If you’ve been avoiding the challenge of cooking a turkey in fear of not knowing what to do, why not let this be the year you give it a try?  Thanks to “The Perfect Turkey” website here’s all you need to know about conquering the not-so-daunting task.

It starts with selecting the turkey.  Click here to find out about the different types of turkeys, how they are raised, prepared and graded plus how to read their labels and more.

We vote for a local free range/run bird from your local farm or market, but if you should go the frozen route, you’ll need to defrost it first.  This will take lots of time but don’t let it discourage you.  Read up on thawing and defrosting for some tips.

Ok, now it’s time to prep the turkey – you can go the basic route of filling it with your favourite stuffing and covering the outside of the bird with a splash of oil, spices, salt and pepper.  Or you can go all out and brine your turkey to make it as tasty as possible.  Choose from a wet brine if you have lots of time and space or the more popular dry brine (better known as seasoning) which is way easier and less messy.

Once it’s ready for the oven you can choose to cook it at a low temperature or save time using the high heat method .  Alternatively you can also consider using the BBQ to cook it.

The cooking time depends on the size of your turkey but be sure to use a thermometer, as it’s the best way to determine when the bird is fully cooked.

It’s good to let the turkey rest for a short time before carving it to give the juices time to soak in and make the bird even more tender and delicious.  After all your hard work, be sure to carve it with care so it will look as good as it tastes.

Congrats on your successful turkey roast. Enjoy and here’s to a Happy Thanksgiving!!