How to Prepare a Turkey
If you want your Thanksgiving turkey to steal the show, then you've got to make sure you've prepared it for the big unveiling! How do you do that? You start by getting it ready before it even goes into the oven! Yep, there's nothing more embarrassing (albeit funny!) than carving the turkey in front of your guests, only to have the neck and giblets come tumbling right out, 'cause you forgot to take 'em out beforehand!
The good news is, turkey preparation isn't hard at all. In fact, we're here to make sure you've got the step-by-step instructions you need on how to prepare a turkey, so you can feel confident about serving your beautiful bird. We just hope you won't be upset if your guests ask you to make the Thanksgiving turkey next year, too!
Check out our video and tips on how to prepare a turkey. Once you learn how easy it is, in no time at all, you'll be sayin', "OOH, IT'S SO GOOD!!®"
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How to Prepare a Turkey
1. Take off the plastic and place the turkey on a tray.* You don't want to open your turkey on the counter or you'll get turkey juice everywhere! 2. Untuck the ends of the drumsticks. Open the flap and reach into the cavity to remove the turkey neck. On the other end of the turkey, reach into the cavity to remove the package containing the liver and giblets. 3. Trim the flap and rear end with a pair of kitchen shears. Save these pieces, along with the neck and giblets, to make your gravy! 4. Rinse, drain, and pat your turkey dry. Once you've rinsed and drained away all the extra drippings, place your turkey on a new tray and pat it dry. This'll make your spices stick to your turkey better! 5. Tuck in the tips of the wings and tie the drumsticks together. Tuck your wings under the back of the thigh to prevent them from burning. This will also keep your turkey from rocking on the tray! Then, use kitchen twine to tie your criss-crossed drumsticks.** Be sure to trim off the extra twine. 6. Your turkey is ready to be brined and seasoned! Be sure to check out some of our favorite turkey recipes here!
*Before you start your turkey preparation, make sure your turkey has been thawed! To find out how to thaw a turkey, just click here! *We don't recommend stuffing your bird before putting it into the oven. By the time your stuffing gets to a safe temperature for eating, your turkey breast may dry out. However, it's up to you!** |
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