How to Stuff and Roast a Turkey Like a Pro

Plan Ahead

Roasting turkey isn't that difficult when you plan ahead. The ideal roast turkey is succulent and juicy with a crispy, golden-brown skin. The first step to roasting a turkey your crowd will love is choosing the right bird. When you buy your turkey, allow for 1 to 1-1/2 pounds of turkey per person. That amount will leave enough for leftovers, too.

Thaw the Turkey

Start by thawing the bird in the refrigerator. Allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 pounds of bird. That means a 12-pound turkey takes three days to thaw, but we recommend allowing an extra day to make sure it thaws completely. It's safe to keep a thawed bird in the fridge a day or two before roasting the turkey. If you find your bird is still frozen Thanksgiving morning, place the still-wrapped turkey in a clean sink filled with cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Do not thaw the bird at room temperature or in warm water.

Find the Giblets

Before stuffing the turkey, remove the giblets—the turkey's heart, liver, and gizzard—which are tucked inside the neck or body cavity. Discard these or use them to make broth for gravy (we'll give you directions for that a little later on). If you are stuffing the turkey, plan about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of poultry.

Dry the Turkey

Blot the inside of the turkey dry with paper towels. It's not necessary to rinse the bird, but if you do, thoroughly dry it before moving on to the next step.

Prep the Turkey

With a pair of kitchen shears ($9, Target), cut away and discard extra fat around the opening of the turkey cavity. This will help you cook a nicer-looking stuffed turkey.

Begin Stuffing

If you're stuffing the turkey, start with the neck cavity—it makes the next steps easier. You can make the stuffing ahead of time, or whip up an easy stuffing recipe on Thanksgiving morning.

Close the Neck

Thread a bamboo or metal meat skewer ($4, Target) through the neck skin to seal the cavity closed. This keeps the turkey stuffing from falling out of the bird as you handle it.

Finish Stuffing

Next, stuff the main cavity of the turkey, but stuff loosely so the stuffing will have room to expand as the bird roasts.

Tuck the Wings

When you've finished stuffing the turkey, Fold the tips of the turkey wings under the back to make a stable base for the bird to rest on. This also helps the stuffed turkey roast evenly.

Prepare to Tie the Bird

Here's a trussing trick that will help you serve a great-looking turkey: Start off by pushing the turkey drumsticks up and back toward the tail.

Tie the Tail

Next, loop a piece of 100% cotton kitchen twine around the tail and cross so it makes an X shape. We've found that a 24-inch piece is just the right length.

Tie the Drumsticks

Then, bring the twine up around the outside ends of the drumsticks. This will help the turkey stuffing stay inside the bird.

Finish Tying the Drumsticks

Finally, tie the twine together, allowing the drumsticks to rest one atop the other. If you prefer not to tie the legs together with kitchen twine, you can also use a metal clamp to keep the drumsticks together. Some turkeys also come with an oven-safe leg clamp.

Choose the Right Roasting Rack

Once you've prepped the bird, it's time to cook it! A baking pan with a flat rack ($42, Bed, Bath & Beyond) is the best because they'll flatten the back of the turkey as it roasts; that way, it won't roll while you're carving. Use a shallow pan—if the sides are higher than 2 inches, they'll act as a heat shield and prevent turkey thighs from cooking evenly.

Prepare for Roasting

Place the oven rack on its lowest position, then preheat the oven. Use our roasting chart to determine cooking times. While the oven is preheating, place the stuffed turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer ($10, Walmart) in the thickest part of the thigh.

Begin Roasting

When your oven reaches the correct temperature, brush the bird with cooking oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover loosely with aluminum foil ($4, Walmart), and roast.

Separate the Drumsticks

Two-thirds of the way through the cooking time, cut the string between the drumsticks or remove the clamp. This is why we prefer to tie our legs with twine: One snip and it's done! Remove the foil tent during the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking to create a crisp, golden skin.

Cook the Giblets

Want to use the giblets to make the broth for gravy? Once you've got the bird in the oven, transfer giblets to a saucepan with 3 cups water, carrots, celery, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, strain broth into a measuring cup, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Finish Roasting

According to the USDA, all turkey meat and stuffing is safe to eat when a meat thermometer reaches 165°F. However, for best flavor and ease in carving, thigh meat should be cooked to 180°F. Pop-up timers on turkeys are reliable as well.

Remove the Turkey

Lift your stuffed turkey from the roasting pan with a carving fork and pot holder. Or lift the turkey off the roasting pan with two sturdy forks under either end of the breast.

Remove the Stuffing

Once you've removed the bird, spoon the stuffing out of both sides of the bird. Be careful; it's very hot.

Carve the Turkey

When the bird has cooled a bit, it's time to carve the turkey. We've broken it down into a few simple steps so your Thanksgiving turkey will look as good as it tastes:

• Pull the legs away from the body and cut the joints that attach the drumstick and thighs.
• Slice the thigh meat.
• Cut off the wings.
• Carve each breast away from the breast bone and ribs.