Turkey Questions *added a picture!*

[linkhttp://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=prep_cook_calculator.jsp&t=Turkey%20Cooking%20Time%20Calculator&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=plan]http://www.butterball.com/en/main_canvas.jsp?includePage=prep_cook_calculator.jsp&t=Turkey%20Cooking%20Time%20Calculator&s0=plan_n_prep&s1=plan[/link]
 
Oven's vary so give yourself some extra time just in case. Make sure the oven is pre heated. Make sure the turkey is thawed, this helps alot.
 
As for potato's my mother says 1 for each person and 1 for the pot. I personally do instant[].
 
Good luck!
Dawn
 
 

i was always told a pound and half of turkey er guest, although i personally couldn't eat a pound, worse yet another half.....

I have cooked plenty of big birds. I would say the 25-30lb birds take about 6-71/2 hours. Don't forget to add time for "resting" and the last moment rush to get everything else done. I would suggest you get two smaller birds for two reasons. Big/jumbo birds can tend to end up dry in the breast because the underside/dark meat isn't done and needs more time to cook. You will also have to end up having to drain the drippings often  like mad (I save them tho) so it doesn't overflow your roaster pan. It is also really hard to find a roasting pan big enough for birds over @22 lbs.
 
Since most folks like white meat you also might want to consider doing 1 bird (@20lbs.) and a few turkey breasts (they cook quick). There is no problem with cooking more than 1 bird unless you have a small oven. I can do 2 at once in my normal sized oven. Just remeber to rotate them often to ensure both sodes cook equally. If I also do breasts I just do them the day before and slice the meat off. I put the meat in the fridge and rewarm on Thanksgiving.
 
Don't forget about cooking extra stuffing since even a big bird doesn't hold enough to feed 20+ people.
 
As for mashed pots - I say there is never enough. I gage at least 2/person plus a few extra (we love leftovers). If you need to reheat the leftover pots I suggest steaming them so thy don't dry out or burn.
 
Good luck and have fun. What time is dinner?

Whew, that's a lot of food...glad it's you and not me.  Make sure your oven is big enough to handle it.  Mine is mid-sized, and I had a problem one year with a big bird. I think I'd go with a couple breasts also.  Or better yet, have your Mom do the turkey, and you the ham...[]

My solution would have been to just order a complete Thanksgiving dinner from a local grocery store - completely cooked, ready to heat up & serves 8 to 10 people for around $45. I might have made a cheesecake to go with their pumpkin pie.[] Then again, I might have just bought the cheesecake, too.
 
Joyce

Dinner has to be ready by 3, so I am shooting to have the bord done by 2. That was a good idea though, 1 whole bird and a breast.
 
And I SO bookmarked that link.
 
teehee, I thought about getting a dinner from the grocery, and putting it all on my own plates.
 
My mom won't do the turkey. She's coming over that morning around 10ish though. Man do I love that lady.
 
Thanks guys!

I do the breast and turkey thing too. I cook the breast the night before so I free up the oven for Thursday, then slice it when it cools and heat it on Thursday in the microwave. I also make my stuffing the night before, because I don't cook it in the bird, and any veggies that can be cooked ahead of time I do on Tues or wed when I make my pumpkin pies. Do as much as you can before Wed. then Thursday you only have to worry about the turkey.
Wed. night set your table, because of dog hair you shouldn't put out dishes and silverware, but everything else is good. Put your cranberry sauce in a nice dish and cover it with clear wrap.also put out all of your  serving dishes and spoons ie; mashed potatoes and put a slip of paper in them of what is going in them, that will get you going and if you have someone that wants to help then can just get to it.
Write out your menu, and make sure you have all of the ingredients, and then use that when you go over the serving dishes you will need.

Make sure you oven is BIG ENOUGH for a bird this size! If you have one of the little apartment ovens, it will NOT fit, I guarantee you.

Also, don't forget all the leftovers (droooool): sandwiches, soup, turkey pie, stir fry...well, you ge tthe idea!

Make sure you dispose of the carcass (after making soup out of it) OUTSIDE.  Gypsy won't bother the garbage (she knows better), but Harvey (my smaller cat) is a garbage hound extraoridnaire.

what kind of stuffing are you making? my wife makes a kick a$$ stuffing with apples and sausage in it. i had never had real stuffing before we started living together. my family always makes dressing (which is good too, but in a different way).

