Hat in hand… I need a turkey recipe

biggest mistake made is it takes several days to thaw that turkey out

we found its better if you put the turkey breast side down when cooking, the white meat doesnt dry out as much and all the meat has a better flavor with the juices from dark side leaching into the white meat

lastly, a little goes a very long way so stick with smaller birds

also im told, if you just like white or dark meat, you can buy just the turkey breast and wing section or the leg quarters and that can greatly make cooing it easier

My best advice is to keep it simple. There's no need to try fancy methods unless you just want to go all out. I suggest you just find a recipe online that is easy enough for you to follow. As a previous poster said, make sure you thaw it. And make sure you don't overcook it and that you give yourself enough time to cook it. Buy a meat thermometer.

Here's a simple easy way to spatchcock a turkey in the oven, I normally cook my turkey to 155-160 breast temp and let rest.


Youtube Video

If you buy one of the big-brand turkeys, pull that pop up timer out and throw it away, and use an accurate thermometer.
The guidelines for turkey used to be 180 (probably why a lot of people don't like turkey), and even though it's now 165, it's safe at 150. I pull from the smoker at 150 and tent with foil for a while, and they don't seem to carry over a whole lot for me. Less than 10 degrees, probably closer to 5.
It's also not just the temp you're cooking to, but how long the bird stays at that temp that matters in killing the bacteria that make people sick. When I tent that turkey at 150ish for 10-15 minutes, that's plenty long enough to make it safe.

Definitive Turkey Guide

Simplest first time

open the turkey with kitchen scissors or a knife on the plastic.

take the top shelf out of the oven. find the directions for cooking the turkey to preheat the oven-& preheat.

buy a turkey that has a butterball popper when it is ready --esp for your first time--

make sure your put your hand deep inside and get out the packets of giblets, heart, neck. rinse the turkey with cold water

try to pat the turkey dry in pan (buy a big throwaway aluminum pan) I butter down and add salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion salt butter the inside. double check there is nothing by sticking your hand all the way in both crevices.

Some people rub the entire turkey down next with Hellmanns mayo in and out. Some don't.

place foil on top of turkey-it is okay if sides are open but you can also foil on the side. Cook according to time or the popper pops. You should set a cook minder.

Buy 2 packages for cornbread stuffing- cheat and make it, add trinity, cut up celery after soft add to stuffing.

Spatchcock on the smoker at 250
Baste the inside with butter/seasonings.
Best turkey I've ever cooked or eaten

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biggest mistake made is it takes several days to thaw that turkey out

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Mine goes from freezer to fridge 3 days before its cooked.

Injected the day before, then fried early Thursday morning.

Pick one up from Popeyes...warm it and claim its your new secrent recipe.

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rinse the turkey with cold water

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Why?