10 Tips for the Perfect Turkey
Thanksgiving is an intimidating holiday for home cooks, partly because it conjures visions of picture-perfect roast turkeys, glistening from their center-of-the-table thrones. And hey, we're partly to blame--BA's cover birds are the work of professional food stylists who spend hours making them look that way. But you can certainly cook an awe-inspiring turkey without a paint brush and a bottle of Windex (don't ask, food stylists are magicians). Follow these ten rules:
1. BUY SMART. When buying a bird, the rule of thumb is one pound per person to ensure that you'll have leftovers.
2. CHOOSE YOUR METHOD. There's no one perfect method for cooking turkey, because not all turkeys are created equal.
-If your bird is Kosher, don't brine it! It's already salty enough. Follow our classic recipe for Turkey with Lemon-Sage Butter.
-Don't blast a heritage turkey it in the oven; cook it gently. You could even remove the breast and braise or confit the legs. Try our Tandoori Turkey.
-Supermarket birds are best for roasting. Try our Cider-Brined Turkey with Star Anise and Cinnamon or Cajun-Spiced Turkey.
3. WORK AHEAD. Give yourself enough time (two days minimum) to defrost your bird. There's nothing worse than reaching your hand inside the cavity on the Big Day and finding a frozen giblets bag. If you're that person, simply rinse the turkey under cold water for a quick defrost.
4. SEASON GENEROUSLY. Season the turkey a day ahead to let the flavor sink in. But make sure it's totally defrosted first.
5. LET IT SIT. Let the bird come to room temperature for an hour before you cook it to raise its internal temperature. That way, it will cook more evenly from the skin to the bone.
6. START HOT. For perfectly crispy, browned skin, start the bird in a hot oven (425-475 degrees) for at least 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees for the rest of the cooking time.
7. DON'T OVER BASTE. Basting is a good thing; constant basting is not. Every time you open the oven door, it lets out heat, preventing the bird from cooking properly (and forming a layer of fat that prevents crisping).
8. GET THE RIGHT THERMOMETER. Some people complain that roasting a turkey takes too long. That's because every time they open the oven door to check on the bird, its temperature drops. (See above.) This year, invest in a digital thermometer with a probe that stays inside the turkey while you monitor what's cooking remotely. No peeking necessary.
9. LET IT SIT...AGAIN. Plan on taking the turkey out of the oven at least 30 minutes to 2 hours before the meal is set to begin. Resting ensures juiciness. It's not imperative that the turkey be served piping hot--moist turkey is more important that hot turkey.
10. DON'T STRESS THE CARVE. Instead of slicing meat off the bird when it's whole, break it down into manageable pieces--breasts, legs--and carve those. Use our no-fail guide to carving a turkey, and if you're really nervous, practice on a few roast chickens in the weeks beforehand.
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