Best Turkey Recipes: 6 Tips for Cooking Turkey

There are several aspects to consider before buying turkey to make sure you have adequate prep time and enough turkey for your guests.

1. 1. Allow time for thawing if purchasing frozen turkey. If you opt for a frozen turkey, purchase it in advance to allow enough time for the turkey to thaw. If you're defrosting your turkey in the refrigerator, it will take one day for every four pounds of turkey. If you're using the cold water bath method to defrost your turkey, you should plan for two hours of soaking time for every four pounds of turkey.
2. 2. Decide which type of turkey to buy. Before shopping for your turkey, decide if you plan to brine your turkey yourself. The main ingredient in a brine is salt, so if you plan to brine your turkey, purchase an unsalted or unseasoned turkey. Turkeys labeled enhanced, kosher, or self-basting already contain salt so that you can skip brining.
3. 3. Determine how much turkey you need. The general rule of thumb for determining the weight and size of the turkey you need is to plan to purchase one-and-a-half pounds of turkey per guest. For example, if you plan on eight guests, you should consider buying a twelve-pound turkey.
4. 4. Factor in time for brining. If you plan to brine your own turkey, make sure you purchase your turkey with enough time to brine. You should refrigerate a dry brined turkey for a minimum of forty-eight hours covered with plastic wrap and a minimum of four hours uncovered. Let a wet brined turkey refrigerate for twelve to twenty-four hours.

A roast turkey is synonymous with Thanksgiving dinner. Here are some tips to consider when you cook your turkey:

1. 1. Brine the turkey. Brining helps ensure a juicy turkey. A brine can be wet or dry and is similar to a marinade in that it imparts flavor and tenderness, but it also adds moisture. Since a whole turkey requires a long time to cook, brining also prevents it from drying out and becoming bland.
2. 2. Prep the turkey. Remove the giblets from the cavity of the turkey. Remove the turkey from the brining liquid and pat dry with paper towels, or skip this step if you used a dry brine. (With a dry brine, no rising or patting dry is necessary because refrigerating it uncovered will help the skin to dry out.)
3. 3. Season the turkey. In addition to brining, seasoning your turkey can add flavor while cooking. Season your turkey in a large roasting pan or sheet tray. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over the whole bird and brush it with olive oil or unsalted butter. You can stuff the cavity of the bird with aromatics, such as fresh herbs, like sprigs of fresh rosemary or fresh thyme, or vegetables like carrots and onions.
4. 4. Truss and tuck the turkey. Trussing a turkey is the act of crossing and then tying the turkey legs over the bird’s cavity, typically by using kitchen twine or butcher’s twine. Trussing your turkey gives the turkey a more compact shape, helps the turkey breast and wings cook evenly, and yields juicy meat.
5. 5. Check the temperature. Confirm you have fully cooked the turkey by using a digital instant-read meat thermometer to check several places on the bird. The thickest part of the thigh and drumstick should be at least 175 degrees Fahrenheit, and no part of the breast meat should be less than 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. 6. Let the turkey rest. After cooking, let the turkey rest for fifteen to thirty minutes on your cutting board before you carve it. This allows its juices to settle inside of the meat and make it more flavorful. Cutting your turkey while it’s still hot may squeeze the moisture out of the bird, resulting in a dry turkey.
7. 7. Use the roasting pan drippings. Turkey gravy is a sauce made from drippings from the bottom of the pan and thickened with a roux. While the bird rests, make your favorite gravy recipe using the drippings from the roasting pan.

Many turkey recipes deliver a delicious main course. Some of the best Thanksgiving turkey recipes and leftover turkey recipes include:

1. 1. Smoked turkey: Smoked turkey involves slow-cooking a whole brined turkey using indirect heat and a smoker. The total time to smoke a turkey can be up to eight hours, but it produces a succulent turkey with crispy skin, juicy meat, and a delicious smoked flavor.
2. 2. Spatchcock turkey: Spatchcocking, or butterflying, is a roast turkey recipe that involves removing the backbone and flattening the bird before roasting it. A dry brine adds flavor to a spatchcocked turkey, which is easier to carve than a traditional roast turkey.
3. 3. Turkey stew: With a cooking time of forty minutes, turkey stew is a hearty and quick dinner to make using leftover Thanksgiving turkey. A turkey stew combines white meat or dark meat with veggies and chicken or turkey stock.
4. 4. Turkey pot pie: Making turkey pot pie is a great way to use leftover roast turkey. You can make turkey pot pie with veggies, turkey breast, and a pie crust or puff pastry.
5. 5. Turkey chili: Like chili, turkey chili incorporates spice and is a comfort food. You can make turkey chili in a slow cooker or on your stove top, and you can use either ground turkey or cooked turkey breast.
6. 6. Turkey salad: Turkey is a delicious addition to green salads, from Caesar and Greek to Waldorf and Niçoise. You can also make a turkey salad sandwich with cranberry sauce, gravy, and turkey meat.
7. 7. Turkey-stuffed peppers: Stuffing bell peppers with ground turkey, spices, and brown rice is a delicious main course that’s rich in both protein and flavor. For turkey-stuffed peppers that are lower in carbohydrates, you can substitute the rice for finely chopped veggies.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.