It’s the Belle of the Ball. No wonder everyone gets a little anxious about the where for’s and the how to’s. Here are a few helpful tips to help your bird earn the All-Star billing of your Thanksgiving table!
FROZEN BIRD
- Defrost in refrigerator 72 - 48 hours in advance. Seriously! The bird should defrost in a functioning refrigerator! Size is the big determining factor. The bigger the bird, the more the time. You need the cold temp to prevent the bad stuff from doing their thing.
- The night before – Wash, trim and leave overnight, under loose foil, in the refrigerator.
- 1 hour before baking set on counter to bring up temp before baking.
FRESH BIRD
- 1 hour before baking set on counter to bring up temp before baking.
- The night before – Wash, trim and leave overnight, under loose foil, in the refrigerator.
QUICK TURKEY REMINDERS
- Roast at 350º F
- 15 minutes per pound as a planning guideline. Heritage and free range often cook faster.
- Cook until deepest part of thigh registers 165º degrees and juices run clear.
- If the breast is turning too brown, cover with foil, check oven temp.
- Baste with butter every 30 minutes.
- The instant-read thermometer is your friend. When in doubt, check the temp.
- If your bird has a pop-up thermometer, please ignore. You will be much better served by testing the bird in a few of the deepest spots.
BRINING YOUR BIRD
A very good option for Free range or heritage birds. It’s a must if you plan to grill your bird.
- Mix brine according to instructions. Make sure your vessel is large enough to completely submerge your bird.
- 12 – 24 hours in the brine.
- Night before – Remove bird from brine, wash, trim and leave overnight, under loose foil, in refrigerator.
- 1 hour before baking set on counter to bring up temp before baking.
FLIPPING THE BIRD
Yes. We said that! In this case, it’s actually literal. Our friend Lynne Kasper would say that flipping the bird is a thoughtful technique for minimizing dry white meat. Using your roasting pan and rack for an oven-roasted bird, start the baking process breast down. Keep it there for 45 mins to an hour, depending on the size of the bird. Allow the juice to flow down into the breast.
After the 45 mins, flip the bird so the breast side is up. Be careful, the bird will be hot! Finish cooking breast side up. Tent with foil, if the skin starts to get a little brown.
THE GOLDEN HOUR
When your bird has come to temp, remove it from the oven and set on or next to the stove top. If you need the drippings for gravy, transfer to a platter.
Congrats, you’ll have 25-45 minutes for the bird to rest! Not only does this give you some time to complete many of your T-day dinner tasks: warming, whipping, tasting, etc. it allows all the juices to settle back into the meat.
DEEP FRYING
Prep your space: To deep fry a bird, you need to do it outside in a large open area. The burner needs to be on a flat surface, with children and pets kept at a safe distance away.
*if there is a chance of snow, rain, sleet, or any other inclement weather, think of an alternative plan.
Prep your equipment:
- Heavy-duty gloves and an apron
- Large aluminum pot
- Propane burner with hose to connect to a propane gas tank with a gauge for regulating the flame
- Deep-fry thermometer that attaches to the side of the pot to control the oil temperature
- full propane tank
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Fire extinguisher, in case of emergency
Prepping the Meat
- Remove anything extra from your bird - a fried bird should not be stuffed in any way.
- Fully thaw your bird
- Dry brine your bird (avoid using a wet brine or marinade with excess moisture)
- Day of: pat your bird dry and wipe off any excess. Don’t forget the cavey!
Prepping the Oil:
- You can use any oil with a high smoke point.
- Canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or peanut oil all work
- For a 12-14 lb bird you’ll need 4-5 gallons of oil
Deep Frying the Bird
Step 1: Measure the oil level
Place the bird in an empty, deep fryer pot and fill with water until the water is about 2” above the bird. Remove the bird and, using a waterproof marker, make a line on the outside of the pot. This is how much oil you will need.
Dump out the water, wash, and thoroughly dry the pot.
Step 2: Set up the Fryer and Heat the Oil
Set up the frier according to its instructions in a large, open area. Place the pot on the burner with a deep-fry thermometer clipped to the side of the pot. Add your oil to the marked fill line and turn the burner on to medium-high heat to heat the oil to 375°F. It’ll take about 30 minutes to reach this temperature.
Step 3: Place the bird
Arrange the bird on the poultry rack with the breast side facing down.
Once the oil has reached temperature, turn the burner off. With the hook attached to the poultry rack, slowly lower the turkey into the oil.
Tip: Slowly lower the bird a few inches at a time to avoid the oil bubbling and overflowing.
Once the bird is submerged in the oil, turn the burner back on and maintain the oil temperature at 350°F
Step 4: Fry bird fry!
Leave the bird in the oil until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 165°F. It’s typically 3.5 minutes per pound. To check the temperature, turn off the burner, use the hook to lift the bird out of the oil. Once the bird is out of the oil use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp of the bird.
Once the bird reaches 165°F, remove the bird from the oil and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. Avoid covering the bird for crispy skin!
Step 5: Enjoy!
Step 6: Clean up
Wait for the oil to completely cool - overnight is best. Dispose of oil and clean up the deep-fry setup. Store it for the next deep-fry extravaganza!
