How To Cook a Turkey Like a Boss
I’ll never forget my first turkey dinner. I had no idea how to cook a turkey so I called my mom and got the how-to over the phone. I now make 3-4 turkeys a year (it’s my husband’s favorite) and I want to share my tips and tricks with all of you.
By the end of this post, you will no longer wonder how to make a turkey dinner, you’ll see how easy it is! The next step? Cook a turkey and celebrate how awesome it tastes (and enjoy the leftovers for a few days too).
How To Make a Turkey Like a Boss:
First things first get everything you need out so you’re not scrambling with icky poultry hands touching everything. Here is what you’ll need to cook a turkey dinner:
- Roaster
- Turkey lifter (here is the one I have)
- Paper Towels
- Basting brush
- Meat thermometer
- Bleach
- Garbage bags
Food Needed
- Turkey (thawed and ready to go)
- Onion
- Head of garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Poultry seasoning
How to Cook Turkey
Pre-heat your oven to 325.
Before you unwrap your turkey (I buy mine frozen) note how much it weight and what the suggested cooking time is. In this case, my turkey is 8.8kg (19.4 pounds).
- Unwrap your turkey in the sink, you want somewhere for all the blood and juices to go.
- Unhook the legs out of the skin wrap thing that’s going on there. Don’t cut the skin, as you will need it for later. (If you do, no worries you can tie the legs together with twine later.)
- Take out the neck and bagged giblets. I toss mine in the garbage, but some people make a stock out of it.
- Rinse the turkey inside and out with cool water. Lift up the turkey to let it drain, get all that nastiness out.
- Now you need your paper towel. Stuff the turkey with the paper towel and cover it to soak up all the water. You want it dry! Discard the paper towel.
- Now it’s time to stuff and flavor the turkey. I don’t stuff my turkey with stuffing, my husband refuses to eat turkeys that way. If you do it, go right ahead. What I do is stuff the turkey with an onion (cut in half) and a head of garlic. It’s delicious.
- Next, I go in between the skin and the meat and add butter, garlic, and seasoning. When I’m not feeling lazy I’ll add rosemary and sage- but I usually save that for Christmas.
- Finally, I season the skin with salt, pepper, some sage (or poultry seasoning).
- Wrap the legs back up with the skin.
- Wash your hands and arms like you’re about the scrub in with Dr.Bailey on a super important surgery.
- Bleach down the sink and anything else the turkey touched.
Best Way To Cook A Turkey
Once your turkey is all prepped and ready to go in the oven – just toss it in. I like to roast mine, uncovered, for roughly an hour to an hour and a half or until the skin is getting beautifully brown and crispy. When it’s at that stage, I put a lid on my roasting pan (if you don’t have a lid, line it with foil). If you want, you can baste at this point.
Truth be told, I rarely baste a turkey.
Turkey Cooking Time
As for cooking times and how long you should cook a turkey, I usually roast mine for 3 1/2 – 4 hours. I cook the meat thermometer reads at least 165F in the breast (180 in the thigh) but it usually reads 170 in the breast. Usually, the frozen turkey will have a suggested cook time, if yours doesn’t (like mine this time around) refer to this chart:
When the bird is done, let it stand covered for at least thirty minutes. You want the juices to settle, you can get the gravy and other sides ready now.
That’s it, now it’s time to carve that sucker up and enjoy a feast with your family and friends.
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A few years ago I shared my family’s classic recipe for homemade turkey stuffing, check it out.
Don’t forget to use up the whole turkey and make this recipe for homemade turkey vegetable soup.
Also, be sure to check out my Enormous List of Cooking and Baking Must Haves.
What’s your favorite side dish that goes along with turkey dinner?
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Seriously going to use this when I cook a turkey solo…
It’s so easy Tonya 🙂 … and then you have leftovers and different meals for days!
I do not stuff my turkey either. I love what you have done though. I am going to try that this time around.
It cooks quicker this way 😉 More time for turkey!
Yum! I can can almost smell it. Now I want turkey. This is a problem since it is just me and Evan on Monday so I’m not making one.
If I still lived an hour and a half away – I would so invite you guys for turkey dinner.
FIRST OF ALL!! The way to make a turkey like a boss is to marry the right man!! LMAO!! My DH make a wicked turkey!! He uses all the wonderful techniques you have, but his special technique is to add bacon to the outside!
My husband asked me to do that this year. Maybe I’ll try it on Christmas 🙂
I can’t believe how easy you made this look. This is the perfect post to be reading right about now – because my cousin and I are going to do our very first Thanksgiving prep together this year. I was super nervous – but I will just have my handy dandy phone with me – set to this page, and you will make me look so good 🙂 Thank you!!
You can do it Debbie! It’s really easy. You just have to prep it and forget it! It does all the work itself.
This is a great tutorial, I will admit, I hate cooking the turkey here, always make my husband do it even though I know that it can be so easy! I like though that you don’t stuff it!
I just hate getting my hands all nasty so I make sure i have bleach, lysol wipes ready plus the tap stays running haha.
Thanks for the skills! This will come in handy for Christmas this year 🙂
You’re welcome! I cannot wait for Christmas Dinner…countdown is on.
Thank you so much for this!! I did everything you said yesterday, and I was able to make an awesome turkey dinner! My husband said it was the best he’s ever had! You have no idea how much this means to my family! I lost my grandmother in March of this year, and she always made the turkey and dressing for every holiday. I wanted to find a good recipe and do a practice run before thanksgiving so I knew what I was doing. Making the turkey helps me remember everything my grandmother did for my family, and I can never thank you enough for this step by step tutorial!
Brandi I am so happy I could help you! Your comment made my day, thank you so much 🙂
Enjoy your turkey leftovers 😉
I was wondering how much butter you suggest when adding it under the skin?
I don’t measure I just put a glob here and a dab there. You can’t go wrong!
Awesome, thank you so much Randa! I can’t wait to try this recipe. It’s been a few years since I made a turkey dinner
You’re welcome. Have a beautiful turkey dinner!
2 questions please:
1.) do you peel the head of garlic you stuff in teh cavity or leave it whole and unpeeled?
2.) do you cook the bird with the turkey lifter?
Thank you, I’m looking forward to trying this!
Hi Becky,
Yes! I toss the whole head in there, no peel. I just cut the top off so the garlic oils are easily released!
Yes I do cook the bird with the lifter, the silicone lifter I use is safe to use with heat.
Happy cooking Becky!!
Thank you for posted step by step detailed instructions! Doing this today!! Wish me luck!!
Good luck Marie! You will do great 🙂
I might be on duty for cooking this year……bookmarked just in case that happens!
I hope you’re on duty 🙂 I LOVE cooking up turkey dinners!
You make it look so easy! Thank you for sharing. Do you think or have you ever, prepped the turkey like this the night before?
Hey Jenny,
No I haven’t prepared it the night before. I’ve made the stuffing the night before, held it in a bowl so it was ready for the morning but that’s it. It honestly doesn’t take long to do it before you chuck it in the oven 🙂
I haven’t made a turkey in a while, but I did use your post before and it was fabulous. Thank you.