How to Make a Thanksgiving Turkey – Easy Recipe

How to make a Thanksgiving Turkey

To honor one of the most important American holidays, the following recipe is not about Buffalo Cooking, but a traditional Thanksgiving Turkey recipe. Thanksgiving is a day when families and friends gather together to show gratefulness for the many blessings that they have (hopefully) received for that year. A Thanksgiving dinner will never be complete without a juicy and flavorful turkey on the menu. Historically, the traditions of serving turkey during this special day are said to have started when Native Americans served turkey to the early Pilgrims settlers. However, this is not less disputable than the “correct date” of the holiday itself.

Nevertheless, the Turkey is traditionally cooked with stuffing and roasted with vegetables. Deep fried turkey has also been a favorite among a lot of families. However, due to the very busy schedule and the fast paced life of many homemakers, you might just want to relax after a long day by playing foxy bingo, the easiest ways to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving is what we are looking for here

So, if you are wondering how to make a Thanksgiving turkey, this is an easy but great recipe. Everyone will commend you for a simple yet delightful turkey cooked the way that grandma used to make.

Ingredients

Serves 10-15 persons.

1 whole turkey (approximately 18 pounds)

½ cup butter softened

3 tablespoons of cola

4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 large sized onions, cut in quarters

3 celery bruches, cut in sticks

3 medium sized carrots, sliced into rounds

salt and ground pepper to taste

Preparing the Turkey

With all the ingredients at hand, you are ready to make your Thanksgiving turkey.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. It would be best to cook your turkey at the lowest portion of your oven.

On a medium sized bowl, mix together the softened butter, cola, garlic, salt, and ground pepper.

It is best to defrost a frozen turkey to room temperature before preparation. Remove the neck and innards from the turkey. You may want to reserve these for making gravy or turkey stock which would also make flavorful soup. Rinse the turkey under tap water and pat dry. Place the turkey with the breast side up on a tray. Rub the butter mixture into the cavity and on the skin of the bird.

Place the onions, carrots, and celery inside the cavity. Use a string or metal skewers to close the cavity of the turkey. Tie a sting around the body of the turkey to keep the wings and legs in place.

On a rack, place the turkey with its breast down. This will help keep the breast part juicy and moist because it will avoiding over cooking the area. Place a pan at the bottom of the rack to catch the drippings.

Cook for hour at 350 degrees F, then, baste the turkey with the juices at the bottom of the pan or with a cup of turkey stock. To keep your turkey meat moist, baste every 30 to 45 minutes with the drippings accumulated on the pan. If the drippings evaporate, add a cup of turkey stock at a time. Cook for another hour. Decrease the heat to 250 degrees F and continue to cook for two more hours.

The cooking time would approximately last for four hours or until the internal temperature of the most meaty part of the thigh area reaches 180 degrees F. If you want to brown the breast, you can turn the turkey and roast for five minutes more.

Transfer your turkey to the serving platter with its breast side up and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Additional Tips and Side dishes for Your Thanksgiving Turkey

You can use the drippings to make a nice gravy and of course you should prepare some delicious side dishes to complement the turkey. Potato pie, broccoli or cauliflower salad, buttered corn and carrots, or a classic green bean casserole would be some of your side dish options. However, do not forget some Buffalo Hot wings and dips – I personally love to combine meat with more meat