Introduction

Cooking a turkey can be intimidating, but it’s actually much easier than many people think. If you follow these simple tips and tricks, you’ll have a delicious bird on the table in no time!

You’ll need to start with a fresh turkey.

You’ll need to start with a fresh turkey. You can’t cook a frozen turkey, because it won’t cook evenly, and there’s no way to control the cooking process. If you want to cook your turkey from frozen, you need to thaw it first–but that takes time (and money).

Instead of dealing with these issues and having your meal fall flat on its face, just go ahead and buy a fresh bird! They’re easy enough to find at almost any grocery store or butcher shop during Thanksgiving season.

Purchase a meat thermometer to make sure the turkey is done.

When you’re cooking a turkey, it’s important to know when the bird is done. You don’t want to overcook your holiday centerpiece and risk making your guests sick! The best way to make sure that doesn’t happen is by using a meat thermometer.

A meat thermometer has a long metal probe with an attached display that shows how hot or cold something is (in this case, whether the turkey is cooked). When inserted into the thick part of the thigh or breast of your bird, it will read out its temperature when you press down on its button. Then all you have to do is wait until both sides reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removing them from heat and carving them up for serving!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (191 C).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (191 C).

You can use a thermometer to check your oven’s temperature. If it’s not accurate, you can adjust it using this guide from Williams Sonoma.

Place a rack in the bottom of the roasting pan, and place an aluminum foil-lined roasting rack on top of it.

Place a rack in the bottom of the roasting pan, and place an aluminum foil-lined roasting rack on top of it. The foil will keep your turkey from burning.

Stuffing is one of the most controversial parts of cooking a turkey – many people prefer to stuff their birds whole and then cook them, while others prefer using a separate stuffing recipe and placing some in the bird before roasting it itself.

Stuffing is one of the most controversial parts of cooking a turkey – many people prefer to stuff their birds whole and then cook them, while others prefer using a separate stuffing recipe and placing some in the bird before roasting it itself. Some people like to cook their stuffing separately from their turkey, either as an accompaniment or as part of another meal (for example, Thanksgiving leftovers).

There are pros and cons for each method: if you cook your stuffing inside the bird’s cavity during roasting time, its flavor will blend into that of the meat better than if you had cooked it separately beforehand; however, this means there will be less space available inside said cavity for other food items such as vegetables or cranberry sauce!

Loosely cover the bird with aluminum foil (don’t wrap it tightly), and place it in your preheated oven.

• Loosely cover the bird with aluminum foil (don’t wrap it tightly), and place it in your preheated oven.
• Do not place the turkey directly on a rack or baking sheet; instead, use a roasting pan that has been lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. You can also use an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven to cook your bird, but make sure it has a tight-fitting lid so that steam doesn’t escape during cooking time.
• If you’re using an electric roaster, set the temperature at 350 degrees F for 18 pounds of turkey; if you’re using gas heat instead of electric heat sources like electricity or propane tanks then check out our guide here: How Long Does It Take To Cook A Turkey On A Grill?

Check on the turkey every 30 minutes or so during cooking time and adjust temperature or baste if necessary until meat thermometer shows 165 degrees F (74 C).

It’s important to check on the turkey every 30 minutes or so during cooking time and adjust temperature or baste if necessary until meat thermometer shows 165 degrees F (74 C).

You can cook a 18lb turkey

The first step in cooking a turkey is to make sure you have the right equipment. You’ll need a large roasting pan and rack, as well as at least one meat thermometer (more if you want to keep track of different parts of your bird). If you’re cooking more than one turkey, consider getting an oven thermometer so that all your birds cook evenly throughout the whole process.

Next, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (191 C). Then take out whatever turkey parts are already in their packages–like giblets or neck–and put them aside for later use (or just throw them away if they aren’t edible). Wash off any remaining bits of packaging material before placing those parts back into their original containers; this helps ensure that none gets mixed up with other food items during preparation time later on down the line! Finally: remove any plastic wrappers from inside each cavity after washing everything down thoroughly first though because otherwise this could lead into some messy situations later on down yet another road further away from here…

Conclusion

There you have it, folks! It’s not as hard to cook a turkey as you might think. Just follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to a delicious meal in no time at all.