Photography by George Whiteside
Food Styling by David Grenier
Prop Styling by Lara Mcgraw
HOLIDAY >> FOOD
How to Cook a Turkey
Follow these simple steps to elevate your bird from main course to main attraction
How To Foolproof Your Bird
- Wash the bird. Remove giblets and neck, and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Dress. Customize flavour with spices, herbs, butter or oil and fill cavity with stuffing. For tastier gravy drippings, place fresh herbs and vegetables in the roasting pan.
- "No strings attached" trussing. Lay bird breast-side up. Pull bottom tail skin gently away from body, lift up and cover leg bones. Tuck wing tips and neck skin under body for a finished look.
- Roast. Make sure oven is preheated. Put turkey in pan breast-side up. The general rule is 15 minutes cooking time per pound of stuffed turkey at a main temperature of 325°F. Pull it out of the oven when meat thermometer, inserted in a leg near the hip joint, reads 175°F and juices run clear.
- Tent and rest. Loosely cover with foil and let turkey rest, breast-side up, on a wood cutting board for 20 minutes. Don't forget to build this step into your timeline!
- Serve. Use a proper carving fork and knife, and don't slice meat too thinly or you risk it falling apart. If this is your first time, skip the audience and carve in the kitchen. Keep white and dark meat separate, then make an entrance with your platter of turkey!
How to Stuff Your Bird
- Loosely fill cavity of turkey with stuffing (about 4 cups) just prior to roasting.
- Spoon remaining stuffing into a prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
- Place baking dish in oven when turkey is almost finished and bake until warm, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
First published in Wish Winter 2008
Comment on "How to Cook a Turkey"
Sonja Kekesi writes:
For a REALLY juicy turkey, especially the white meat, turn the bird over into one of the cradle roaster stands breast side down. The skin still get golden and 15 minutes at the end turned over under the broiler - if you want it really crisp. I have done this for years and even those that usually don't like turkey say it the best they have had.
—posted December 10, 2008 at 5:06 p.m.
Cheryl writes:
I'm never sure if I'm supposed to add extra weight to account for the stuffing when figuring out the cooking time. For example the turkey weighs 15 lbs then I stuff it should I then calculate for possibly 17 lbs?
—posted December 11, 2008 at 8:22 a.m.
amjonah writes:
Here's a suggestion I'd like to pass along: I recently heard a chef comment that for a more moist, succulent bird, cook at a lower temperature for a longer period, until the body temperature reads 175F. If I remember correctly it was more like 250F for about 30 min/lb. (depending whether the bird is stuffed or not, of course).
—posted December 13, 2008 at 6:42 a.m.
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