Knowing how to cook a turkey well is a culinary skill everyone should have. Otherwise, what will you do for Thanksgiving?

There are few things better than a succulent turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day, but it’s all too easy to mess up this delicious meal. If you don’t cook it right, the turkey will be dry, stringy and unappetizing – not to mention that when you fail at roasting turkey, you ruin everyone else’s dinner. But there are some ways that you can cook the perfect turkey every single time by using these helpful tips and tricks.

How to cook turkey

The best way to cook a turkey starts with thawing it. 

How long does turkey take to thaw?

It takes about 24 hours to thaw a turkey in the refrigerator. If you’re running short on time, thaw it in cold water for 30 minutes per pound. This process is not recommended for turkeys larger than 16 pounds because they take too long to thaw and run the risk of spoiling.

From experience, thawing a large turkey in cold water will take about two days for every five pounds. If you use a microwave, however, it will take about one hour of defrosting time per pound. Once it has thawed, it’s time to prepare it for cooking.

Turkey preparation

Before cooking your turkey, it's important to prepare it. There are a few things to keep in mind for turkey preparation before cooking. Make sure you have a clean and dry workspace available for preparing your turkey. Remove the neck and giblets from inside of the cavity and set them aside for later use (you can make gravy or soup with them).

Rinse any remaining blood off of the bird, pat it dry, and remove any excess fat deposits from around its cavity. Next, season all surfaces of the turkey with salt and pepper liberally. Place some fresh herbs inside of its cavity to flavour it further if desired, and cook it.

How long does it take to cook a turkey?

A general rule of thumb when answering how long to cook a turkey is to cook it for 15 minutes per pound, but there are some other factors that you should take into account. For one, different cuts of turkey need different cooking times. Dark meat needs to be cooked longer than white meat.

Plus, the size and shape of your turkey will make a difference in how long it takes to cook. A whole bird will take longer to cook than a cut-up or boneless turkey. Using a meat thermometer will also help you to not overcook and dry your turkey. If you don't have an accurate meat thermometer, you'll want to make sure that it reaches 165–180 degrees Fahrenheit before pulling it out of the oven so that it doesn't dry out or become overdone. 

How long to cook a turkey in the oven

Everyone buys a turkey and wonders how long to cook a turkey in the oven, so it’s not just you. The rule of thumb is to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165–180 degrees Fahrenheit when measured with a meat thermometer. For example, a 4.5kg turkey will take about 2 hours to cook. Here is a general guide.

Approximate turkey roasting times:

• 10 pound turkey | 5kg: 2 hrs 15 min
• 12 pound turkey | 6 kg: 2 hrs 35-45 minutes
• 14 pound turkey | 7 kg: 3 hrs
• 16 pound turkey | 8 kg: 3 hrs 15-20 min
• 18 pound turkey  | 9 kg: 3 hrs 45-55 min
• 20 pound turkey | 10 kg: 4 hrs 15-20 min

A heavy roasting dish is important for this size of turkey as it will make sure that the weight of the bird is spread evenly and not too hot on any one side. It's also a good idea to line your oven with foil to protect it from being stained by drippings. 

How to cook a turkey roast

The best way to cook a moist turkey is by roasting it in the oven. Roasting your turkey in the oven will not only make your meal more flavourful, but it will also keep it from drying out. Here are some tips for cooking a moist turkey in the oven. 

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit before placing your bird inside. It's important that you give yourself enough time to cook the turkey thoroughly and evenly, so you don't want to start preheating when you're just about ready to place your bird in there.
2. Place your turkey on a rack in a roasting pan with a little water underneath, if possible. This will help keep it from sticking or getting too crispy on top while cooking inside of the oven. 

Cook your turkey for 20 minutes per pound at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 

After this first 20 minute cooking period, turn off the heat and let it sit in the warm oven until finished. Remember, every five minutes after being cooked at this high temperature will result in another 5% loss of moisture!

The best way to check whether your turkey is cooked is by using a meat thermometer to check that it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of your bird. There should also be no pink meat left and the juices should run clear when you open up the turkey to check.

When you remove the turkey from the oven, let it rest on a cutting board for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it or else juices will leak out and dry up, making your turkey dry and tough.

How to carve a turkey

Although there are a few different ways people like to carve their turkeys, each one entails cutting through the bird in a series of parts. A step-by-step instruction for carving a turkey is provided below.

1. Cut the legs off. You should chop the turkey's legs off first. Cut into the connective tissue surrounding the leg and thigh joint while gently pulling the leg toward you. Just penetrate the tissue surrounding the leg joint rather than cutting into it, and the bird's leg and thigh will pop off. Repeat on the opposite side.
2. Detach the thigh from the leg. Lay the drumstick skin-side down on the cutting board. There should be a natural separation between the turkey joints where you can peel out the leg part from the thigh. Cut away the drumstick's thigh meat. Next, use your knife to cut the thigh bone away from the meat. This will make it possible for you to cut the tender thigh flesh into pieces.
3. Cut the breast in half. You can easily separate the turkey breast into two by slicing it along the keel bone, also known as the breast bone, which runs down the middle of the entire breast. Using your other hand to take away the breast meat, select one side of the breastbone and begin cutting along the keel bone. Slice the breast flesh piece into the desired thickness on the cutting board with the skin facing up.
4. Cut the wings off. The wings should be taken off last since they can help keep the turkey steady while you chop it. When you're ready to take the wings off, just pull them away from the body while using your knife to make a clean cut through the joint.

What to serve with turkey

Once you have your turkey roast cooking, you'll need to decide what to serve with it. There are so many delicious options, and deciding on a side dish can be difficult, so pick more than one dish, especially if you are preparing for Thanksgiving. Here are some of our favourites! 

• Cauliflower cheese

• Creamy smashed potato

• Cheesy potato bake

• Simple salad

• Grilled or roasted asparagus

• Parmesan couscous

• Basmati rice and vegetables

• Jasmine rice

• Pumpkin pasta

• Roasted pumpkin with ricotta and pesto

If you still need more inspiration on how to cook turkey and how to serve it, here are our top 5 recipes:

• Turkey crown with roast garlic and pancetta
• Brown sugar spice glazed turkey with candied carrots
• Turkey pot pie with stuffing crust
• Slow roast bacon wrapped turkey
• Turkey breast with cranberry stuffing