Thanksgiving Turkey

You too, can cook a Thanksgiving turkey that’s not dry, tastes delicious AND looks like it can make the cover of a cooking magazine. And you can do it faster than you think.

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We first eat with our eyes, right? There is a special delight in seeing a Thanksgiving turkey that comes out of the oven with that golden crispy skin. It looks amazing, smells amazing and you cannot wait to try it. But no matter how it looks on the outside, it’s got to be juicy and flavorful on the inside, because there’s nothing worse than dry turkey. And, how to you get these results without monopolizing your oven for 13 minutes per pound?

We’ve cooked whole turkeys all kinds of different ways: On the smoker, on the grill, deep fried and of course, in the oven. We do get good weather during the holidays out here on Planet California, but we live on the coast, and sometimes we get rain and cold in the winter months. When that happens, we go to our traditional oven-roasted version.

This method takes a few days, but it is totally worth it. You will also need some room in your refrigerator. To reduce anxiety over cooking a whole turkey for a bunch of people, planning is essential.

Timing and secrets for success

1. Plan way ahead. You will need to purchase your frozen turkey 6-7 days before Thanksgiving day, or 2-3 days before if you are getting a fresh turkey.
2. How big a turkey should I get? Estimate at least one pound per person, plus more for leftovers and turkey sandwiches in the days after. We estimate two pounds per person because it’s so good, everyone always wants to take some home.
3. All turkeys are not created equal. Self-basting and kosher turkeys have been injected with brine or contain lots of salt, so try to find a turkey that hasn’t been pre-brined or you risk over-salting your bird. Or buy a fresh, not frozen turkey.

Six days to Turkey day

It takes days to thaw a frozen turkey. You will need to plan for 24 hours of thawing time for every 5 pounds of turkey. A 20-pound turkey will take 4 days to completely thaw. Un-package your turkey and place breast-side up on a rimmed baking sheet in your refrigerator. Save the neck and giblets for gravy.

Two days to Turkey day

Brining is mandatory. Dry brine your turkey for 48 hours to ensure maximum juiciness on the inside while creating that crispy skin on the outside. If you can’t avoid a pre-brined bird, continue with air-drying in the refrigerator for 48 hours, but do not salt it.

On Turkey day

1. Do not stuff your turkey. It takes longer and can create uneven cooking, resulting in dryness. It can also introduce the risk of foodborne illness if it doesn’t reach the bacteria-killing threshold of 165F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the middle. We will add some herbs like rosemary, thyme and garlic to the cavity with a little salt and pepper, but that’s it – We make our Thanksgiving dressing in a baking dish in the oven.
2. Use high heat. Most recipes call for cooking your turkey at 350F, but you can cook your turkey over high heat to reduce cooking time down to 10 minutes per pound. This method improves browning and crispiness of the skin.
3. Rest your turkey before carving. Let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes before carving, so the juices are absorbed back into the meat. If you carve the turkey too soon, all the juices will run out of the bird and you don’t want that!

We can’t stress the importance of brining. Don’t skip this step. This is the most important step that greatly enhances flavor and creates crispy skin. And it can be done right in the roasting pan right in your refrigerator. Simply sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt per pound all over the turkey and inside the cavity. You can include other spices if you want with the salt. We’ve tried all kinds of spice rubs, but we mostly keep it simple and use only salt.

We accompany our Thanksgiving turkey with our Thanksgiving dressing, green beans with lemon, mashed potatoes and gravy. For desert, we like to make our butternut squash pie with lots of whipped cream.