How To Cook a Turkey: The Simplest, Easiest Method

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Be sure to let your turkey completely thaw before cooking. The best way is to loosen the wrapping and place the turkey on a baking sheet, then thaw in the refrigerator.

A frozen turkey needs 24 hours thawing time for every five pounds of turkey. For quicker thawing, place the turkey in a cold water bath (it is not safe to thaw a turkey with warm water) and change the water every 30 minutes until it’s thawed — about a half-hour per pound.

If your turkey isn’t completely thawed yet — no worries! You can roast your frozen turkey and it will turn out just fine! If your turkey is still frozen — fully or partially — just follow our instructions for cooking a frozen turkey. You’ll be fine (and your gravy will be even more delicious).

Any turkey will taste better if brined in salt for a day or two before cooking. Brining your turkey is not necessary but it is a good idea. This method has become popular over the last few years and involves immersing the turkey in a salt-water solution or dry-brining in salt for a day or so before cooking.

After roasting the turkey should rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This is a perfect time to make gravy. Move the turkey to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

This way you can use all those tasty pan drippings for gravy making. (If you’d rather check things off in advance, it’s definitely possible to make gravy ahead of time, too.)

Carving a turkey is just like carving an extra-large chicken: Remove the wings first, and then the thighs — pop out the joints that keep these pieces attached to the bird and cut straight through the joint.

When carving the breast meat, slice close to the rib cage with the flat of your knife right up against the rib bones. Once you have the meat off, you can separate the thighs into thighs and drumsticks, and carve the breast meat into individual slices.

Are you ready? Let’s cook some turkey! If you get anxious during roasting, just remember that roasting a turkey is just like roasting a large chicken. The same methods and ideas apply. Even if you don’t get fancy with spices or brining or special basting liquids, your turkey will still turn out browned, moist, and flavorful.

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How To Cook a Turkey: The Simplest, Easiest Method

Be sure to let your turkey completely thaw before cooking. The best way is to loosen the wrapping and place the turkey on a baking sheet, then thaw in the refrigerator.

How to Safely Thaw a Frozen Turkey

A frozen turkey needs 24 hours thawing time for every five pounds of turkey. For quicker thawing, place the turkey in a cold water bath (it is not safe to thaw a turkey with warm water) and change the water every 30 minutes until it’s thawed — about a half-hour per pound.

How Long to Thaw a Turkey

What to Do If Your Turkey Is Still Frozen

How to Brine a Turkey

After roasting the turkey should rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. This is a perfect time to make gravy. Move the turkey to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

How and When to Make Turkey Gravy

This way you can use all those tasty pan drippings for gravy making. (If you’d rather check things off in advance, it’s definitely possible to make gravy ahead of time, too.)

How and When to Make Turkey Gravy

Carving a turkey is just like carving an extra-large chicken: Remove the wings first, and then the thighs — pop out the joints that keep these pieces attached to the bird and cut straight through the joint.

How to Carve the Turkey

When carving the breast meat, slice close to the rib cage with the flat of your knife right up against the rib bones. Once you have the meat off, you can separate the thighs into thighs and drumsticks, and carve the breast meat into individual slices.

How to Carve the Turkey

Cooking Your Turkey

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