Thanksgiving Turkey Tips and Tricks

See if this sounds familiar: You wake up early on Thanksgiving morning to slip a hopefully thawed turkey into the oven, praying it won’t be bland. A “dry” bird equals failure. Fortunately, preparations and procedures can help you avoid that outcome.

Plan portions accordingly

Allot 1½ pounds of bone-in turkey per guest and 8 ounces for boneless cuts. Consider buying extra dark meat pieces since many people prefer them.

Fully thaw the turkey

A frozen turkey takes at least three days to thaw in the refrigerator or 24 hours for every 5 pounds, says Chef Robbie Felice, cofounder and chef-partner of the pop-up pastaRAMEN, Viaggio Ristorante and Osteria Crescendo in New Jersey.

Then, remove the packaging, and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours to dry the skin.

But can you cook a turkey from frozen? Yes, in fact, Butterball recently introduced the Cook From Frozen Turkey with no necks or giblets. The whole bird is available at Publix, Lowe’s Harris Teeter, and select Walmart and Kroger locations.

Prepare a brine

While the new Butterball frozen turkey requires no basting or brining, brining a fresh or thawed turkey ensures moist, flavorful meat. The combination of salt, sugar and water tenderizes the protein.

Bubbies Fine Foods has created a recipe using Bubbies kosher dill pickles or bread and butter pickles. Submerge a turkey in six cups of pickle brine, water, salt, brown sugar, mustard seeds, peppercorns and celery seeds. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Food blogger Blair Lonergan of TheSeasonedMom.com makes a brine with apple cider. The recipe at theseasonedmom.com includes orange juice, herbs, garlic and onion.

For an umami oomph, add Kikkoman soy sauce, Felice suggests. (Save some for a glaze with maple syrup, vinegar, herbs, orange zest, cinnamon and butter.)

No matter the brine, rinse the bird and pat dry. The drier the bird, the crispier the skin. Christie Vanover, a champion pitmaster for Girls Can Grill, air-chills the brined turkey in the fridge for a few hours to remove excess moisture.

Fry the bird

If you’re air-frying, use a dry rub. Follow these tips if you’re deep-frying:

• Only use the fryer outside.
• Allow time for the oil to heat.
• Never use a frozen bird.
• Pat the turkey to remove excess water. Season with salt and pepper.
• Do not butter or brine the bird; it can lead to splatters when it hits the oil.
• If you overfill the fryer with oil, it will spill when you drop the turkey in the pot. Only fill to the recommended level.
• Don’t ratchet up the temp after adding a cold turkey. It takes time to adjust.

To dispose of the oil, use a cooking oil solidifier like FryAway, a plant-based powder that solidifies used oil. Just scoop it into the trash, and the material will break down in a landfill in 30 days.

Smoke the bird

Not surprisingly, Vanover is a fan of smoked turkey, which she first brines in turkey seasoning for 45 minutes per pound. She puts butter between the skin on the breasts and thigh sockets. Butter, celery, onion, carrots, lemon, and herbs go into the cavity. Then, she liberally seasons the outside with poultry seasoning.

Smoke at 275 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit over indirect heat. After 2.5 hours, baste with melted butter or bacon grease and with soy sauce and whiskey. Plan on one hour per every 4 pounds.

“Be sure to let your turkey rest for 30 to 45 minutes,” she says. “I turn off the grill and leave the turkey on it until I’m ready to serve it.”

Go traditional

Admittedly, most people roast a turkey. If you’re not stuffing the bird, tuck aromatics and citrus in the cavity, recommends David Rose, executive chef at Omaha Steaks, which sells turkeys. Rub butter on the skin, and season with salt and pepper.

While some cooks swear by a roasting bag, Rose skips it so that the skin gets crisp. Water or stock in the roasting pan will keep it moist. “If you choose to cook your turkey in a bag, slice open the bag, and expose the turkey for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time for a golden-brown, delicious turkey,” Rose says.

Allow 13 minutes per pound. Use a thermometer to gauge whether the thickest part of the thigh has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Again, let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving so that the juices can circulate through the meat—because a tender bird is a juicy bird.