought you right to the article on turkey.
hope it helps!


http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=56&id=641

Answer 2

Start thawing it in the fridge NOW on a platter. Follow this recipe and you should have a great turkey:

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

You should purchase your turkey aout 3 days in advance. Thaw your turkey out in the refrigerator, depending on the size of the bird,a turkey over 12 pounds may take up to 3 days. After it is thawed completely, remove neck and giblets from inside the bird and also where the wishbone would be(neck area).Wash the bird inside and out. and pat dry. You can take onions; celery and parsley and put inside the turkey for an excelent flavor. (Believe it or not, but putting stuffing inside the bird can cause bactiera to grow, so it's better to make the stuffing in a seperate pan). To cook the turkey, the ole fashion way is to put the breast side up and brush w/ butter or oil and place in a shallow baking pan and bake at 325'. I bake mine breast side down for 3/4 of baking time this makes for a juicier turkey and you can finish browning the top when you turn the bird over for remaining baking time.(If using a meat thermometer, stick it in the thickest part of the thigh muscle - when done it should register 185') Baking times: 6-8# =3-31/2 hrs.
8-12#= 31/2-41/2 hrs.
12-16#= 41/2-51/2hrs.
16-20#= 51/2-61/2 hrs.
20-24#= 61/2- 7hrs.
This is without the bird being stuffed
Hope this helps you out. Happy Holidays!

Answer 4

For our Thanksgiving Turkey, fiancee and I took the turkey out of the freezer four days before cooking and put it in a pot of water and put it in the fridge.

The day prior to cooking, we emptied out the water, and poured in some wine to marinate it (one year we used Rum but it was too strong, so we tried wine this year).

The day of cooking, about 3 hours before we planned on eating the turkey, we preheated the oven for 375 degrees. We placed the turkey BREAST DOWN in the roasting pan. We used one of the turkey cooking bags and cut slits into it so the bag won't burst.

Every half hour we would look into the oven to check the turkey. After an hour of it cooking, we flipped it over to breast side UP. We then basted it with the juices in the bottom of the roasting pan.

After 2 1/2 hours, the turkey was done. We checked the temperature of the turkey and it was good (180 degrees sticking the thermometer into the meat).

We then let it sit for 15 minutes or so to let the juices soak back into the turkey.

I tell you this was one of the BEST TASTING turkey's we've made in 3 1/2 years.

Answer 5

In American on Thanksgiving turkey is a real must. In fact I think some huge percentage of people do, I think having turkey on thanksgiving is some place in the 90 percent rage. Probably the only people who don't are vegetarians/vegans. Even then I know many vegetarians and even vegans who make an exception for that one day. Now as far is Christmas goes many people do also have turkey again. However, Christmas is a lot more "wide open" some have ham, others have a standing rib roast etc. I guess you could say this: Thanksgiving has an over all tradition that most people follow and Christmas is more of a tradition of the individual. For example, in my family we do not normally eat beef and as such we treat ourselves to a big rib roast on Christmas. That is the only day of the year that we eat beef.

Answer 6

If it is frozen, depending on the size as well, you should take it out of the freezer and put it in your fridge atleast 48 hours in advance. I would unwrap it on Xmas morning, and rinse it thoroughly as well. If it is still frozen, place it in a large pot or container in water. Keep emtying and running the water over it, (not hot water however) I have found that the least stress free cooking method is from the Reynolds Oven Bags. They have instructions right on the box, no basting, 1/2 the time, and usually more moist than regular baking. Good luck, each experience cooking a Turkey is a learning experience, but fun!

Answer 7

Defrosting Turkey:

Recommended Methods
There are two recommended methods for thawing turkey: refrigerator thawing and cold water thawing. The important rule to remember for both methods is to keep your turkey cold while thawing. Do not thaw turkey on a kitchen counter.

Refrigerator Method
Place turkey or turkey parts on a tray in the refrigerator in their original wrapping. For whole turkey, allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. For turkey breast, 1 to 2 days. To defrost turkey parts, 24 hours.

Cold Water Method
For cold water defrosting, place your turkey or turkey breast in its original wrapping under cold water in a sink or deep pan. Change the water every 30 minutes, keeping the turkey submerged in the water. For this method, the defrosting time for a whole turkey is 30 minutes for each pound of turkey. For example, allow about 6 hours to defrost a 12 pound turkey. The defrosting time for a turkey breast is 4 to 8 hours.
http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/info_page/Defrosting_Turkey.asp

For cooking your Turkey; use a Reynolds Oven Bag...

Herb Roasted Holiday Turkey
http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/recipes/product_recipe_search.asp?Step=ShowRecipe&RecipeID=906&parent_info_page_id=744&info_page_id=745&prod_id=1790&cat_id=1337

Turkey with Sausage & Cornbread Stuffing
http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/recipes/product_recipe_search.asp?Step=ShowRecipe&RecipeID=1004&parent_info_page_id=744&info_page_id=745&prod_id=1790&cat_id=1337

Answer 8

48 hours wont do any harm and it will benefit you if you season it in advance. Do good on the turkey and dont stick to just salt and pepper, use some garlic, parsley, olive or sunflower oil, balsamic vinegar (not much but just enough) and of course sea salt and pepper. Frisk the turkey with it and get it under the skin, you will never forget the turkey!! Oven bags work best and give you extra time away from the kitchen.

Answer 9

i brined my thanksgiving turkey for the first time this year, and vowed i would do it with all of my poulty. brining is soaking it in a salt/spices water for overnight.
www.allrecipes.com/howto/brining-turkey/detail.aspx

i also always use a reynolds turkey baking bag.
it was the best turkey ever..
good luck

Answer 10

For any questions about cooking and thawing and how to carve:

http://www.butterball.ca/english/index.html