How to cook the Best Turkey! Brine your Turkey!
Brining and cooking a turkey
Brining turkey and putting in fridge
6-22 lb. (defrosted turkey)
Ingredients
¼ cup Montreal steak spice
1/8 cup garlic powder
1/8 cup paprika
¼ cup salt
warm water ( enough to cover turkey)
Place defrosted turkey in the container you are going to put turkey in fridge.
Pour warm water over turkey until turkey is covered. Remove turkey and add salt and spices into the water and mix well. Place turkey in back into water. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge overnight minimum of 8 hours.
Drain turkey and rinse of spices.
Dry well with paper towels.
Brining turkey and storing out of fridge
6-22 lb. (defrosted turkey)
Ingredients
¼ cup Montreal steak spice
1/8 cup garlic powder
1/8 cup paprika
¼ cup salt
warm water ( enough to cover turkey)
10 lbs ice.
Place defrosted turkey in the container you are going to put turkey in ( 5 gallon pail or cooler).Pour warm water over turkey until turkey is covered. Remove turkey, add salt and spices into the water and mix well. Place turkey in back into water. Pour 5 lbs. ice over the turkey and seasoned water overnight minimum of 8 hours. Using a digital thermometer place the probe into the water. Temperature must be 40-50 F. Check temperature after 4 hours and add more ice if not cold enough.
Ice before going to sleep. (another 5 lbs. remove enough water so you can add ice)
Drain turkey and rinse of spices.
Dry well with paper towels.
Cooking the turkey
Butterball.com is an excellent sight to get information on cooking.
It also has a calculator to figure out how much turkey to buy etc.
I figure 6-8 oz. raw turkey per person.
Cooking times for turkey
oven set to 325 F.
Cooking time per lb.
Regular oven
Not stuffed
18-21 minutes per lb.
Stuffed
21-24 minutes per lb.
Convection oven
oven set to 325 F
Not stuffed
9-11 minutes per lb.
Stuffed
12-15 minutes per lb.
Cooking the turkey
If stuffing turkey fill cavity with stuffing
Pre-heat oven to 325 F
Place turkey breast side up in roasting pan.
Place digital thermometer probe in turkey thigh.
Place turkey in oven set to 325 F.
Cook for 1 hour then place tin foil loosely over the breast.
Continue to cook until digital thermometer reads 180 F.
remove from oven.
Cover turkey with tin foil to keep warm. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Serve.
