Confused About Turkey? Maybe This Will Help

Leave it to the professional foodies to make something as simple as roasting a turkey into a complicated undertaking.

Some say to soak the turkey overnight in the fridge in a salt-water brine (2 cups kosher salt to 2 gallons water) for extra flavor and moisture. (Actually, this seems to work.)

Some say to cook the turkey at anywhere from 400 to 500 degrees, while others say to start out at the standard 325 degrees, but turn the temperature down to 250 after the first hour. (Then there are the Southerners who prefer deepfrying, but that’s another story altogether.)

Some say to roast the bird breast-side down for juicier white meat, while others say to start breast-side down, then turn it on one side, and then the other, before finishing it breast-side up.

Some say basting adds flavor (to the skin, anyway), while others say all it does is cool off the oven when you open the door.

Some say to tent the turkey loosely with foil at the beginning to prevent overbrowning, while others say to wait until it’s browned and then cover with foil. Yet others advise wrapping the turkey breast tightly in foil at first to retain moisture, removing it for the final hour of cooking; some even say to use a damp dish towel instead of foil.

Confused? Here are the classic turkey roasting instructions, courtesy of Butterball. Experiment at your own risk:

If turkey is frozen, thaw on a tray in refrigerator (allow 24 hours for each 5 pounds) or covered in cold water (allow 30 minutes per pound, changing water every 30 minutes to keep it cold).

When ready to cook turkey, remove wrapper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the neck from the body cavity and the giblets from the neck cavity. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Just before roasting, stuff the neck and body cavities loosely, if desired (or bake stuffing in separate dish). Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Return legs to tucked position, if untucked. No trussing is necessary.

Place turkey breast side up on a flat rack in an open roasting pan about 2 inches deep (a shallow pan allows heat to circulate around turkey). Insert an oven-safe thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh next to the body, not touching the bone. Brush skin with vegetable oil to prevent drying; further basting is unnecessary.

Roast turkey according to the following schedule: 10 to 18 pounds, unstuffed 3 to 3-1/2 hours, stuffed 3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours; 18 to 22 pounds, unstuffed 3-1/2 to 4 hours, stuffed 4-1/2 to 5 hours; 22 to 24 pounds, unstuffed 4 to 4-1/2 hours, stuffed 5 to 5-1/2 hours; 24 to 30 pounds, unstuffed 4-1/2 to 5 hours, stuffed 5-1/2 to 6-1/4 hours.

When the skin is light golden, about two-thirds through the cooking time, shield the breast loosely with lightweight foil to prevent overcooking.

Check for doneness 1/2 hour before you expect the turkey to be done. Turkey is fully cooked when the thigh’s internal temperature is 180 degrees. The thickest part of the breast should read 170 degrees, and the center of the stuffing should be 160 degrees.

When done, let the turkey stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving to let juices settle.