Cherished Cottage

Selecting the right turkey

Size: You want to budget for 1 – 1 1/2 pounds per person.
Tip: Smaller birds will produce more tender meat. If you prefer this, you can purchase 2 or more smaller birds to feed your guests. Just be sure you’ll have the room to thaw/roast the number of birds you purchase.

When to thaw? Should I baste/brine the turkey?

A good rule of thumb when thawing your turkey is to give 24 hours of thawing time per 5 pounds. You’ll want to make sure you have enough room in your refrigerator for this.
If you purchased a pre-basted turkey you don’t need to worry about brining it. It’s already seasoned and ready to go!
If you’re planning on brining your turkey it’s important to know that there are two types of brining techniques; dry brining & wet brining. Both techniques are best done with a thawed bird so be sure to get it out of your freezer early enough to account for this.
Wet Brining requires the turkey to be fully submerged in the brining solution for 12 to 24 hours in a refrigerator. After the wet brining process is complete you’ll have to rinse your turkey, dry it, and place it back in the fridge for up to a day to fully dry it. Wet brining produces a juicier, less crispy skin.
Dry Brining requires you to dry the already thawed bird and then rub your brining seasonings over the entire turkey. Then refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 72 hours.

Preparing to roast

First and foremost, be sure to remove the giblets; you’ll find them in a sack stuffed inside the bird.
Allow your turkey to sit out on the counter for about 30 minutes before roasting; this can help prevent it from drying out during the roasting process.
Be sure to tuck the wings under the turkey so that they don’t burn.
If you’re stuffing the turkey this is when you’ll want to do that. Keep in mind that stuffed turkeys will take a little longer to bake thoroughly. The turkey and the stuffing will need to reach an internal temp of 165° to be considered fully cooked.
If you’d like to use a roasting bag (this is Lisa’s preference) you need to put a little flour inside the bag and give it a good shake to coat the interior; this helps to get the turkey into the bag easier.

Roasting the turkey

Preheat your oven to 325°. If you’re not using a roast bag be sure to tent the the bird with aluminum foil. Allow it to cook undisturbed for 2 hours.
After 2 hours remove the aluminum foil and using a baster, coat the bird in its juices. If you used a roasting bag you won’t have to do this step because the humidity inside the bag will keep your turkey moist and flavorful.
Turn the oven up to 425° and allow to roast for an additional 45+ minutes depending on the size of your bird (an additional 45 minutes would be good for a 8 to 10 pound turkey). Generally an unstuffed turkey roasts for about 30 minutes per pound.
You’ll know your turkey is done when you can stick the thickest part of the thigh (be sure to avoid the bone as this will affect your reading) with a meat thermometer and the temp reads at 165°.