How To Cook A Holiday Turkey
Easy
Cheap
Every holiday season, we get calls from frantic callers asking for directions to cook their store-bought turkey. In the spirit (and to save us hours on the phone answering the same questions over and over) we provide a traditional recipe here.
How much to buy: 1/2 lb per serving.
DEFROST TIMES:
A 20-lb bird takes 3 days in fridge or 12 hours in sink of water.
Remove giblets as soon as thawed.
Roasting time:
Unstuffed, chilled turkey at 325F:
6-8 lbs 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 hours
8-12 lbs 3 1/4 to 4 hours
12-16 lbs 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours
16-20 lbs 4 to 6 hours 20-26 lbs 5 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours
For Stuffed Turkey add 25 minutes cooking time for birds under 12lb.
Prep
Ingredients
For
14
Serving(s)
Ingredients
| 16 lb Turkey |
| 1 cup Butter or Margarine, Melted |
| 1/4 tsp salt |
| 1/4 tsp pepper |
How To Cook A Holiday Turkey Directions
- Remove giblets and neck from turkey; wash, and set aside. Wash turkey thoroughly inside and out. Pat dry with towels. Remove any excess fat.
- Prepare your choice of dressing. (see other recipes on this website.)
- Preheat oven to 325F. Spoon some of dressing into neck cavity of turkey. Bring skin of neck over back; fasten with poultry pin. Spoon remaining dressing into body cavity; DO NOT PACK.
- To keep inside of turkey from drying out while cooking, insert 4 or 5 poultry pins at regular intervals. Lace cavity closed with twine, bootlace fashion and then tie. Bend wing tips under body, or fasten to body with poultry pins. Tie ends of legs together.
- If your turkey does not come with a built-in "pop-up" thermometer, insert a meat thermometer on the inside of the thigh at its thickest part.
- Place turkey on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with some butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Approximate baking time is 18 minutes per pound. Roast uncovered and brushing occasionally with remaining butter and pan drippings; about 4 hours, or until meat thermometer registers 185F. Leg joint should move freely.
- When turkey begins to turn golden, cover with a square of butter- soaked cheesecloth or a loose tent of foil, to prevent burning.
- While turkey roasts, cook giblets and neck in a saucepan, to taste (many people boil them for 10 minutes.)
- Place turkey on heated serving platter. Remove cheesecloth or foil, twine, and poultry pins.
- IMPORTANT! Let stand 20 to 30 minutes before carving to allow juices to flow back into the meat, otherwise turkey will be very dry.