Tips for preparing a Thanksgiving turkey

It’s almost that time of year again. The air is getting colder and the leaves are beginning to change, which is a sign that the holidays are fast approaching. The festivities are largely centered around food, whether it’s holiday parties, baking cookies, or dinner itself, cooking is a big part of the celebration.

There is no better example of this than Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving turkey is at the center of the holiday, and preparing a perfect turkey is much easier than you might think.

First, you’ll want to decide what size turkey you’ll feed your guests. A rule of thumb is one pound per person. This amount is likely to provide a generous amount to feed all of your guests and leave you enough for all those delicious holiday leftovers.

Once you determine what size turkey you need to buy, the next option is the brand. Your local supermarket will have a variety of brands available for you to choose from. Some brands, including store brand turkey, will be very inexpensive, while others will be more expensive, but come with the added benefits of built-in thermometers that let you know when your bird is cooked to perfection. Whichever brand of turkey you choose, the secret to the perfect turkey is in the preparation.

The easiest and most foolproof way to achieve the tempting turkey you desire is to cook it in an oven bag. These are bags that take all the work out of cooking a turkey and leave little room for error. They also minimize the amount of cleaning you will have to do. You can find them near the turkeys or in the plastic bag section.

Remember that it will take a couple of days to thaw your turkey if you buy it frozen. A frozen turkey has ruined one too many Thanksgiving dinners. The safest place to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator or in cold water. It is also important to remember the safe guidelines for handling raw poultry when handling a turkey.

Once you have all your supplies, you just need to decide if you want to stuff your turkey or not. Many people feel that a stuffed turkey has a prettier presentation with the added benefit that the stuffing will help flavor the turkey as it bakes. Whether or not your turkey is stuffed will directly affect how long it needs to cook. You can find exact baking instructions on the oven bags if you choose to use them. Cooking time will depend on the weight of your turkey and whether it is in an oven bag and/or stuffing. However, the turkey should be at a temperature of 170-175 degrees in the thickest part of the breast to be safely consumed.

You will want to go through a few steps as you prepare your turkey.

• Be sure to remove the neck and giblets from the body and neck cavity.
• Drain and rinse your turkey, then pat dry with paper towels.
• Stuff your turkey if you like, making sure to refold the legs
• Place your turkey in the oven or roaster bag breast side up.
• Brush your turkey with butter and seasonings to keep the juices in

Just by following these perfect steps and being careful not to overcook the turkey, you’ll end up with a perfect turkey that even your mother would be proud of.