Preparation
So, you want to cook a Thanksgiving turkey. You came to the correct place: Our collection of turkey recipes runs the gamut, from traditional to unorthodox and everything in between.
Aside from choosing a recipe to follow on this holiday, you’ll also need to determine how big of a turkey to buy. A good ballpark figure is 1 to 1½ pounds of turkey per person—but keep in mind that everyone loves leftovers. Another important tip: If you’ve purchased a frozen turkey, consider putting it into the refrigerator to thaw a week before Thanksgiving. It needs one day in the fridge for every 4 pounds.
And while all of our recipes include cooking times, it’s helpful to know that if you’re taking the most common cooking route—which is roasting the bird—you should plan on roughly 20 minutes per pound. Be sure to let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving for optimal flavor (and then be ready to gobble it up).
