Ok, y’all . Ain’t no need to stress here with the whole preparing the Thanksgiving Dinner thing. Save that for the in-laws to do.
Y’all grab that bottle of bourbon ya got hidden in the cabinet above the Fridge that no one can reach and let yall.com guide you through some of the basics of Thanksgiving Turkey Talk.
How Big Of A Bird Am I Going To Need?
Simple, about 1lb per adult per the Agricultural Department. Figure 2 little ones (not teenagers) equals one adult. If you like lots of left overs, go a pound and a half per adult. According to most chefs, a 22lb. turkey will yield about 12 pounds of meat, or 22 servings.
Should I Buy My Turkey Now?
If it’s frozen, yes. If going with a fresh farm turkey you can refrigerate it for a max of 2 days. By theory, frozen turkeys have a shelf life of about a year.
How Long Does It Take To Thaw My Bird?
If you are thawing it in the fridge, DO NOT unwrap and figure 24 hours for every 5 lbs. So, a 10 lb. Turkey takes 2 days. 22 lb. Turkey 4- 4.5 days.
If you are going to thaw it in cold water, keep it in it’s wrapping, wrap a garbage bag around it and squeeze all the air out. tie it off and drop it in a bucket or sink so that it is totally submerged. Figure 30 minutes per pound, so a 10 lb turkey only takes 5 hours. As long as you refresh the water every 30 minute to an hour.
Yes you could thaw it in a microwave. Make sure you take all the metal clips off . Expect a mess. And follow your microwaves thawing instructions. This should really only be done in case of emergency.
So, here is Refrigerator v. Cold Water Thaw Formula based upon above
| 10 to 18 pounds | 2 to 3-1/2 days | 5 to 9 hours |
| 18 to 22 pounds | 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 days | 9 to 11 hours |
| 22 to 24 pounds | 4-1/2 to 5 days | 11 to 12 hours |
| 24 to 29 pounds | 5 to 6 days | 12 to 15 hours |
Should I Brine?
This is a personal preference. Most now days brine. Momma never brined , I prefer not brining or at very least dry brining. But, most of my friends wet brine. Follow the links below and remember if you are gonna brine then add about 6-12 hours to the above formulas:
What about Cooking Method?
Gotcha covered:
As what to do with the neck and all those other nifty pieces in the center. Recipes are coming just keep following y’all.
