Thanksgiving is a time to get together with friends and family and think about how truly grateful you are for everything you have. But let's be real. Thanksgiving is really all about the food, right? And on most tables this time of year, the star of the show is the turkey!
But turkey is really only delicious if it's been cooked properly and hasn't dried out during its time in the oven. If you're playing host or hostess this year and the task of cooking that perfect turkey has fallen onto your shoulders, avoid making these common mistakes and everyone will leave the table raving about the moist and delicious turkey you just served them!
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1. Cooking it partially frozen
It can be tempting to throw a frozen turkey into the oven. After all, many of them are sold this way and why take up precious fridge room when it can just stay in the freezer? But this is a recipe for disaster. By the time the center of the turkey has cooked to a safe temperature, the outside will be dull and dry - particularly since the breasts, which sit on the outside of the turkey, dry out the quickest. And you'll have the same problem if the turkey is even partially frozen.
To avoid this mistake, make sure the turkey is fully thawed before going into the oven. The general rule of thumb is to give a turkey one day to thaw for every five pounds. And because this is likely going to take several days, you're going to need to bite the bullet and make room in the fridge for it to sit while the ice crystals fall away.
2. Not blotting it dry
This is another reason not to cook turkey when it's partially or fully frozen. Like any other meat, turkey should be blotted dry with paper towels before it reaches the heat. This will absorb any extra moisture that's on the bird; and that moisture will make the turkey steam rather than bake. Turkey that's been steamed will be tough and dry, unlike the juicy, moist turkey you're striving for. But blotting it with paper towels will remove the moisture and help you get the perfect bake.
3. Blasting the oven on high heat
Yes, a whole turkey will take a long time to cook, but don't think you can shorten that time by setting it at a higher temperature; or that a lower temperature will keep the skin from browning.
Once the turkey is ready for the oven, set the temperature to 350 degrees. There's no need to start at a high heat for brown skin. It will be in there long enough that the skin will brown. And if you keep the oven at a temperature higher than this, you risk burning the turkey - or at least completely drying it out.
4. Overcooking it
Maybe it's because so many holiday shows portray people getting up at the crack of dawn to put the turkey in the oven. Or maybe it's because people overestimate the time it will take to cook that entire turkey. But putting the turkey into the oven too early will only overcook it, resulting in that dry turkey too many of us have eaten around Thanksgiving.
Maybe it's because so many holiday shows portray people getting up at the crack of dawn to put the turkey in the oven. Or maybe it's because people overestimate the time it will take to cook that entire turkey. But putting the turkey into the oven too early will only overcook it, resulting in that dry turkey too many of us have eaten around Thanksgiving.
Instead, set the time properly and don't worry about getting the turkey in the oven just after you've gone to bed. Again, a general rule can be used here. Typically turkey takes 15 minutes per pound to cook (at the indicated 350 temperature). A large turkey weighing about 18 pounds will only need 4.5 hours, and cooking it longer than this will only dry it out.
5. Not letting it rest
Another sure-fire way to dry out your turkey is to take it out of the oven and immediately start slicing into it to carve it. But this is a big mistake. All those juices that you've worked so hard to preserve inside the bird will run out all over your cutting board and your turkey will once again be left dry.
Another sure-fire way to dry out your turkey is to take it out of the oven and immediately start slicing into it to carve it. But this is a big mistake. All those juices that you've worked so hard to preserve inside the bird will run out all over your cutting board and your turkey will once again be left dry.
Instead, when the turkey comes out of the oven tent it with aluminum foil or the lid of your roasting pan and let it rest, off the heat, for at least twenty minutes - and thirty is better if you have the time. Then, and only then, start carving. Those juices will have redistributed throughout the turkey where they belong and your turkey won't be dry.
6. Not using a thermometer
The 15 minutes per pound guideline is really just that - a guideline - and it's not going to work for every turkey, as they're packaged and trussed differently depending on the butcher or the retailer. But using a thermometer takes out the guesswork and makes sure that the turkey is cooked to a perfect (and safe) 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The 15 minutes per pound guideline is really just that - a guideline - and it's not going to work for every turkey, as they're packaged and trussed differently depending on the butcher or the retailer. But using a thermometer takes out the guesswork and makes sure that the turkey is cooked to a perfect (and safe) 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
For the best results, use a meat thermometer that can remain in the bird. This will keep you from poking holes all over the turkey while it's cooking (and letting those beautiful juices escape) and will let you see the current temperature at just a glance. Remember that a thermometer should always be inserted into the thigh of the turkey, and away from the bone, to get a proper reading.
7. Throwing away the drippings
So the turkey has been cooked to perfection, you've let it rest and it's almost time to carve. Your job is done, right? Well, not just yet. Most roast turkeys also have gravy to accompany them and whether you've made the gravy from scratch or have used a convenient pack or can of gravy, those drippings in the pan can take your gravy to the next level.
So the turkey has been cooked to perfection, you've let it rest and it's almost time to carve. Your job is done, right? Well, not just yet. Most roast turkeys also have gravy to accompany them and whether you've made the gravy from scratch or have used a convenient pack or can of gravy, those drippings in the pan can take your gravy to the next level.
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Once the gravy is made, just tip the juices in the bottom of the pan into the pan where the gravy was made. No matter how you made it, it will taste like you've slaved over it for hours! Throwing these drippings into the trash can or down the drain is one mistake that far too many Thanksgiving hosts make.