Hellobee Boards

@mrbee: Good luck! It's a great recipe. I've used it for years.

I'll be making the turkey tonight. With our trip on Friday, we are moving up Thanksgiving and I'm so excited that I can have leftovers all day tomorrow!

@mrbee: Alton Brown's recipe is pretty good. Are you going to do the turkey tent first? I used an adaptation where you cook it high for 30 minutes, then put the turkey tent on. If you do that version, the one tip is to put the turkey tent on before you put the turkey in the oven, so you can mold the tent. Take it off and put it to the side. Then put the turkey in the oven and after 30 minutes on that high temp, you lower the temperature and put the pre-molded turkey tent on. You won't have to worry about burning yourself.

Here is what it says on Food Network's Alton Brown's recipe.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Another tip for leftover turkey is to use a vacuum sealer. Makes leftover turkey later in the year or next year, so good. I make turkey noodle soup a few times a year.

We're cooking the (monster) turkey this year, and then my mom is cooking everything else when she gets to our house. Might dry brine it tonight - we usually just put oranges, onions, celery and carrot in the cavity. We always dry brine roasted whole chickens.

We are! We bought a fresh turkey from Trader Joe's this year. Last year (the first year I cooked the turkey) we were away Friday-Monday and the frozen turkey didn't defrost all the way by Thanksgiving morning...but my dad said it isn't your first Thanksgiving if you don't mess something up

I am! Just prepped my brine and put it out on the deck to cool.

The past few years, DH has done the turkey in an infrared turkey fryer - it tastes great and frees up the oven for other stuff.
This year we got a smoked turkey from a local restaurant - hopefully it tastes as good as it looks!

I am! It's my second time ever. My last turkey was in 2011 and came out amazing. Hope this one is as good! I'm using the weelicious brine recipe.

Me! This is I think my 4th turkey but first in several years! We are going to brine it tonight which will be the first time trying that route.

My dad

DH is! It's his thing.

@mrbee: good luck!! I've never made a turkey - too scared and never had a reason to

My aunt is making the turkey and gravy, and the rest of us divide up what to bring

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @mrbee: I always forgot the candied ginger part and always just used ground ginger. This year I had fresh ginger in my fridge so I sliced it up and put it in the brine.

I did add some candied ginger to my amazon cart so I'll have it for next year.

@keepcalmcarrie: look up the alton brown good eats video for his turkey - it was REALLY helpful for me. i rewatch it every year before I prep and roast the turkey! he explains how to insert the thermometer too.

eta: his video is broken into two, but worth watching - i learned a lot.

for those using alton's recipe, anyone ever set off the fire alarm like me?... the 500 degrees for the first 30 minutes makes the oven sooo smoky. turn on exhausts and open all windows during that part!

@Mrs. High Heels: ah thanks for the tip about the fire alarm! I hate when that happens, and I def didn't clean my oven lol

This is the second year my mom and I are doing it together! It turned out SO GOOD last year, that I'm actually more nervous this year. I think it was a fluke.

We don't brine. We put herb butter under the skin, then just fill the pan with broth, apples, garlic, onions, celery, and herbs. We cook 4-5 hours and baste through-out. Pretty easy!

My MIL is hosting Thanksgiving this year and is cooking the turkey.

I've done the turkey at least 5 times, but never brined. I just keep it simple and it works. The 'special' touch is including a few apple or orange pieces inside, rosemary on the outside along with the usual spices for some extra flavor. My tip is insert the thermometer near the leg joint but not touching a bone.

My brother has cooked our turkey for quite a few years now. Sometimes he smokes it, and sometimes he fries it. He's a master at smoking/grilling meats.

I've never cooked a turkey! Before my brother took over, my mom always did it.