It’s time for Thanksgiving again and one of my favorite things to eat: turkey. I don’t know which is better: the Thanksgiving feast or the leftover turkey sandwiches with a glass of milk.
So many happy memories of Thanksgiving with my Dad’s side of the family growing up and then, for years, we would travel home to my parents to share Thanksgiving with them. I will miss them this year and think about them as we enjoy the traditional roasted turkey.
Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Frozen or Fresh Turkey (2 pounds per person will give you plenty to eat and leftovers)
1 Large Onion
5 Cloves Garlic
Salt, Pepper, & Garlic Powder to Taste
If frozen, thaw turkey in the refrigerator. Allow 1 day for every 4-5 pounds. That means it would take 3 days to thaw a 15 pound turkey.
Remove the neck and giblets. Rinse the cavity well. Place in large roasting pan. If stuffing the turkey, lightly spoon stuffing into the bird’s cavity. Pack stuffing loosely. If not, place a large onion and 5 cloves of garlic inside the cavity to add flavor to the bird. Sprinkle skin with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover bird with foil
Preheat oven to 325° and roast turkey 15-20 minutes per pound. A 15 pound bird would 4-5 hours to cook. To see if turkey is done, place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the bird. Temperature should be above 165°. Many turkeys have a temperature gauge that pops up when the turkey is done.
Remove turkey from oven and let sit for 1 hour, covered loosely with foil.
To carve the turkey, follow these steps.
1. Remove the legs. Slice through the skin between the body and leg. Pull leg outward so you can cut through the hip joint.
2. Remove the breast from the turkey.
3. Place breast on cutting board and slice breast.
4. Separate the leg from the thigh. Serve drumsticks whole
5. Slice the thighs.
6. Remove wings from backbone and serve wings whole.
Uses for leftover turkey: Late night turkey sandwiches, turkey tacos, turkey casseroles, turkey soup, and turkey salad.
Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours!
Meredith Curtis
