I got a free frozen turkey, it's huge and all but...?

Question

How am I supposed to cook it? I want to cook it for me and my fiance, who I'm seeing the night before thanksgiving. We like to eat fairly healthy, but he's a guy, he loves meat, and I'm not the best cook around (in fact, I'm a horrible cook) ... yikes, what am I supposed to do?
Any easy ways to cook it?
I looked up some recipes, but I don't understand them. How do you brine it? When should I begin thawing it so that I can cook it on thanksgiving day?

Answer 1

Turkey is really easy to overcook, and even the most experienced cooks can end up with dry turkey.

For your first turkey, I would NOT recommend you try frying it. While delicious, fried turkey requires special equipment and can be more than a little dangerous for a novice cook.

Brining is a great way to end up with a delicious moist bird, and it gives you a little more "wiggle room" in the cooking time. It is, a LOT of preparation, but totally worth the effort. It's not hard though. you'll need a big container, big enough to submerge the turkey. I use a clean camping cooler, and that way I also save space in the refrigerator. The idea of brining is that the salt breaks down the cell structure of the turkey meat so that it can absorb more water. More water=moister turkey. You add flavorings to the brine so it gets absorbed by the cells and produces a tasty turkey. You'll brine the turkey the day before you cook it, and it must be completely thawed-that's going to take about 3-4 days in the refrigerator (NEVER thaw a turkey on the counter or in the sink). So, since Thanksgiving is on Thursday, put it in the refrigerator Sunday, and prepare your brine on Wednesday. If you're cooking it Wednesday, start thawing it Friday, and brine it Tuesday.

Here is a basic brine recipe (you may need to double or triple it to have enough brine to COMPLETELY cover the bird).



* 4 quarts water

* 2 cups dark brown sugar

* 1 cup soy sauce

* 1 cup maple syrup

* 3/4 cup sea or kosher salt



Put it in a big pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely. If you want to get really fancy you can add garlic or bay leaves or other herbs to it...I'd stick with the basic recipe your first time around.

You'll brine the turkey the day before you cook it.

Unwrap the turkey and remove the giblets packets from cavity if it has one. Also check the other end for the neck and remove. Put the packet and the neck in a bowl in the refrigerator-if you plan to use them for stuffing, otherwise throw them away.. Put the THAWED turkey in the container (a cooler really does work best and pour the brine over the bird and make sure it's completely covered.If you dunk the bird, the brine should fill the cavity and submerge it. If it still floats a little you'll have to weight the top (use a large ziplock filled with ice. Put the bird in the refrigerator, or if you're using a cooler add a 5 pound bag of ice don't take it out of the bag..just set it on top) and shut the cooler.

Now, when you are ready to cook the bird, remove from the brine, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels, DISCARD THE BRINE and the ice. I feed it to my chickens, but you put it down the sink or toilet.

I never stuff my turkey. It increases the cooking time, and personally I think it's a pain in the butt. I cook my dressing separately in the crockpot.



I rub the turkey skin all over with butter or olive oil (this will help make the skin crispy) and salt and pepper it. Then I cut a couple stalks of celery, and quarter an apple and a peeled onion and shove them in the cavity. As the bird cooks, they steam and add extra moisture, and they do do not increase the cooking time.

Put your turkey in a roasting pan and cover loosely with foil.

You'll bake the turkey at 350 degrees (preheat the oven first) until done. here's a guide for the cooking time:

if your turkey is 10-18 pounds you'll cook it for 3-3 1/2 hours (unstuffed). Add 45 minutes if it is stuffed.

For a 15 to 22 pound turkey you'll cook it 3 1/2- 4 hours. (again, unstuffed). It will start to smell heavenly after about an an hour and a half.

SOme people people baste the turkey every half hour or so, but I never do. If you want a nice crispy brown skin remove the foil for the last half hour of cooking time.

Your turkey might have a little "pop-up" thermometer to tell you if it's done.

Once you remove the turkey from the oven , DO NOT cut into it right away. It is really important to let it rest for about 20-30 minutes first. This allows all the juices to settle back into the meat. If you cut it while it is freshly out of the oven, you will get a gush of juices, but your meat will be dry.

I know this seems like a lot of work, but there's nothing hard about it, and I'm sure you'll do great!



UPDATE: If your turkey is already brined (which yours is) just thaw it and cook it as I've described.

Answer 2

For thawing figure 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. So a 20 pound turkey would need about 4 days in the refrigerator. If you are going to thaw the bird in cold water figure 30 minutes per pound of turkey. But remember to keep changing the water. This is not the recommended method of thawing. But it is better than thawing at room temperature, which you are not to do!

If you are going to cook the bird un stuffed.

Set oven temperature to 325 degrees.

A 12 - 14 pound bird will take 3 to 3 1/4 hours

A 14 to 18 pound bird will take 3 1/4 to 4 1/4 hours

A 18 to 20 pound bird will take 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours

A 20 to 24 pound bird will take 4 1/2 to 5 hours.

If you are going to stuff the bird add about 15 minutes to each of the times So for example the 18 to 20 pound bird will be in the oven for 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours.

Important do not over stuff the bird if you are going to stuff it. The stuffing expands and you want to make sure that the internal cavity of the turkey gets to the proper temp.

Do not rely on the pop up timer if there is one. Use a instant read thermometer. Temperature of the meat should be 165 degrees. Check at the thigh, make sure you are not touching the bone. Temperature of the stuffing should also be 165. Getting the stuffing inside the bird to reach 165 with out drying out the bird is the hard part.

Good luck. You can do this. Think of a turkey as nothing but an over sized chicken.