They say 1 hr per 4lbs of bird, right? According to the Butterball calculator that would be for a stuffed bird, less for unstuffed.
 
This will be my first Thanksgiving without turkey, since I went veggie last June!

ORIGINAL: jprinz99

I have cooked plenty of big birds. I would say the 25-30lb birds take about 6-71/2 hours. Don't forget to add time for "resting" and the last moment rush to get everything else done. I would suggest you get two smaller birds for two reasons. Big/jumbo birds can tend to end up dry in the breast because the underside/dark meat isn't done and needs more time to cook. You will also have to end up having to drain the drippings often  like mad (I save them tho) so it doesn't overflow your roaster pan. It is also really hard to find a roasting pan big enough for birds over @22 lbs.

Since most folks like white meat you also might want to consider doing 1 bird (@20lbs.) and a few turkey breasts (they cook quick). There is no problem with cooking more than 1 bird unless you have a small oven. I can do 2 at once in my normal sized oven. Just remeber to rotate them often to ensure both sodes cook equally. If I also do breasts I just do them the day before and slice the meat off. I put the meat in the fridge and rewarm on Thanksgiving.

Don't forget about cooking extra stuffing since even a big bird doesn't hold enough to feed 20+ people.

As for mashed pots - I say there is never enough. I gage at least 2/person plus a few extra (we love leftovers). If you need to reheat the leftover pots I suggest steaming them so thy don't dry out or burn.

Good luck and have fun. What time is dinner?

 
 
 
I agree with JP, two smaller birds will be less nerve wracking, and produce juicier meat.  A few years ago, I had to prepare quite a large feast, I found cooking the breast 2 days a head, the pies and snacks the day before and 2 small birds Thanksgiving day, made life a lot easier!  Plus, a few people preferred a drumstick, so I needed to have 3 on hand!  I also peeled my potatoes the night before and left soaking with a bit of salt in the fridge.  The next day, drained them and filled with fresh water to let the potatoes come to room temperature prior to boiling.  That saved me a lot of time Thanksgiving day.
 
Leftovers, the breast meat made for terrific wraps (burrito size wrap, stuffing, meat, gravy and cranberry sauce, Mmmm, MMMMMM!)  and the bones and bits of meat made an awesome stock! 
I caught the Good Eats show on Food Network one time and decided to try this brining method, [linkhttp://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_8389,00.html]http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_8389,00.html[/link]
I left out the ginger, cinnamon, and salt.  I'm on a salt restricted diet and the stock had plenty.  Also, there was a lot ofsmoke at 500*F, so I dropped to 450*F which helped.  I loved how juicy the birds turned out and prepare them that way ever since!   Good luck! 

 
I got the bird today! He is 24.5 pounds.

I might have made a cheesecake to go with their pumpkin pie. Then again, I might have just bought the cheesecake, too.

 
...or, Costco has Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake, so that's what I bought [sm=clapping%20hands%20smiley.gif]

OK, so since it is just about 24 pounds you can buy the reynolds oven bags for Turkeys and they will cook in MUCH less time and turn out really moist. A 24 pound turkey in those bags cooks in 3 1/2- 4 hours depending on if it is stuffed or not.

rod_id=1790>http://www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/product.asp?cat_id=1337&rod_id=1790


Also, worlds best stuffing recipe if you still need one: SOURDOUGH STUFFING WITH PEARS AND SAUSAGE

8 cups (1/2-inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 12 ounces)
1 ound turkey Italian sausage
 Cooking spray
5 cups chopped onion (about 2 pounds)
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled Bartlett pear (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°.Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until golden. Place in a large bowl.Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage, and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add sausage to bread cubes, tossing to combine. Set aside.Return pan to medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; sauté 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Stir in mushrooms; cook 4 minutes. Stir in pear, basil, tarragon, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until pear begins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add pear mixture to bread mixture, tossing gently to combine. Stir in broth and pepper.Place bread mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; cover with foil. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake stuffing an additional 15 minutes or until top of stuffing is crisp.

GOOD LUCK! [8D]