The Big Turkey Day is almost here. There is so much preparation and anticipation. Unfortunately, it can go wrong very quickly. Here are some tips on fixing some mistakes that you might make when roasting that turkey. I posted these last year, but it's worth a repeat this year too.  

According to Buzzfeed, below are some of the more common mistakes.

1. Biggest mistake... you didn't start thawing your turkey earlier. Those big birds take a long time to thaw out.  Ideally, you should put it into the refrigerator (like the directions say on the bird) it should thaw about 4 pounds every day. So yes that 20 pound turkey is going to take a good 5 days in the fridge.

There are ways to defrost it faster. So if you calculated wrong you can thaw it in cold water. It should take about 30 minutes per pound.  Still not fast enough? More help and full instructions are here including emergency thawing!

2.  Not letting the turkey get to room temperature before cooking.

Don’t roast a cold turkey. Take your bird out of the refrigerator (and out of the brine, if you’re brining) an hour before you put it in the oven to ensure even cooking and a moist bird.

3. You didn't use a roasting rack.

Without a rack, the meat on the bottom of your bird will end up overcooked and dry, the skin will burn, and your kitchen will fill with smoke.

4. You're roasting the turkey at one temperature.

Roast your turkey at 475°F for the first 30 minutes, and you’ll crisp the skin by rendering (getting rid of fat by heat and melting it)the fat out quickly. After 30 minutes, turn down your oven temperature to 350°F for the remainder of the cooking time.

5.  You're basting the turkey while it's cooking. This is so hard not to do. Keep that oven door closed. Every time you open it you lose heat and it will only take longer for the turkey to cook. Also:

The pan drippings that you baste with aren’t 100% fat; they are a mixture of fat and liquid, and that liquid will actually make your turkey skin soggy and dry your meat out.

 

6.  You're carving the turkey as soon as it's out of the oven. Let that bird rest. Let it sit out of the oven for at least 15 minutes. That gives the meat time to absorb the juices instead of it all spilling out.

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You can get more Turkey Tips at Buzzfeed.

 

 

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