Answer 3

Don't worry about how to brine it.



There are only 4 steps to cooking a great turkey



1. Relax, it's just a turkey.



2. Thaw it, clean it out and stuff it! You can thaw 48 hours before. Then you'll want to clean it, inside the turkey you'll find yummy turkey insides (unless you like livers throw them out) Next you want to turn the turkey to the other end, take out the neck and cut off the turkey butt. Your turkey is now clean, now stuff it, you can use stuffing, or just place an apple and an onion inside the turkey (if you really wanna impress your man open a can of beer and pour that insde the turkey.)

*Since this is a fresh turkey rinse it once with water before you stuff it!



3. Cook it!

turn your oven on 400F , put the turkey in a pan with a stick of butter at the bottom. put the turkey in the oven. After 30mins open the oven and use a spoon or a turkey-baster (sp?) and pour the "juices" on the breast and legs of the Turkey, now turn the oven down to 325F and place some foil on top. (Important: check the size of the turkey, to know how long to cook it, 8 to 12 lbs 2 to 3 hours/14-18lbs 3-4 hours/20 to 24 lbs 4 to 5hours you get the drift)



4. Taking the Turkey out and making gravy



Now take the turkey out of the oven and let it sit for about 30 mins, with the foil still on it. Then transfer the turkey to a platter. Now it's time to make gravy! see all of the liquid at the bottom of the pan? pour all of this liquid into a large pot, cook on med-low heat, in 12oz cup put 1/2 cup of flour in it, then pour warm water into the cup, filling it up. stir until all of the flour has mixed into the water , now stir this mixture unto the pan with the turkey drippings, my golly you have gravy!

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now if you do all of this it will come out perfect, nice tender juicy meat. I know 400F seems high but it actually makes the turkey more tender and juicy.



now try serving this wonderful turkey with carrots and parsnips, mashed potatoes, a garlic green bean dish, and try this recipe for Bourbon-Chocolate Pecan pie.

Answer 4

Don't brine it if it already has been injected with solution. You can tell by looking at the side of the turkey you'll see it will say "Contains up to X% of a solution"



If it contains the "solution" then just cook it normally. Take it out of the package, wash it out inside and out. Make sure to salt the inside if you don't stuff it. If you do stuff it, make sure it is clean in there.



Most birds have a built in, pop out thermometer, but I would use digital thermometer like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-TruTemp-Digital-Cooking-Thermometer/dp/B0001BFJ54



I would push that thermometer into the thigh at the thickest part away from the bone and wait until it gets to 170. Once it is, I would check the Turkey in other areas to make sure it is done. The breast should read 165 F. at the middle of it.



If you have a natural turkey without the brine solution, brine it. Follow Alto Brown's method and you can't go wrong.



http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html

Answer 5

When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for people like me,

who just are not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but

not dried out.



Give this a try.



8 - 15 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 *** blows the oven door

open and the bird flies across the room, it's done.



And, you thought I didn't cook...

Answer 6

Whenever possible, refrigerator thawing is best. However, if you are short on time and need a speedy method, try cold-water thawing. Do not ever thaw a turkey at room temperature, as this allows for bacterial growth and is never recommended.



Refrigerator Thawing:

Thaw breast side up, in unopened wrapper, on a tray in the refrigerator.

Allow for at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey.



Cold-Water Thawing:

Thaw breast side down, in unopened wrapper, in enough cold water to cover it completely.

Change the water frequently to keep the turkey chilled.

Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per pound for a whole turkey.

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Cooking Chart:



Net Weight (lb.) ----Unstuffed (hrs.) ---- Stuffed (hrs.)

4½ to 7 ---- 2 to 2½ ---- 2¼ to 2¾

7 to 9 ---- 2½ to 3 ---- 2¾ to 3½

9 to 18 ---- 3 to 3½ ---- 3¾ to 4½

18 to 22 ---- 3½ to 4 ---- 4½ to 5

22 to 24 ---- 4 to 4½ ---- 5 to 5½

24 to 30 ---- 4½ to 5 ---- 5½ to 6¼



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Here's a simple recipe:



Roast Turkey with Cranberry Orange Glaze



3/4 cup orange marmalade

3/4 cup frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (14 pound) Whole Turkey

no-stick cooking spray



Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine marmalade, cranberry juice concentrate, maple syrup, vinegar and salt in small heavy saucepan. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently for 12 to 15 minutes, or until glaze is reduced to about one cup.



Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey; discard or refrigerate for another use. Drain juices from turkey and dry turkey with paper towels. Turn wings back to hold neck skin against back of turkey.



Place turkey, breast side up, on a flat roasting rack in a shallow pan. Brush turkey lightly with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Roast turkey for 2 hours and then cover breast and top of drumsticks loosely with foil to prevent overcooking of breast.



Continue roasting turkey for another 45 minutes. Remove foil and brush generously with glaze. Return foil loosely to top of turkey and cook for another 45 minutes, or until meat thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into the deepest part of the thigh.



Brush with remaining glaze. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

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Answer 7

you have to leave it at leat for 48 hr for defrosting in refrigerator.

Answer 8

Deep fry that bit--. Yummmmmm.

Answer 9

TRY THIS WEB SITE. IT WILL EVEN TELL YOU HOW TO COOK IT. GOOD LUCK

Answer 10

http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-tos/tips/thanksgiving-guide



all you need to know is above

Answer 11

first soak it in lard and butter then bast it with 6 cups of extra fat oilve oil then deep fry and serve with melted butter

Answer 12

http://bbq.about.com/cs/turkey/a/aa110103a.htm



this should help.