I promise you, cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving is easier than you might think. Let me walk you through it. These step by step instructions for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey will be extra detailed to put any first timers at ease. Here we go.
The first step is obvious. Buy a turkey. Buy about 1 pound per person. You can order a fresh turkey, or you can buy one at a grocery store. There is a good chance that the grocery store turkeys might be frozen, so get your turkey at least 3-5 days early so it has time to thaw out in your fridge. Research says that the turkey could need up to 1 day for every 4 pounds of weight to thaw out in your fridge.
While you are buying your turkey, pick up butter, thyme, rosemary, sage, a lemon, garlic, an onion, and chicken stock too.
Preparing your turkey the night before Thanksgiving can make your holiday morning less hectic. With some advance planning you can get your bird fully prepped and ready to cook ahead of time. Here is a complete guide to preparing your turkey the night before for a stress-free Thanksgiving meal.
Why Prepare Your Turkey the Night Before?
There are several great reasons to prepare your turkey in advance:
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It allows more time for the flavors to soak into the meat Salting, seasoning, or brining your turkey the night before gives the flavors time to fully penetrate the meat This results in a more deeply flavored turkey.
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It reduces Thanksgiving morning work. You can do any messy, time-consuming prep work like removing giblets, trussing, seasoning, etc. the night before. This leaves you with just the roasting to focus on in the morning.
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It allows the turkey to fully thaw. If you purchased a frozen turkey, preparing it the night before gives it plenty of time to thaw overnight in the fridge.
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It frees up oven space on Thanksgiving. If you prep the turkey ahead, you can make stuffing, casseroles and more side dishes in the oven while the turkey roasts Thanksgiving morning.
Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing Your Turkey the Night Before
Follow these steps for a fully prepped turkey that’s ready to pop in the oven Thanksgiving morning:
1. Remove Giblets and Neck
- Reach inside the turkey’s cavity and remove the bag of giblets (heart, liver, gizzard) and the neck. These are often packaged inside the cavity. Reserve for making gravy or stock if desired.
2. Rinse Turkey
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Place turkey in a large container and rinse inside and out with cool water. This removes any excess blood or feathers.
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Pat turkey dry completely with paper towels.
3. Apply Dry Brine (Optional)
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For a moist, well seasoned turkey, apply a simple dry brine. Combine:
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1/2 cup kosher salt
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2 tablespoons brown sugar
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1 teaspoon each: pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried sage
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Rub the mixture all over the turkey, including under the skin. Place turkey back in container and refrigerate 12-24 hours.
4. Prepare Aromatics for Cavity
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Place 2 onions, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 6 sprigs fresh thyme in food processor. Pulse to make a coarse paste.
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Spoon some of the paste into the turkey cavity. Reserve the rest to use for gravy.
5. Truss Turkey
- To hold its shape while cooking, tie the turkey legs together with twine. Tuck the wing tips under body.
6. Prepare any Seasoning or Rub
- Apply any additional seasoning like a simple salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Or make a wet rub by combining olive oil, minced garlic, and chopped herbs.
7. Refrigerate Turkey
- Place turkey on a tray or in a roasting pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate overnight.
8. Remove from Fridge 1 Hour Before Roasting
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Before putting the turkey in the oven, leave it uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour. This helps it cook evenly.
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
9. Roast Turkey
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Roast turkey at 350°F until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F and the thigh 175°F on a meat thermometer. Plan for approximately 15 minutes per pound.
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Let turkey rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
Turkey Preparation Tips
Here are some additional tips for prepping your turkey the night before:
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For food safety, limit prep to 24 hours before cooking. Keep turkey refrigerated at 40°F or below.
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Avoid stuffing the turkey, as this can lead to bacteria growth. Cook stuffing separately.
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Use a shallow roasting pan and cooking rack. This allows air flow for even cooking.
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Tent turkey with foil during roasting to prevent over-browning.
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Make turkey stock with the neck and giblets while the turkey roasts.
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Let turkey rest at least 30 minutes before carving so juices redistribute.
With some advance preparation, you can relax on Thanksgiving morning while your perfectly seasoned, moist turkey cooks to perfection. Follow this guide for a flavorful, juicy bird everyone will rave about.
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How to Roast a Turkey
Place the turkey in the oven to roast. I like to start the turkey at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, and then I reduce it to 350 degrees. When you reduce the temperature, check on the turkey. You may want to tent the turkey with aluminum foil at some point so that the skin doesn’t go from browned to burnt. I just check every 30 minutes or so to see how things are going and once the turkey is nice and brown I place aluminum foil over the turkey very loosely.
Now you have some free time while you wait for the turkey to cook. That’s right, I don’t baste the turkey. I just let it cook. But I do check to make sure that the pan drippings don’t dry up or burn, pour chicken broth into the bottom of the pan as necessary to prevent the pan drippings from burning.
What to do the Night Before
The night before Thanksgiving, completely unwrap the turkey. Then remove the neck and the giblets. These will be in the cavity of the turkey. The giblets will likely be in a small bag and the turkey neck is big and you will find it easily. I recommend doing this the night before so that you can make sure that the cavity of the turkey is thawed out.
If it is still a little icy, it should thaw overnight now that you unwrapped the turkey and took the neck and giblets out. Rinse the inside and outside of the turkey in cool water. Pat it dry with paper towels and sprinkle the inside and outside with a bit of salt. Put the turkey in a pan, and return it to the fridge unwrapped. Letting the turkey dry out in the fridge overnight will make the skin crispier.
Cook Ahead Turkey – How to cook, prep, store and reheat your whole turkey one day before
FAQ
Can I stuff my turkey the night before and refrigerate until morning?
How to prepare turkey day ahead?
Can I clean my turkey the night before Thanksgiving?
Can you leave turkey out overnight before cooking?