Does cooking the holiday turkey sound scary? These Top 10 Turkey Tips are everything you need to know for the perfect turkey from start to finish.
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Top 10 Turkey Tips
{This post was sponsored by The Glass Barn. Referral links are used in this post.}
Dinners can be stressful… especially when all your family is visiting and you just spent a lot of money on a big turkey. It’s the main event of dinner, and you don’t want to mess it up. Sound familiar? Yep, me too.
But don’t worry! Cooking the holiday turkey (or a turkey any time) doesn’t have to be that hard. Just follow these 10 tips for the perfect turkey every time!
1. Choose the right turkey
If you don’t start with the right turkey, you won’t end up with a tasty dinner. Check out these tips to make sure you’re picking the right one.
2. Store your turkey until the big day
It can be tough to find enough space to stash your turkey. Don’t cheat! It’s important to store your turkey correctly to keep it fresh.
3. Don’t forget to thaw your turkey!
This is the question I hear the most this time of year. There isn’t much you can do to thaw a turkey faster. Not sure when to take your turkey out of the freezer? I’ve got guidelines for you here.
4. Take the giblets out
The first time I cooked a turkey, I forgot this step. It didn’t end up as badly as it could have… but let’s just say I was plenty embarrassed.
5. Brine your turkey overnight
If you want a tender, juicy turkey, there are two tricks. The first is to brine the turkey. It’s easier than you think! I show you how in this post.
6. Use a meat thermometer for perfect cooking
This is the second trick to a tender, juicy turkey. The fastest way to dry out a turkey is to overcook it. Use a meat thermometer to be sure your turkey gets just done enough… but not too done.
7. Cook your turkey perfectly, every time
I roasted a turkey this way the first time I went to Thanksgiving with my husband’s family. It comes out beautiful, juicy, tasty, and perfect! These 3 steps are all you need.
8. Branch out and try frying a turkey
Not crazy about roasting a turkey, or is your oven just busy with side dishes? Frying a turkey isn’t all that hard, either. This post has all the tips your need to get a perfectly fried turkey.
9. Carve your turkey like a pro!
Make it look simple and impress your family! John and I walk you through carving a turkey step by step in this video.
10. Use (or freeze) leftovers within 3 days
Yep, food poisoning sucks. Especially around the holidays. Make sure to use up any leftovers within 3 days. That means by the Monday after Thanksgiving, everything should be eaten, frozen, or thrown away. Not sure how to use up those leftovers? Check out this list of 17 Recipes for Turkey Leftovers for some ideas!
How Are Turkeys Raised?
All this talk about turkeys got me wondering about how turkeys are raised. I had a lot of questions, so I went to visit my friend Katie in Iowa. Katie and her family raise turkey. I spent a few days on their farm with them and got to see how well they take care of their turkeys. Want to know what I saw? Check out this post to see how turkeys are taken care of.
What are you waiting for? Jump right in and be the star of the holidays!
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Great tips!! Thanks so much…I know my family will appreciate the knowledge! 🙂
My pleasure, it was fun to put all these together!