::essential:guide::

A little guide that I found on the Kraft Canada website that'll help you all with your turkeyness this weekend. :)

Essential Guide to Roasting Turkey

1. Buying

Buy one pound per person. You may want to buy a fresh turkey, as opposed to frozen, to avoid days of thawing. 

2. Thawing

Thaw turkey in unopened wrapper, breast-side up, on a tray in the refrigerator. For every four pounds of turkey, allow one day of thawing. 

3. Preparing 

Remove neck and excess fat and giblets from chest cavity. Rinse cavities and outside of turkey with cold water. Blot with paper towels. 

Season cavity and area under the skin with salt, pepper and herbs. Try poultry seasoning, thyme, sage or marjoram. 

Stuff the bird with prepared Stove Top Stuffing Mix. Help turkey cook evenly by making it as compact as possible. Tuck legs into ring of skin that they were originally in when you unwrapped the bird. Fold first joint of wings underneath bird's back. 

4. Cooking

Place in foil roasting pan and roast at 325 degrees F about 20 minutes per pound or 0.5 kg. There's no need to baste - the natural juices will seal in tenderness. 

Check bird after indicated cooking time. The internal temperature should register at 170 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Thigh juices should run clear, not pink, when pierced with a fork, and leg joint should move freely when cooked. 

5. Resting

Remove turkey from oven. Place on cutting board resting in a large cafeteria-style tray with a lip or on a flat aluminum foil tray. 

Tent the cooked turkey with foil. Let stand for 30-45 minutes. This resting time allows the juices to saturate the meat evenly for the most tender turkey. 

6. Stuffing

If you don't stuff your turkey Stove Top Stuffing Mix is great prepared on the side and you can make as much as you need - you're not limited by the size of your turkey. 

Prepare Stove Top Stuffing Mix according to package directions. 

Add in a few handfuls add-ins once the water has boiled. Some add-ins to try: chopped dried fruit, Kraft Shredded Cheese, chopped toasted nuts, orange segments, chopped cranberries, grated apples, pears, carrots or zucchini, cooked sausage or cooked ground beef. 

7. Carving

Carve turkey in the kitchen, not at the dinner table.

A cutting board and tray will allow you to carve without juices leaking all over. 

Step 1

Start by removing the wings.

Step 2

To remove legs, pull back leg to expose the joint while you cut. Then cut through the join. 

Step 3

Cut each breast off the turkey in a whole piece. Make an incision on either side of breast bone and cut along ribs until the breast is free. 

Remove any other large portions of meat still attached to the bones. 

The remaining carcass can be picked apart the next day for use in sandwiches or soups. Simply wrap up in aluminum foil and refrigerate. 

Hopefully this helps some of you out!

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving long weekend and that your turkey turns out fantastically! :D

-S.*