1. The secret to roasting the perfect Thanksgiving turkey is planning. Start by planning the number of guests you can accommodate. As you extend your invitations, be sure to keep a running tab of who has accepted and how many are going to attend your Thanksgiving lunch or Dinner. Then, purchase 1 lb. of turkey per person attending. This allows enough turkey to enjoy, plus a bit for leftovers. We purchased a halal turkey from
Midamar.
2. If you are not buying a fresh turkey, you have to keep the turkey in the refrigerator to thaw before the big feast.
3. Be sure to plan ahead. Thawing a frozen turkey requires patience. The safest method is to thaw turkey in the refrigerator. It can take upto 3-4 days for a turkey to fully defrost depending on size. For thaw methods, time and other turkey preparation guidelines, refer to
USDA’s Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey.
4. If you are hosting a lunch, you have to make yourself get up early enough to get the bird in the oven for a feast around 1 PM.
5. Serve the turkey on a big, pretty platter with orange, lemon slices and fresh herbs if you want to be fancy. Then, designate one of your friends to pose with the turkey.
6. Overcooked turkey = dry meat. The turkey is safely done when the thigh meat reaches 165 degrees F and the breast meat reaches 160 degrees F. The turkey’s temperature will continue to rise a few more degrees during the resting period.