Don't panic, the turkey experts are here to help.
Not to toot our own wattles, but we know a thing or two about preparing a turkey. Here's how we (4th Generation turkey farmers) like to prepare our thanksgiving bird.
First up - Decide. Will you brine or Rub that bad boy?
To brine: Place your THOROUGHLY defrosted turkey into your brine 18 hours before you plan to roast. Refrigerate until Thanksgiving morning. Rinse thoroughly & pat dry inside and out before placing in refrigerator for a few hours until you’re ready to roast.
For many, this will mean starting your brining stopwatch (ok, maybe it’s not quite that dramatic) around dinnertime the night before Thanksgiving.
Looking for an easy brine recipe? Try ours.
To rub: We highly recommend our family rub recipe. If you’re on board, make this paste and rub the bird before roasting.
- 4 Tbsp oil, (melted butter, olive oil, etc.)
- 4 tsp salt, or to taste
- 2 tsp paprika
Get in there - all the nooks and crannies. Don't be shy. And don't forget to take out the neck and giblets while you're at it.
Next up- preheat your oven.
To to 325, pretty please.
Then, we stuff.
Look, we get that shoving your hand into a turkey's (ahem) body maybe isn't something we all do every day. But stuffing is at stake STUFFING. You can do this...and we're here to help.
- Plan to stuff when you're ready to roast (not ahead of time)
- Release the truss that's holding the legs together
- Loosely stuff both cavities (the neck and the main body) - don't overpack
- Secure the bird by replacing the truss
Roast away!
Reference our handy dandy roasting times table:
Once your turkey is almost at 165 degrees, remove from the oven and let it rest for thirty (YES, 30!) minutes before carving.
And lastly, carving
Do this in the kitchen, on a sturdy countertop instead of trying to make it happen at the table. Trust us.
- Start by removing each leg at the joint
- Then cut each breast as close as possible to the bone
- Remove wings
- Slice breasts at an angle
- Arrange on platter with thighs, legs, and wings
- Reserve bird carcass for stock later in the day
Lean on us - we're here to help.
Did you know we have a “turkey hotline” leading up to & on the big day, answered by yours truly? Keep it in mind in case you need a little help. Call us (up until noonish PST on turkey day!) at 209-532-4950.
