Thanksgiving Turkey Basics
How to purchase turkey - How to thaw turkey - How to stuff turkey - How to roast turkey

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Learn how to prepare your Thanksgiving Turkey properly for a delicious and safe Thanksgiving dinner with your family and friends.

How to Purchase Turkey - How to Thaw Turkey - How to Stuff Turkey - How to Roast Turkey - Fresh vs. Frozen Turkey:
 

One (1) pound of raw turkey per person which includes a moderate amount for leftovers.

Make sure your roasting pan, oven, and refrigerator can accommodate the size turkey you purchase.
 

Frozen vs. Fresh Turkey - What type should you buy: 

Please read Turkey Terminology - Types of Turkeys

• Frozen Turkey: 
  
  Do you know that a "frozen" turkey is fresher than a so called "fresh" turkey? Turkeys chilled below 0°F must be labeled "frozen." Or, if they're sold already defrosted, you may see "previously frozen" on the label. You can purchase frozen turkeys months in advance. Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer indefinitely, but for best quality should be used within 1 year of purchase. Keep frozen until you are ready to thaw it.
  
  This is what my favorite butcher told me.  The so-called "fresh" turkeys have been sitting around for many, many days. From the processing, trucking to the grocery store, and then in the grocery store. These are not fresh turkeys! His advice is to only purchase frozen turkeys, as they are flash frozen immediately after being butchered. Frozen turkey are fresher turkeys!
  
   
• Hard-chilled or not previously frozen - Turkeys that have been chilled below 26°F, but not below 0°F can't be labeled fresh, but they don't have to be labeled frozen either. If a turkey isn't labeled as either fresh or frozen, it's most likely in this category. This type of bird may also be identified as "hard-chilled" or "not previously frozen."
  
   
• Fresh Turkey:  A turkey may be labeled "fresh" only if it has never been chilled below 26°F. (Turkey meat, according to the National Turkey Federation, doesn't freeze at 32°F, but at a temperature closer to 26°F.)
  
  If you order a fresh turkey, pick it up from the store only a day or two ahead of time. Handle raw turkeys safely. Take the turkey home directly from the grocery store. At home, place the turkey immediately in the refrigerator or freezer. Store turkeys in the coldest part of your refrigerator at 40 degrees F. or below A locally raised fresh turkey will last only 1 to 2 days refrigerated. Commercially raised fresh turkey in their unopened packaging may last longer and should be marked with a "Use By" date.
  
  I, personally, recommend that you do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkey. If not handled properly, harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly. The USDA recommends only buying frozen pre-stuffed turkey that display the USDA or State mark of inspection on the packaging that shows these turkey have been processed under controlled conditions.
  
   

Preferred Method - Refrigerator Method: 

• Turkey should be thawed it its original plastic wrapper. Place the frozen turkey on a rimmed cookie sheet or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak.
   
• Start defrosting the frozen turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator, in the back. - NEVER DEFROST TURKEY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, since bacteria multiplies and breeds at room temperature. Every five (5) pounds of turkey will require 24 hours of thaw time in the refrigerator (i.e., a 15-pound bird will take three (3) full days). For most of you, this means buying a frozen turkey on a Saturday or Sunday and letting it rest on the very bottom shelf of your refrigerator until Thursday morning.
   
• Use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to check the temperature of the turkey meat in various locations. If the meat is colder near the bone or center of the bird than near the surface, keep thawing! You want about a 40-45°F (5-7°C) reading throughout.

Please read Advice on Stuffing a Turkey Safely

Prepare Stuffing/Dressing:  Prepare stuffing safely. Mix and stuff the turkey just before roasting it. If more convenient, the wet and dry ingredients only can be prepared ahead of time and chilled.

Prepare Turkey:  Be sure the turkey is completely thawed. Remove the plastic wrapper from the turkey. Don't forget to remove the paper wrapped packet of giblets and the neck found in the body and nice cavities. Blot turkey inside and out with paper towels.

How To Stuff Turkey:  Stuff the bird properly. The turkey should be stuffed loosely about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. This will help allow the stuffing to reach the proper 165° F. internal temperature whether the stuffing is in the bird or in a casserole. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. The stuffing should be moist, not dry, since heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment

Do not stuff the turkey ahead of time. The turkey insulates the stuffing from the refrigerator's cold and can keep the stuffing in a dangerous temperature range (40 degrees to 140 degrees F.) that allows bacteria to multiply.

Preparing Turkey for Cooking:  Place turkey breast-side up on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep. Optional steps:

For safety and doneness, the internal temperature should be checked with a meat thermometer. The meat thermometer must be placed properly in the thigh joint. Safe cooking relies on the use of a meat thermometer. The USDA has come up with a one-temperature-suits-all for poultry safety: 165° F.

Several types of thermometers are available on the market: regular, oven-proof; instant read and digital; pop-up timers; and microwave-safe thermometers.

This is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking.  I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed for professional users, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. To learn more about this excellent thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined: Thermapen Thermometer.

Make sure the thermometer you buy or use is designed for meat and poultry. At the beginning or toward the end of the roasting time an oven-proof thermometer may be placed in the thigh joint of the turkey to check the internal temperature at intervals during the cooking time. Or an instant-read may be used periodically to check the internal temperature during cooking.

After each use of your meat thermometer, wash the stem section of the thermometer thoroughly in hot, soapy water.

If your turkey has a "pop-up" temperature indicator, it is also recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wine, and the thickest part of the breast with a meat thermometer.
 

Turkey Cooking Times:

NOTE:  It is safe to cook a turkey from the frozen state, but the cooking time will take at least 50% longer the the above recommended time for a fully thawed turkey. Remember to remove the giblet packages before your start the cooking.

 

To purchase top-quality turkey roasting pans, check out What's Cooking America's Kitchen Store for all your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tools and equipment needs.
 

Turkey Basics - How to purchase, stuff, and roast a turkey - Choosing a fresh or frozen turkey - How to thaw a frozen turkey - How to prepare turkey for stuffing.

Thanksgiving Planning - Stress-Free Thanksgiving - How to plan and prepare your Thanksgiving dinner in advance without stress.

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu - Check out some ideas and recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner menu.

Turkey Terminology - Types of Turkeys - Learn the differences between the different types of turkeys in the marketplace.

Guidelines for Brining Poultry - The secret to juicy chicken breast is simple - brine them before grilling or baking! It's very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware.

Guidelines For Roasting a Whole Turkey - Learn how to safely and easily prepare and roast your turkey.

Advice on Stuffing a Turkey Safely - As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday draws near, learn how to safely stuff your turkey.

Using a Cooking or Meat Thermometer - Have you ever cut into a turkey to see if it has finished cooking? Cooking thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry to assure that a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and your turkey is cook perfectly.

Making Perfect Turkey Gravy - Hints and tips for making that perfect turkey gravy.

Handling Leftovers Safely - Leftover" foods are cooked foods that you or your family do not eat within 2 hours after they are cooked. Improper handling or storing cooked food is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the home.

Let's Make Turkey Stock - My favorite thing to do the morning after Thanksgiving is to make homemade turkey stock from the turkey carcass. It is so easy to do and so delicious! The turkey stock can be used for a delicious soup or frozen for future use.

Smoked Turkey

Turducken