Hosting Thanksgiving dinner seems overwhelming, but it needn't be. Here are six easy steps to get your turkey to the table without breaking a sweat.
Six easy steps to turkey perfection:
1. Plan on one and a half pounds of meat per person. Frozen turkeys thaw at a rate of four to five pounds per twenty four hours. So if your turkey is still in the freezer, put it in the refrigerator now.
2. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey's cavity. You may need to reach in from both sides. Then, rinse your turkey, inside and out, with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. For tender meat, dry brine your fresh or frozen turkey by rubbing in one tablespoon of kosher salt for every five pounds of turkey. Stick your salted turkey in an oven bag, seal and let it salt in your refrigerator for two or three days. Once a day, give it a brisk massage to redistribute the salt.
4. While your turkey brines, make a compound butter using one cup butter and a fourth cup fresh herbs, or two tablespoons dried herbs. Chop some winter vegetables, like onions, turnips, carrots, and celery to stuff in your turkey for a richer flavor.
5. Use your finger to loosen the skin, starting at the breastbone. Then, loosen the remaining skin with a bowl scraper.
6. Rub your compound butter on the skin as well as beneath it. Then, stuff your turkey with your chopped vegetables.
Now it's time to tie and cook your turkey! Visit Babble for more tips (and a video!) about how to cook your turkey from start to finish.MORE ON BABBLE:
Want to Carve a Turkey? Here's How!
10 Ways to Use Turkey Leftovers
5 Holiday Meals You Can Make Ahead of Time
