Dry brine vs. wet brine? Roasted or deep fried? Butter or oil? To baste or not to baste?
There's a lot of different advice out there for perfecting your holiday turkey. The turkey is the most iconic centerpiece of the traditional Thanksgiving feast and if it's your responsibility this year, we understand the pressure!
Lucky for you, we've combed through the Cookpad data-base and brought you the most popular advice by home cooks across the country. And we've even tested some of these techniques ourselves so you can take us at our word.
Below, we answer 6 key questions to help make cooking your turkey a breeze:
- What size of bird should I buy?
- Should I brine my turkey?
- Should I use butter or oil?
- Should I cook stuffing inside the bird?
- Should I baste my turkey?
- How long should I cook my turkey for?
What size of bird should I buy?
Well... how many people are you feeding? The general guide is to allow about 1 to 1½ pounds per person, but we recommend going on the heavier side if you want leftovers (the best part). If you're feeding 6 people, for example, we recommend getting a 10 lbs. turkey.
Should I brine my turkey?
Brining is a way to season and tenderize meat before cooking. Many people use a salted water bath to brine their turkeys, but we recommend using a dry brine which is much quicker and requires less equipment.
If you bought your bird frozen, make sure to thaw it in the fridge for 2-3 days before cooking it. You can cook your bird from frozen, but it will take a lot longer to cook and it will not be as crispy. Remove the neck and innards from the cavity, if included - you can use these to make your gravy!
Then, one or two days before your feast, pat your turkey dry with paper towels and rub kosher or sea salt all over the bird: both inside and out. This is your dry brine which will make your meat super flavorful and moist. You can also add dried herbs like thyme, sage, or rosemary to the salt mix.
Place your turkey on a plate and refrigerate for at least 24 hours uncovered to allow the salt to penetrate the skin, which will make it crisp up in the oven.
⚠️ Before brining: check that your turkey isn't pre-treated. This could look like an 'enhanced' or 'self-basting' turkey. If it has been pre-treated, then skip the dry brine.
This technique works great for other poultry too:
Lee’s
Should I use butter or oil?
One of our favorite tips is to add an herb butter both under and on top of the skin. We like butter because it makes the meat juicier and the drippings tastier, which you can add to your gravy. But if you want the crispiest skin, you can use oil or another pure fat, as they contain less water than butter.
Take your bird out of the fridge about 1 hour before you want to cook it to let it come to room temperature. This will help it cook faster. Make your herb butter by combining fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary and thyme and un-salted butter (at least 1/2 stick) and rub it all over the skin of the turkey.
To stuff herb butter under the skin, carefully pull the skin up from the breast without tearing it. Place a ball of butter inside the formed pocket and massage it to spread it out under the skin. This will add a lot of flavor as the bird cooks.
Make sure to secure the legs together with cooking twine and tuck the wings under the bird for an even cook!
PittbullMom2014
Should I cook stuffing inside the bird?
We know it's called 'stuffing' for a reason... but in many cases, if you cook your bird long enough for the stuffing inside to be properly cooked, the turkey will be overdone. And no one likes dry turkey!
Instead, we recommend stuffing the turkey cavity with halved onions, citrus fruits, fresh herbs, and garlic and make your actual Thanksgiving stuffing as a separate side dish. Our favorite stuffing recipes use stale bread, such as white rolls or sourdough, with chopped veggies and apples or other fruit. Add sausage for a richer, meatier stuffing.
cindybear
Should I baste my turkey?
Basting is the process of adding the juices from the bottom of the roasting tray onto the bird every 45 minutes to an hour during the cooking process. This stops the bird from drying out and many cooks swear by it.
However... we're not sure it's always necessary. Basting your turkey so often means opening and closing the oven door which releases a lot of heat and means your turkey might not cook as evenly.
If you're worried about your turkey drying out, we definitely recommend tenting your turkey. Lightly cover your bird in tin foil, avoid letting it touch the skin, and secure the foil to the sides of the roasting pan to stop steam from escaping. About 30 to 6o minutes before the turkey is done cooking, remove the aluminum tent and let the turkey finish roasting uncovered to allow the skin to get crispy and brown.
Crock Pot Girl 🤡
How long should I cook my turkey for?
Cooking time depends on the size of your turkey, whether it's stuffed or not, and the temperature of the turkey before you put it in the oven.
A 10-18 lbs. un-stuffed turkey will likely take about 3 - 3½ hours to roast in the oven at 350°F. Add an extra 13 minutes onto that for every extra pound. If the turkey is stuffed, add another 45 minutes. A frozen turkey will probably take 50% more time to cook than one that has been thawed out (from 3 hours to 4½ hours).
The best way to tell if your turkey is done is to check the temperture. Turkeys are safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F. If your turkey is stuffed this means that the center of the stuffing should reach 165°F.
If you don't have a thermometer, you can cut into the thickest part of the thigh and see if the juices run clear. If they are still pink, let it cook for a bit longer, checking every 15-20 minutes.
Most importantly, after you take your bird out of the oven - let it rest!! We recommend letting it rest for 20 minutes up to an hour, covered with foil, for the most juicy and tender meat. We definitely think its worth the wait!
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