With the Thanksgiving Day holiday just past and more holidays on the horizon, I thought I would share my simple approach to cooking a turkey. Here is what I do:

• If the turkey is frozen, move it to the refrigerator three to four days (based upon bird size) in advance to defrost it (Thanksgiving Monday is usually good)
• If the turkey is still a little frozen, soak it in cold water while it is still in the wrapper (Thanksgiving morning)
• Remove the wrapper and the bag of innards in the carcass (Set them aside to help make the gravy)
• Rinse the turkey with cold water inside and out
• Put some of your prepared stuffing in the bird and thread the opening closed
• Move the racks in your stove to the lower levels and start the preheat process-- 325 degrees
• Flip the bird over and salt and pepper its bottom
• Flip the bird breast up and put it in the cooking tray or pan you intend to use
• Add two cups of water to the pan
• Apply salt, pepper, three strips of raw bacon up and down the breast (Grandma's tip), and two teaspoons of butter
• Put a foil "tent" cover on the bird (I leave this on for half to two-thirds of the cook time)
• Cook time is simple– 20 minutes for each pound of bird (For example, an 18 pound bird is 360 minutes or six hours cooking time)
• Baste the bird with the juices from time to time during the cooking process
• Remove the foil tent about half to two-thirds of the way done
• In the last ten minutes of cooking, switch to broil to brown the bird and crisp the skin
• When cooking time ends-- remove the bird and let it stand for 10-15 minutes-- re-cover the bird with the foil tent

Carve and serve . . .

Can't wait!

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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom.  He is dedicated to living a quality life through frugality, personal growth and productivity, and defensive entrepreneurship.  He also enjoys cooking from scratch and fishing.