Host the Ultimate Thanksgiving Celebration

Whether you choose a smaller cut, like a turkey breast or turkey legs, or opt to prepare a whole turkey, follow these tips and tricks for prepping, cooking, carving and storing your Thanksgiving feast.

Thawing: If your turkey is frozen, we recommend planning ahead and thawing turkey in the refrigerator. Allow 24 hours for every four to five pounds of turkey. If you’re pressed for time, turkey can also be thawed in cold water. Keep the turkey in its original wrapping and submerge in a sink or container with cold water. Be sure to replace the water with fresh, cold water every 30 minutes. Using this method, it takes about 30 minutes per pound to thaw. Once the turkey has thawed, plan to cook it immediately.

Prepping: Once thawed, remove the packaging, drain the juices and pat dry with clean paper towels. Brine or season the turkey to your liking. If stuffing the turkey is your preference, stuffing should be prepared and stuffed into the turkey immediately before it's placed in the oven for cooking. If you have prepared the stuffing ahead of time, wet and dry ingredients should be refrigerated separately and combined right before stuffing the turkey. Stuff the turkey loosely, about 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey.

Cooking: Roast the turkey in a 325°F oven. Lightly brush or spray the turkey with vegetable or cooking oil for best appearance. As a rule of thumb, it takes approximately 15-20 minutes per pound at 325°F to cook an unstuffed turkey. Extra cook time is needed if you plan to cook the stuffing in the turkey. Click here for more information about cook times. When the turkey is about 2/3 done, loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent over cooking. Your turkey is done when a meat thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in at least three places: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the thigh. Once the temperature has been reached, the turkey should be removed from the oven.

Carving: Once removed from the oven, allow the cooked turkey to sit for around 20 minutes before carving. Begin carving by separating the drumsticks from the rest of the turkey. Then, cut between the legs and breast and slice sideways. Finally, carve the turkey breast and serve!

Storage: Cooked turkey should be carved, enjoyed and stored within two hours of cooking. Remove the stuffing and carve the extra turkey meat from the bones before storing in the refrigerator or freezer. Leftovers should be stored in shallow containers and refrigerated or frozen within two hours of cooking. Leftover turkey stored in the refrigerator should be consumed within 3-4 days, and turkey stored in the freezer should be consumed within 3-4 months.