Blow Your Guests Away With This Stress Free Turkey Guide

Thanksgiving is usually a stress-free holiday for everyone to enjoy time with their family and friends. But, usually the person in charge of hosting, or making the turkey, is often not as relaxed as everyone else. They usually are slightly frantic about roasting the perfect turkey for everyone to enjoy since it is the main course. Being in charge of the turkey can be stressful. These tips will help eliminate that stress to ensure you get the stress-free Thanksgiving with your family that you have always dreamt of.

What Size To Buy

When shopping for a turkey, buy 1.5 lbs. per person that is attending. Therefore, if you have six people, buy a 10 lb. turkey, which ensures that you have leftovers!

Thawing The Turkey

Think of it this way, allow your turkey one day in the fridge for thawing for every 5 lbs. If you aren't sure if that is still enough time, you can give yourself an extra day to be sure! When thawing, set the turkey on some kind of pan or cookie sheet to catch the liquid and prevent a mess in your fridge.

Skip Washing The Turkey

This may come as a surprise to most people, but really, washing your turkey contaminates your sink. All you really need to do is remove the packaging, pat the turkey dry with some paper towels, and prepare it for cooking. The heat of the oven will kill off any bacteria and save you that washing step.

Don't Brine The Turkey

If you usually buy a high-quality turkey from the store, there is no need to brine the turkey. This step is optional unless the turkey is a wild turkey. If that's the case, you want to brine it to ensure it has the moisture and flavor you want.

Don't Baste The Turkey

Basting seems like the only way people know how to get a beautiful, golden brown turkey. However, when you baste your turkey you are opening and closing the oven often which releases a lot of heat. This will cause the turkey to be dry out. You can simply use a herb and butter mixture over the top and inside the turkey to achieve that golden brown look.

Don't Cook Stuffing Inside The Turkey

To prevent drying out the turkey, and overcooking the stuffing, cook your stuffing separately.

Temp Test Your Turkey

The only way to know if your turkey is cooked all the way through is by using a thermometer. Make sure the inside of your turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let It Rest

After you have removed the turkey from the oven, let it sit for about 15 minutes. Allow it time to cool and soak in the flavors and spices. This gives you some time to prepare other dishes.

You Might Also Like: Check Out These Manassas, VA Holiday Events

Save The Drippings

This is great when it comes to the final, cherry on top, moment. After the turkey has sat for a spell, you can repurpose the excess drippings for the turkey gravy.