Hwo to Thaw and Roast a Turkey
Roasting the turkey is perhaps the most important part of the traditional Thanksgiving day celebration, so those that will be handling this chore should know how the whole process works before the big day arrives. Below is a complete description of how to roast a turkey, from freezer to the Thanksgiving dinner table.
The first thing is you need to know that thawing times for turkeys vary depending on the size of the turkey and temperature of your refrigerator. A good rule of thumb is to take the turkey out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator at least two days before Thanksgiving. Be sure to put it in something that will catch any drippings as it thaws. If you have a really big turkey, give it another day.
Once your turkey is in the fridge, there’s nothing you need to do for or with it, so just leave it alone. Use this time to pre-cook other stuff, like pies and such.
One the night before Thanksgiving, open the fridge and take out your bird and try to ascertain if you believe it is completely thawed. If you’re not sure, don’t worry about it, it’s probably close enough. But if it does seem like it’s still partially thawed, you will need to set your alarm so that you can get up early to get it thawing quicker.
On Thanksgiving morning, put the bird, still in its wrapper, in the sink and then fill the sink with cold water so the bird will soak. Leave it there till it’s time to put it in the oven. This helps to make sure the bird is fully thawed.
Next, figure out when to put the bird in the oven, and stuff it if you so desire. Most turkeys will come with directions telling you what temperature to set your oven and how long it will take to cook. Keep in mind however that the cooking times on the bird will be assuming you are cooking the turkey in a roasting pan, which is fine if that’s what you want to do. A much better way to go is to use a roasting bag. They’re at the grocery so you should get some when you buy your turkey. What you do is put the turkey inside the bag and then put the whole works on a roasting pan and then slide it in the oven and cook it that way. The bag won’t melt, but make sure it’s a roasting bag and not just a regular storage bag. Cooking times with a roasting bag will be shorter but don’t worry because you’ll know when your turkey is done either because the plastic thing pops out, or because the reading on the thermometer tells you the internal temperature has reached whatever your directions say it should reach when it’s done.
When your turkey is done, take it out of the oven, and then out of the bag and set it either on a cutting board or on a platter for serving whole. Then carry the results to the table and set it down as everyone else watches, their bellies hungry and ready to dig in.
