I'm having Thanksgiving by my house! need turkey tips!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe I'm having Thanksgiving by my house this year!! its exciting and nervewracking at the same time!! DH is one of 7 kids, so I'm kind of getting lucky this year, b/c most of them are going upstate w/ his parents for the weekend and therefore not coming here (I have work on Friday, so I couldn't go). We're having about 10 people over, we bought all the groceries yesterday, but now I was hoping I could get some cooking tips from you lovely ladies.

I was reading something about doing a turkey brine? Soaking it overnight or something? I'm totally confused, my MIL told me that she usually just soaks it in salt or something for like a half hour?? I don't want to keep calling her w/ questions, b/c I don't want to sound stupid! lol Any advice for any turkey day fare would be great!! TIA!!

wish me luck that I don't lose all my sanity!!!

If you haven't already bought your bird, go to fairway in plainview.... they have a lot of birds that are pre-brined.... saves you a giant headache.

Murray's free range turkeys I believe are also pre-brined. Many kosher birds are also pre-brined.

If you already own a bird, and it isn't pre-brined, you should look up alton brown's turkey recipe from food tv. he explains the whole brining thing.
I know it involves a cooler, ice, and sugar / salt.

season your turkey with poultry seasoning on the skin, and tuck some fresh sage and thyme between the skin and breast meat. Stuff the cavity with more sage, thyme, and some lemon.

bake at 350 until an instant read thermometer in the thigh registers 165. (make sure its in the meat, and not against a hot bone!) Then take the bird out, transfer it to the cutting board cover it with foil, and let it rest for about a half hour. then make the gravy with the drippings.

for my gravy, I sautee a shallot, sage, thyme, and sometimes a pack of sliced mushrooms, in the drippings. Once they're cooked, add chicken broth, poultry seasoning, and salt to taste. Scrape all the bits from the bottom of the pan. In a tupperware dish, combine milk and 2T flour. cover and shake until the lumps are gone. Dump in the gravy, and let it come to a simmer and thicken.

remove the sage and thyme twigs, transfer to a gravy boat, carve the turkey, and its ready to go

this is the recipe we're trying out this year:

apple-cider brined turkey

and if you don't want to brine it, you could always just go with the old fashioned way of doing things; rub butter over the skin, season with salt and pepper, quarter onions & lemons and stick them into the cavity for flavor and bake at 350 until it comes to temp. (which is 170 in the meaty part of the thigh)

you'll be fine, whatever you do!! good luck!

thank you ladies!!!! I knew someone on here had to have made a turkey before!! my mom is a 'microwave' chef, so she's no help, and I didn't want to keep asking his mom questions! you've both been a big help!

and btw, I already bought the bird! 17.5 pounds! oh well, but the pre-brined turkey is a great idea for next year, and I guess I can thoroughly appreciate it after going through all the work this year!! thanks again!!

i *heart* real simple magazine, they had this section on turkeys...this one reader wrote that she cooks the turkey upside down, that way all the juices flow to the breast and makes it extra juicy. sounds wierd but if i were making turkey i'd totally do that! good luck sweetie! oh and finally, this pic is appropriate: tee hee! let us know how it goes!!

---

Posted by bonitachyc

i *heart* real simple magazine, they had this section on turkeys...this one reader wrote that she cooks the turkey upside down, that way all the juices flow to the breast and makes it extra juicy. sounds wierd but if i were making turkey i'd totally do that! good luck sweetie! oh and finally, this pic is appropriate: tee hee! let us know how it goes!!

---

thanks Lupita!! yea someone I work with was telling me they put their turkey upside down.....it makes sense.......maybe I should cover 'er up so its *ss isn't hanging in the air!! poor little naked birdie!

lmao!! here's the cure for that!!

Try this...

12 -17 lb. turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is good.)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's Low
Fat)
Salt/pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt, and
pepper.
Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn.
Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the
oven.
Listen for the popping sounds.
When the turkey's arse blows the oven door open and the turkey flies across the room, it's done.
lol, sorry, I coudln't resist.

---

Posted by Tatum&Steve

Try this...

12 -17 lb. turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is good.)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (Orville Redenbacher's Low
Fat)
Salt/pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt, and
pepper.
Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn.
Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the
oven.
Listen for the popping sounds.
When the turkey's arse blows the oven door open and the turkey flies across the room, it's done.
lol, sorry, I coudln't resist.

---

lol, i was like popcorn???

---

Posted by bonitachyc

lmao!! here's the cure for that!!

---

LMAO Ure nuts!

---

Posted by PeteysBride

---

Posted by bonitachyc

lmao!! here's the cure for that!!

---

LMAO Ure nuts!

---

my work computer won't show the image I'll have to wait til I get home!

I usually brine my turkey in the morning before it goes into the oven.
I just clean it well, then let it soak in my kitchen sink for a couple of hours in salted water and ice cubes. Need to keep the water cold.

Drain the bird, pat dry with paper towels and season/stuff as you wish.
Then roast as per the directions on the package, about 25 minutes per pound at 325-350.
Use a meat thermometer to check for correct internal temp.

If the turkey starts getting too brown, then make a foil tent to slow down the browning.

When the turkey is done and is resting, I finish up all the sides and put them in the oven to keep warm before dishing up. The pot of mashed potatoes gets wrapped in a towel to keep warm, and then gets put on the floor out of the way.

Lay out all your serving bowls and, this may sound stupid, but place a note inside each bowl indicating what goes into each. This way if someone helps you dish up, they won't put the potatoes in a small bowl and the corn in a large bowl. Lay the serving spoon/fork along side the bowl.

This all keeps me sane when I cook. We are usually 14 people for turkey day dinner.

PS Love the turkey chick !

---

Posted by HelenZ



and btw, I already bought the bird! 17.5 pounds! oh well, but the pre-brined turkey is a great idea for next year, and I guess I can thoroughly appreciate it after going through all the work this year!! thanks again!!

---

I just read that butterballs are also pre-brined... so if you bought one of those, you're also in the clear

---

Posted by portjeffbride

---

Posted by HelenZ



and btw, I already bought the bird! 17.5 pounds! oh well, but the pre-brined turkey is a great idea for next year, and I guess I can thoroughly appreciate it after going through all the work this year!! thanks again!!

---

I just read that butterballs are also pre-brined... so if you bought one of those, you're also in the clear

---

thanks!! but still no luck......we got a shady brook bird! I guess the turkey gods are not on my side this year lol

---

Posted by bonitachyc

lmao!! here's the cure for that!!

---

yay!!!! I could finally see the pic!!!! you are HYSTERICAL!!!!! that's too cute!!!!!!