Ingredients

Turkey
Onions
Lemon
Garlic
Carrots
Celery
Fresh herbs
Butter
Salt and pepper

What size turkey to buy?

The general rule of thumb is 450 g of turkey per person. Or 680 g of turkey per person if you want leftovers. It’s always best to have a little extra turkey than not enough, so I recommend:

• Less than 8 people: While it will be more turkey than you need, I recommend buying a 4.5 to 5.4 kg turkey. Anything smaller and you’re paying more for bones rather than meat. Remember, you can freeze turkey leftovers.
• For 8 people: Get a 4.5 to 5.4 kg turkey
• For 12 people: Get a 6.3 to 7.3 kg turkey
• for 16 people: Get an 8.1 to 10.8 kg turkey
• More than 16 people: It’s best to buy two turkeys rather than one monster sized turkey.

Don’t forget to thaw the turkey

The biggest mistake people make is buying a frozen turkey the day before Thanksgiving. Don’t do that! Remember that a big turkey is going to take a while to defrost in the fridge. It takes about 24 hours per 2.3 kg of turkey to properly thaw. My recommendation: follow my Thanksgiving timeline and buy your turkey at least a week before Thanksgiving. Then, let it thaw in the fridge 3 to 4 days before the big day.

No, you don’t need to wash It

All you’ll do is contaminate your sink and kitchen and make a mess. Any bacteria on the turkey will get killed in the oven while baking.

Don’t cook stuffing in the turkey

If you want perfectly cooked stuffing and perfectly cooked turkey, cook them separately. If you overfill the cavity of the turkey it slows down the cooking time. Plus, it’s better to fill the turkey with aromatics and herbs that give it incredible flavor and moisture. Cook your stuffing in a casserole dish instead.

Equipment you’ll need

There are three basic kitchen items you’ll need to roast your turkey—a roasting tray, thermometer, and a sharp knife.

• Roasting Tray: You can buy an expensive roasting tray, a solid mid-priced roasting tray, or use a cheapie disposable roasting tray. They all work just fine.
• Thermometer: The same goes for thermometers. You can use a probe thermometer (that you leave in the turkey), an instant read thermometer (what I most often use), or a basic meat thermometer.
• Knife: Of course, a sharp knife is essential! I have this carving knife and fork set.

Step one: Thaw the turkey and remove the giblets. Once your turkey is thawed, let it rest at room temperature for an hour. Remove the bag of giblets and the neck, found in the large cavity and sometimes the smaller neck cavity (check both areas just to make sure you got everything out). You can save these items for gravy or discard them.

Step two: Pat it dry and fill the cavity. Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel (this is key to getting that extra crispy skin!). Then, season the inside of the turkey generously with salt and pepper, and stuff the cavity with quartered onion, lemon wedges, and fresh sprigs of herbs. If anything, go lighter on the sage than the other herbs, as it’s more potent.

Step three: Make the herb butter mixture. Make the herb butter by stirring together the softened butter, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme in a small bowl.

Step four: Spread the herb butter all over. Loosen the skin of the turkey on top of the breasts by gently sliding your fingers underneath. Spread about ⅓ of the compound butter evenly underneath the skin. Spread the remainder of the herb butter all around the outside of the turkey.

Pro tip: Don’t truss the legs! Resist the urge to tie the turkey legs together. Yes, it makes the turkey picture perfect, BUT trussing prevents the air from circulating properly, which can result in unevenly cooked meat.

Step five: Cook the turkey. Place the turkey on a roasting rack or on a bed of veggies (or both, which is what I do). Then there’s only one thing left to do – cook the turkey!

How long to cook a turkey

Ready for good news? Because we didn’t stuff the turkey, it will cook about 30 minutes faster. On average, plan for about 15 minutes per kilogram of turkey. But remember the BEST gauge is the temperature. You want to cook the turkey to 70°C to 72°C (measure at the thickest part of the thigh or breast). But here’s a guideline:

• For a 4.5 to 5.4 kg turkey: 2 ½ hrs to 3 ½ hrs
• For a 6.3 to 7.3 kg turkey: 3 ½ hrs to 4 ½ hrs
• For a 8.1 to 10.8 kg turkey: 4 ½ hrs to 5 ½ hrs

Keep an eye on your turkey when it’s about 75% done. Then, check the temperature every 10 minutes. Remember that ovens can cook slightly hotter or cooler. If you notice the skin browning too quickly, you can always place aluminum foil on top.

Once you remove the turkey from the oven it’s imperative that you let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute in the meat, making for a juicer turkey. It’s much better to have a juicy turkey than a sopping wet cutting board!

Recipe and photograph: Lisa Bryan – Downshiftology.com