How to Cook a Turkey

The ingredients and equipment you'll need to cook a turkey includes:

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 uncooked turkey per person.
    • When in doubt, use an online portion calculator for a more-precise estimate based on the number of adults and children, and the appetites of your guests.http://www.csgnetwork.com/turkeydinnercalc.html 
    • Cook's Illustrated reports that most people prefer the taste of previously-frozen turkeys to fresh ones - but you'll need one day for every four pounds of turkey to thaw it properly.http://www.cooksillustrated.com/tastetests/overview.asp?docid=11489 
14. One cup chicken broth (optional)
15. Four sticks of butter

Brining can help ensure that your turkey is flavorful and moist.http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/meat/INT-what-makes-flavor.html  Let the whole bird 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 meat you serve is juicy, tasty, and tender.http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/70/Brining 

• NOTE: Do not brine a kosher or self-basting turkey. They are pre-treated in such a way that no additional salt is needed.

To brine a turkey, you'll need:

1. A non-reactive (plastic, stainless steel, or glass) container large enough to fully submerge the entire turkey
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.http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/salt.html 

To begin the brining process:

1. Remove the turkey from any wrapping.
2. Remove the innards. 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.http://www.eatturkey.com/consumer/cookinfo/brine.html 
4. Pour the cold water into the container.
5. Stir the water until the salt dissolves.
6. Place the whole turkey in the container.
7. Place the container in the refrigerator for six hours.
8. Remove the brined turkey from the container.
9. Pour the water in the container down the drain.
10. Thoroughly rinse the entire body of the bird under cold water for several minutes.
11. Pat the turkey dry using paper towels.

Note that this recipe does not include steps for stuffing the bird. Though the USDA warns that cooking with stuffing can increase the chances of contracting a food-borne illness, there are simple ways to make sure you cook it safely.

1. Some turkeys come pre-stuffed. Do not thaw them before cooking.http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3560.htm  Always cook a frozen turkey directly from its frozen state.
2. Do not use fresh stuffing if you plan on grilling, smoking, frying or microwaving the turkey.http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Turkey_Basics_Stuffing/index.asp 
3. Do not combine ingredients for your stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate.http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3560.htm  Prepare everything immediately before you stuff the turkey.
4. Do not overstuff.
   • The materials will expand while cooking, so keep the stuffing loosely packed in the inside cavities.http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey/safety.html 
   • Maintain a safe ratio of no more than 3/4 cups of stuffing per pound of meat.http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3560.htm 
5. Begin cooking at 325 degrees F immediately after the filling the insides with stuffing.http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Turkey_Basics_Stuffing/index.asp 
   • Cooking overnight at a lower temperature is not sufficient to keep bacteria from thriving.http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3560.htm 
6. Make sure the stuffing alone reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F before turning off the heat.http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/bltrkeyd.htm 

1. Turn the oven on and set the temperature to 450 degrees.
2. When the oven is preheated, place the turkey inside and roast it for 20 minutes to give it a brown color.
3. Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees for the remainder of the cooking time.
4. Use a general rule of 12 cooking minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey and 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey. For example, a 16-pound stuffed turkey would need to cook for about four hours. If you purchased your turkey from a grocery store, read the package instructions for specific cooking times.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amgMXrZ0PbQ 

A stuffed turkey roasted at 325 F will take about 15 minutes a pound. If your turkey weighs less than 16 pounds, it will take about 20 minutes a pound. If you cook your turkey at a higher temperature, it will be ready sooner. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to check that your turkey is done. The breast meat should be 165-170 F, and the dark meat should be 185 F.

Mahalo has other great videos on preparing a turkey.  For tips on turkey stuffing, brining and smoking, feel free to watch some of our informative videos, below.