Cooking Thanksgiving dinner can be scary, especially if it's your first time. You have to decide on side dishes and desserts, make a shopping list, and come up with a cooking schedule. Then comes actually cooking all of the food. The most intimidating part of any Thanksgiving feast, though, is undoubtedly the turkey.
Before you call it quits, know that roasting a turkey isn't difficult. You just have to know what you're doing! If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year and are in charge of the bird, set yourself up for success by making a game plan. There's no better place to start than by learning the top turkey mistakes! Avoid these and you'll be well on your way to your best bird yet.
Buying the Wrong Size Turkey
You never want to run out of turkey. To be safe, plan on 1 1/4 pounds of turkey per guest. If you've already bought your bird yet your guest list keeps growing, don't worry! Just go buy a bone-in turkey breast and roast it alongside your big bird. There will be plenty for everyone, and if you have extra, that's a good thing! There are tons of delicious ways to use up leftover turkey.
Not Giving the Turkey Enough Time to Defrost
It takes far longer than you might think to thaw a turkey. We recommend thawing the bird in the refrigerator and following this formula: 24 hours for every four to five pounds of turkey. That means, if you're thawing a 20-pound turkey, you'll need to start thawing it at least four days ahead of time. If you plan to brine your bird, you'll need to plan even further ahead.
Washing the Turkey
Your grandmother may have rinsed her turkey before roasting it, but that doesn't mean you should. The USDA advises against washing turkeys because it can spread harmful bacteria across your kitchen. Plus, the high heat from cooking kills the bacteria anyway. The only cleaning you should do is removing the giblets!
Not Patting the Turkey Dry
The secret to crisp, golden turkey skin is patting it completely dry before brushing it with oil or butter, adding seasoning, and popping it in the oven. If you don't dry the bird, you'll be left with sad, soggy turkey skin.
Skipping the Seasoning
If you don't want a bland bird, you have to season it. There are lots of ways to season a turkey. You can follow in Ree Drummond's steps by brining your bird. You can also rub the bird in a delicious turkey seasoning, inject it with marinade, or smother it in compound butter.
Avoiding a Meat Thermometer
There's nothing worse than overcooked or undercooked turkey. A perfectly cooked bird should measure 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone). Invest in a meat thermometer to ensure your bird comes out just right. Meat thermometers aren't expensive, plus they're handy to have for all types of meats. Whatever you do, don't trust those pop-up thermometers that come with the turkeys. They're known for being faulty!
