Are you cooking a turkey this Thanksgiving? I have never made a turkey before but wanted to provide all of you with tips on how to cook a turkey. So, I referred to a turkey expert. Butterball has provided the instructions below on how to prepare and cook your turkey. Go HERE to read more about cooking turkey as well as to watch a how-to video. And, don’t forget that Butterball has the Butterball Turkey Talk Line so you can call and ask them any questions you might have as you are cooking!
Below are the steps to preparing and cooking your turkey
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove turkey from bag. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels.
2. Place turkey lifter across full length of flat rack in a shallow roasting pan, 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep.
3. Tuck wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Doing so will help stabilize the turkey in the pan and when carving. Place thawed or fresh turkey, breast up, on the turkey lifter. Raise one loop over wings and breast, and the other loop over drumsticks. Rest loops on turkey, not over edge of pan during roasting.
4. Brush skin lightly with vegetable oil or spray with cooking spray to prevent the skin from drying.
5. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh muscle but not touching the bone. When thigh is up to temperature and if turkey is stuffed, move thermometer to center of stuffing. Stuffing should be 165 degrees when done.
6. Place your turkey in the pre-heated oven at 325 degrees.
7. When the turkey is about 2/3 done, loosely cover the breast and top of drumsticks with a piece of lightweight foil to prevent overcooking.
8. Use this roasting schedule as a guide and start checking for doneness about 30 minutes before end of recommended cooking times.
9. Your turkey is done when the meat thermometer reaches the following temperatures:180 degrees deep in the thigh. At this temperature juices should be clear, not reddish pink, when thigh muscle is pierced deeply. 165 degrees in the center of the stuffing, if turkey is stuffed.
10.Lift roasted turkey onto platter with turkey lifter and discard lifter.
11.Before removing stuffing and carving, let your turkey stand 15 minutes to allow juices to set.
Thanks for coming to Addicted to Saving! Here’s a little bit about me so you can know who’s behind all these posts!
My name is Liza and I began my money-saving journey in the Spring of 2009 as a way to stretch a limited household income. I had lost my job and my hubby was self-employed. I launched Addicted to Saving in November of 2009 and it has grown by leaps and bounds. Since then, my hubby and I have struggled with the ups and downs of two failed adoptions and are now LOVING being parents to our little man Asher who we brought home from Ethiopia in August of 2013. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to help you save money. My goal is that you will have FUN and become empowered to save more and more money each week..