Planning Your Thanksgiving Dinner:  Turkey 101

Relax, and take a deep cleansing breath.  The task of hosting Thanksgiving Dinner can seem daunting, but thoughtful, and unrushed planning will keep your stress at bay.  Let’s get started, and in order to begin I think we should start with some basic questions:

1.)  How many people do you anticipate attending your dinner?

2.)  Have you invited them, and if not do so.

3.)  What time would you like your guests to arrive, and what time would you like to serve dinner (our main focus after all)?

4.)  How many people can you seat at your table/s and will you have a children’s table?  I have a children’s table because they like to talk to each other.

5.)   Will you need to borrow or rent chairs, tables, plates, platters, flatware or linens.  Consider your alternatives for overflow seating.

6.)  When you invite people they often ask if they can bring something and usually want to contribute, so have an assignment in mind.

Now let’s talk turkey:

I have some basic facts to help you plan how big your turkey should be to serve the number of guest you have…

Turkeys under 12 pounds:  1/3 to 1 pound of turkey per person.

Turkeys over 12 pounds:    1/2 to 3/4 pound of turkey per person.

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Guidelines for defrosting a frozen turkey in the refrigerator…

6  lbs.  to 8 lbs.   =  36 – 48 hours in the refrigerator.

10 lbs  to  12 lbs.  =  60 - 72 hours in the refrigerator

14 lbs. to 18 lbs  =  96 hours plus in the refrigerator

18 plus pounds of turkey  =  120 hours plus in the refrigerator

If  your refrigerated  turkey isn’t defrosting  quickly enough and you are getting short on time you can immerse the turkey in a  clean sink or bowl full of cold water.  Change the water frequently, and this will speed up the defrosting process.

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Guidelines for roasting your turkey…

8  to 12 lbs  =  2  3/4  to 3  hours unstuffed  or  3  3/12 hours stuffed

12  to 14 lbs  =  3 to 3  3/4 hours unstuffed or 3  1/2 to 4 hours stuffed

14  to 18 lbs  =  3 3/4 to 4  1/4 hours unstuffed  or 4  to 4 1/4 hours stuffed

18  to  20 lbs  =  4 1/4  to 4 1/2 hours unstuffed  or 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours stuffed

20 to 24 lbs   =  4 1/2 to 5 hours unstuffed  or 4 3/4 to 5 1/5 hours stuffed

24  to 30 lbs  =  5 to 5 1/4 hours  or  5 1/4 to 6 14 hours stuffed

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Instructions for roasting the turkey…I  use a large foil roasting pan set on a large baking sheet for support..no muss…no fuss

Position your oven racks so that you know your turkey will fit, and preheat your oven to 500 degrees.  Rinse your turkey with cold water and take out the giblets/neck package (reserve if you like for later use). Rinse the inside cavity too.  Drain the turkey and pat dry.  Pack the turkey cavity loosely with the stuffing of your choice, remembering that the stuffing will expand as it cooks.  Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to close the vent, and fold the wings under the turkey.  Now loosen the skin above the breasts and rub 3 tablespoons of butter under each side of breast.  Place 2 fresh sage leaves under the skin and pull skin back to reseal.  Baste the entire turkey with melted butter.  Place turkey breast side up on a rack over a bed of  one rough chopped onion, one rough chopped cup of celery and one rough chopped cup of carrots.  Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan.  Generously salt and pepper the entire bird.  Put in the over legs first if it will fit that way.  Roast for 30 minutes or until top browns and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Continue to roast basting the turkey every 30 minutes or so with juices from the bottom of the pan.  If the bottom of the pan is becoming dry add more chicken broth.  If the top of the turkey becomes to brown cover the entire turkey with aluminum f0il.  The turkey is done within an instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (using caution to to let thermometer touch any bone) reads 175 – 185 degrees.  Also insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, which should read 170 – 175 degrees.  If the turkey is not nicely browned, but is almost done, increase the oven temperature to 450 for the last 20 minutes or so of  roasting.  Remove the turkey from the oven, and let it rest 20 to – 30 minutes at room temperature before carving.