Woman's Info Articles

No traditional Thanksgiving menu would complete without a golden roasted turkey as the centerpiece.

But cooking Thanksgiving turkey can seem a daunting task.

Here are my tips to help you through it.

Firstly, you'll need to know the size of the turkey you need. So, around 3 to 4 weeks ahead of time get an estimate of how many people will be coming so you can plan out your Thanksgiving dinner ideas. You'll need to order your turkey 2 to 3 weeks ahead. Check with your supermarket or butcher to make sure.

If you decide on a fresh bird, leave it until the Wednesday to pick up so it will be well chilled and really fresh.

If you've had to buy frozen, then make sure you can pick it up on the Monday so it has time to thaw out.

The only safe way to thaw out a turkey is in the fridge. Leaving it on a bench or in a tub of water is far too risky.

If you are going to soak your turkey in brine you will need to pick it up even earlier so it's thawed before it goes into the brine mix.

Once your turkey is thawed, it's ready to roast. Keep it chilled until needed.

Your turkey could take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours to cook depending on its size so get an early start.

Rinse the turkey inside and out in plenty of cold running water. Pat it dry with paper towels and put it straight onto your roasting rack. Of course, you will have measured your roasting pan and oven before you bought your turkey!

Your turkey is now ready for seasoning or stuffing.

There are many different Thanksgiving stuffing recipes to choose from, all add flavor and help to keep your turkey moist. However, stuffing your turkey means it will need longer to cook, so keep this in mind when deciding on your Thanksgiving recipes.

Keep the stuffing mixture loose and fluffy and don't spoon it into the cavity tightly. There needs to be room for the stuffing to expand and for heat to penetrate evenly.

Remember to weigh your turkey after it has been stuffed to calculate the correct cooking time.

Truss your turkey with kitchen string or twine to help it keep a nice shape and then put it into the bottom of your preheated oven.

Baste your turkey every 30 minute or so, or as directed by your recipe. You may have to cover the whole turkey in tin foil to keep it from becoming overly dry.

Towards the end of the cooking time, start checking the color of the juices that run out when you pierce the deepest part of the thigh. A meat thermometer is also a great way to keep check on how well cooked your turkey is.

As soon as it is done, transfer the turkey to a tray and wrap it in a foil tent. Let it rest in a warm place until ready for carving. 30 minutes or so will make the job easier.

While the turkey is resting you have plenty of time to make up some gravy from the pan drippings and finish off any Thanksgiving side dishes that need to be warmed or baked.

You'll find more detail on cooking Thanksgiving turkey and a whole host of Thanksgiving dinner ideas on my website.

Enjoy keeping your Thanksgiving traditions alive this year by cooking a tasty turkey!