How to Cook a Turkey

• Also try: How to Pick a Turkey | How to Carve a Turkey | Turkey Recipes | How to Make Stuffing

Introduction

• In North America, turkey is usually the center of the Thanksgiving meal, and often served on Christmas as well. Preparing such a big bird can be intimidating. Not only is it heavy physically, but there's also a lot of emotional weight placed on it. One wrong move, and you haven't just botched a meal, you've ruined the entire holiday.
• Fear not! Cooking a turkey is easy, once you've learned how. This fool-proof — or, at least, fool-resistant — guide will show you exactly how it's done.

How long do I cook my turkey?

• If you just need to find out how long your bird needs to roast, use this handy interactive calculator. Input the weight and temperature, and it will tell you how long to cook it.

Step 1: Gather your supplies

• Cooking a turkey is easy, so long as you have all the right equipment. Try to get the non-perishables around a week before you plan to cook, so you don't have to fight someone for the last turkey pan at the store.
  

  (Creative Commons Turkey on a V-rack by Rene Schwietzke)

1. One large V-rack (a wire, V-shaped rack that fits into a roasting pan)
2. One large roasting pan
3. Meat thermometer
4. Tin foil
5. Paper towels
6. Basting brush
7. Salt
8. Water
9. One onion
10. Four sticks of celery
11. Three carrots
12. Fresh thyme
13. One turkey
    • Rule of thumb: One to one and a half pounds of turkey per each person attending
    • This online calculator will make a more precise estimate based on the number of adults and children, and the appetites of your guests.
    • Cook's Illustrated reports that most people prefer the taste of frozen turkeys to fresh - but you'll need one day per every 4 pounds to thaw it.
    • For more information, see Mahalo's Guide to How to Pick a Thanksgiving Turkey.
14. One cup chicken broth (optional)
15. Four sticks of butter

Step 2: Brine your bird

• Brining is the best way to get a spectacularly tasty turkey. "What is brining?" you may ask. It's an easy way to ensure a moist, tender turkey. Let the turkey soak in a bath of salted water for several hours, and it will take in just enough of that salted water to make sure that the bird you serve is juicy, tasty, and tender.
• If you purchased a kosher turkey, or a self-basting turkey, do not brine it! Kosher turkeys and self-basting turkeys are pre-treated in such a way that no additional salt is needed.
• You'll need:
  

  Creative Commons Brining turkey, with herbs and spices (by John Verive)

1. A non-reactive (plastic, stainless steel, or glass) container large enough for the turkey and water
   • If you're pressed for space in your refrigerator, Cook's Illustrated recommends using the Ziploc Big Bags XL as a brining bag.
2. Two gallons of cold water
3. Two cups of table salt
   • If you prefer kosher salt, Cook's Illustrated says two cups of table salt is equivalent to three cups of Morton's Kosher Salt or four cups of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.

• To brine the turkey:

1. Remove the turkey from any wrapping.
2. Remove the innards from the turkey. If you plan to use them in any other dish, set them aside; if not, throw them away.
3. Pour the salt into your non-reactive container.
4. Pour the cold water into the container.
5. Stir the water until the salt dissolves.
6. Place the turkey in the container.
7. Place the container in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
8. Remove the turkey from the container.
9. Pour the water in the container down the drain.
10. Rinse the turkey under cold water for several minutes.
11. Pat the turkey dry using paper towels.

Step 3: Roast your turkey

• Once your bird is done brining, it's time to pop it in the oven.
  

  Turkey dinner (by Birmingham UK Com)
• This recipe does not involve stuffing the bird. Stuffing it is not only more complicated, but the USDA says that it can result in foodborne illness. For stuffing recipes, take a look at Mahalo's Best Thanksgiving Stuffing page. For a step-by-step guide, read How to Make Stuffing.

1. While the turkey is brining, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Place foil over your V-rack.
3. Poke several holes in the foil to let heat circulate.
4. Chop the onion, the carrots, and the celery, and put them and the thyme into the roasting pan. This will flavor the pan drippings, making tastier gravy.
5. Pour a cup of water or chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
6. Place the V-rack in the roasting pan.
7. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter.
8. Once you have patted the turkey dry, brush the melted butter all over its skin.
9. Place the turkey breast side down into the V-rack.
10. Put the roasting pan in the oven.
11. Cook for 45 minutes.
12. Remove pan from oven (close oven door) and brush pan drippings onto the back and legs of the turkey.
13. Cook for 45 minutes.
14. Brush pan drippings on turkey again.
15. Cook for 30 minutes.
16. Remove pan from oven, closing oven door as soon as you can.
17. Using two large wads of paper towels, turn the turkey over so it is breast side up.
18. Brush pan drippings on front of turkey.
19. Cook until breast temperature reaches 165-170 degrees F, and thigh temperature reaches 175-180 degrees F.
20. Remove turkey from oven.
21. Place turkey on cutting board.
22. Let turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Step 4: Carve, make gravy and serve!

A well-roasted turkey (by Donald Cook)

• After you let the turkey rest, it's ready to be served to your hungry guests.

1. Making gravy? Check out Mahalo's guide to How to Make Gravy.
2. Want to carve that bird without destroying it? Read Mahalo's How to Carve a Turkey.

• Ready to be more daring with your turkey? Take a look at Mahalo's Thanksgiving Turkey and How to Deep Fry a Turkey pages.

Resources for How to Cook a Turkey

• Cook's Illustrated: Should You Pay Top Dollar For Turkey? (2007)
• Exploratorium: Science of Meat: What Gives Meat its Flavor?
• Cooking For Engineers: Kitchen Notes: Brining  
• Cook's Illustrated: Turkey Brining Bags (2006)
• Cook's Illustrated: A Less Salty Brine?
• Howstuffworks: How to Cook a Turkey
• Turkey: The Perfect Protein: Brined roasted turkey
• United States Department of Agriculture: Turkey Basics: Stuffing
• Butterball: Turkey Cooking Time Calculator  
• Calculate the size turkey you need: Turkey Dinner Calculator  

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