Bastin’ the Night Away: How to Cook the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

The main attraction of all traditional Thanksgiving Day meals is definitely the turkey, but the daunting task of cooking it leaves many people wondering whether they should pick up a pre-cooked bird to take home to expectant family members and friends.
It may be surprising, but turkey is quite easy to make. In particular, oven bag roasting is a simple way to make a juicy and flavorful turkey with minimum preparation. The first thing to know is that depending on the size of the turkey, there will be different cooking times.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, at a minimum of 325 F, an 8- to 12-pound turkey will take about three hours, and an 18- to 20-pound turkey will take about 4.5 hours to cook. Some frozen turkeys from supermarkets will come with a very simple meat thermometer (looks almost like a syringe) that will rise from the meat when it is fully cooked.

After defrosting the turkey, rinse it off with cold water to make sure it is clean, and be sure to take everything out of the cavity of the turkey. This is a good time to preheat the oven to about 350 F. Pat dry the turkey, then melt 1/4-1/2 of a stick of butter and coat the turkey in order to give its skin a smooth, crispy texture when fully cooked.
After coating the bird with a little butter, add just a few shakes of salt and pepper all around. Remember: unless you’re going for a unique blend of flavors, turkey does not require much seasoning because it will overwhelm the natural taste.

Next, get about a tablespoon of flour, pour it into the oven bag, and shake it around so that the bag is somewhat coated. The flour serves as a thickener when the juices from the turkey start to collect at the bottom of the bag, making a simple gravy.
From here, slide the turkey into the turkey bag, and place it in the cooking pan. Make sure that both the pan and the bag are large enough for the turkey, and then add any other vegetables that you see fit.

Chopped onion or pepper goes nicely to tie in extra flavor, but halving a few new potatoes is a good way to do two jobs in one. If you are interested in stuffing your turkey, be sure to add at least 30 minutes to the cooking time.

After adding everything, close the end of the oven bag with a twist tie, cut two small slits into the bag for ventilation, and place the oven pan with the turkey into the oven.
Most importantly, do not forget to disinfect the cooking area because salmonella poison can be contracted from raw poultry.

Check on your turkey periodically, for cooking times may vary depending on the oven. Within a few hours you will be able to impress your guests with a moist and delicious feast.