Maybe you're hosting Thanksgiving at your home this year or you're in charge of cooking the turkey (this is for you, Kim). Maybe this is your first time cooking a turkey. Whatever the situation, no need to panic. I'll share a few simple steps and also links to some super recipes for the turkey and you'll be all set.
If you haven't purchase the bird, you'll need to do that soon before all the good ones are gone. A good guage is 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of turkey per guest. If you are serving another meat such as ham or pork loin, you can reduce to 1 lb. You'll probably still have some leftovers.
A fresh turkey is best, but if you are purchasing a frozen turkey, Martha Stewart says to thaw in coldest part of your refrigerator, allowing 5 hours defrosting time per lb of turkey. If you haven't purchased your turkey, don't wait too much longer!
Below I'll share a few sites with great tips and recipes. You can keep it as simple as you want, or go all out and brine your turkey with flavorful seasonings, either way -you'll be a hero for cooking the Thanksgiving turkey!
All Recipes- "A Simple Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe" as basic as you can get, just like grandma's simple, but delicious -has received 71 reviews and has 5 stars! I like All Recipes because you can scale up or down on the recipe to change the serving size instantly. You'll love this site. Search around, there's tons of turkey recipes.
Martha Stewart -Couldn't leave her out, could I? "Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe". Of course, you can browse her recipes and get as complex as you wish with your roasted turkey labor.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks -the who does what? Please tell me you've been to Confessions of Pioneer Woman's blog! If you haven't, you don't get out (on the web) much, do you? She would be so proud to be listed just below Martha Stewart on my list. I would put her above, but I'm listing these in order of simplicity. Ree (The Pioneer Woman) has a totally awesome recipe for Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, but it is a little more complex than Martha's "Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe" so I had to list this one after. Ree's includes brining the turkey ahead of time and then next shows you how to roast it. In fact, you could plan your entire Thanksgiving menu from The Pioneer Woman Cooks because Ree has recipes for the turkey, the most sinful mashed potatoes I've EVER seen, green beans and tomatoes, and Butternut Sqaush. Visit The Pioneer Woman Cooks and you'll be hooked on her recipes. Just don't tell your cardiologist or your nutritionist!
Cooks Illustrated - Now we're talking. If you really want to get the low-down on everything there is to know about turkey then this is your place. You can read reviews on which brand of turkey to buy, step-by-step planning, even reviews on the best roasting pan to use! Just check out their "Thanksgiving Survival Guide".
Now, don't panic. You can do this!
If you haven't purchase the bird, you'll need to do that soon before all the good ones are gone. A good guage is 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of turkey per guest. If you are serving another meat such as ham or pork loin, you can reduce to 1 lb. You'll probably still have some leftovers.
A fresh turkey is best, but if you are purchasing a frozen turkey, Martha Stewart says to thaw in coldest part of your refrigerator, allowing 5 hours defrosting time per lb of turkey. If you haven't purchased your turkey, don't wait too much longer!
Below I'll share a few sites with great tips and recipes. You can keep it as simple as you want, or go all out and brine your turkey with flavorful seasonings, either way -you'll be a hero for cooking the Thanksgiving turkey!
All Recipes- "A Simple Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe" as basic as you can get, just like grandma's simple, but delicious -has received 71 reviews and has 5 stars! I like All Recipes because you can scale up or down on the recipe to change the serving size instantly. You'll love this site. Search around, there's tons of turkey recipes.
Martha Stewart -Couldn't leave her out, could I? "Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe". Of course, you can browse her recipes and get as complex as you wish with your roasted turkey labor.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks -the who does what? Please tell me you've been to Confessions of Pioneer Woman's blog! If you haven't, you don't get out (on the web) much, do you? She would be so proud to be listed just below Martha Stewart on my list. I would put her above, but I'm listing these in order of simplicity. Ree (The Pioneer Woman) has a totally awesome recipe for Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, but it is a little more complex than Martha's "Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe" so I had to list this one after. Ree's includes brining the turkey ahead of time and then next shows you how to roast it. In fact, you could plan your entire Thanksgiving menu from The Pioneer Woman Cooks because Ree has recipes for the turkey, the most sinful mashed potatoes I've EVER seen, green beans and tomatoes, and Butternut Sqaush. Visit The Pioneer Woman Cooks and you'll be hooked on her recipes. Just don't tell your cardiologist or your nutritionist!
Cooks Illustrated - Now we're talking. If you really want to get the low-down on everything there is to know about turkey then this is your place. You can read reviews on which brand of turkey to buy, step-by-step planning, even reviews on the best roasting pan to use! Just check out their "Thanksgiving Survival Guide".
Now, don't panic. You can do this!
Oh, and just for fun, check out these funny Jenny-O Turkey Commercials, too funny! Speaking of Jenny-O, they have a really easy turkey roasting alternative. I'm not recommending it though.
Be Inspired. -Karol :0)
photo courtesy of Microsoft clip art gallery
Be Inspired. -Karol :0)
photo courtesy of Microsoft clip art gallery
5 comments:
Hello Karol, what a great post! I know much more after reading you. I enjoy the music, the links & everything here, I could spend a whole afternoon with you but I need to keep going :) Happy Thanksgiving next week in case I don't stop by. Hugs
Thanks for this post Karol, I was trying to find a link to a site that showed the process of brining a turkey. I'm going to try it for the first time this year.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Karol, thanks for vising my blog and praying for Amber and baby Nathan. I'll have to come check these tips next week. I'm doing the family turkey, which always scares me to death!
Hi Karrol, thanks again for more great info sites! I am doing Thanksgiving, as usual, and finding new ideas for some new dishes and decorating is wonderful! Hugs!
You have a lovely blog...enjoyed visiting!!!
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