Turkeys do cook faster on a Weber because it's basically a convection oven, plus it's directly on the grill, not in a pan, which maximizes airflow around the bird. Still, it was even faster than I expected. The only problem with it cooking so fast is that it didn't get much smoke flavor.
Butterball turkeys are of the highest quality product and will be sure to impress your guests. We pre-brine directly in the breast meat ensuring you can take the turkey from the packaging to your pan without a lot of additional preparation before cooking and enjoy the most tender and juicy turkey possible.
Refrigerator Thawing TimesWhole turkey: 4 to 12 pounds — 1 to 3 days. 12 to 16 pounds — 3 to 4 days. 16 to 20 pounds — 4 to 5 days.
Choosing the Right Size TurkeyWhen choosing a turkey to serve on Thanksgiving, figure 1 1/2 pounds per person. If you are serving 10 people on Thanksgiving, choose a bird that is 15 to 20 pounds. Smaller birds that weigh less than 12 pounds have a smaller meat-to-bone ratio, so figure two pounds per person.
A 4-5kg bird will serve 6-7, a 5-6kg one will do 8-10 and a 6-7kg turkey will feed 10-12. If you're catering for 6 or less, you might want to go for a crown joint rather than a whole bird – a 1.5-2kg turkey crown will serve 3-5, and a 2-2.5kg crown will feed 6-8. 2.
You'll want to plan on about 1.25 pounds of turkey per person attending.
Q: WHEN SHOULD I BUY A FRESH THANKSGIVING TURKEY? If you want a fresh turkey, Ray says you should still buy it ahead. He suggests purchasing a fresh turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving. "Before it gets handled and all thrown around," he says.
If your turkey weighs 21 to 22 pounds, roast it at:
- 425°F for 4 to 4¼ hours.
- 400°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours.
- 350°F for 4½ to 4¾ hours.
- 325°F for 4¾ to 5 hours.
Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry.
Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are too low which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature.
Just make sure you uncover the lid about 30 minutes before the turkey's done roasting so the skin has a chance to get crispy. Covering the bird with foil mimics what a roaster lid would do — it traps steam and moistness so the turkey doesn't dry out — all the while allowing the skin to crisp up.
Always cook your turkey until the skin is a light golden color. Cover your roasting pan with a lid or foil and cook covered for 2 hours (depending on size of your bird) and uncovered for the remaining time. Baste your turkey every half hour or so.
Thaw It in the RefrigeratorThawing in the refrigerator is the ONLY recommended way to defrost a frozen turkey. For it to work, however, you'll need plenty of time: 24 hours of defrosting time for every 4 to 5 pounds of bird. A large turkey, say, 15 to 20 pounds, will need to spend 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
If There's No Time to ThawIf you're up against the clock and have no time left for even the “quick” cold-water thaw, then just cook the turkey as it is. It's perfectly safe to cook a frozen or partially frozen turkey — you just need to allow some extra cooking time.
If you don't have that much time to spare, thawing a turkey in cold water is a good Plan B. Immerse your packaged turkey in ice-cold water and be sure to change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold. You want to allow about 30 minutes of thawing time per pound (. 4 kilograms) of turkey.
Basting is optional when roasting a turkey. To ensure a moist turkey, the key is to not overcook it. Try using a remote digital thermometer that will alert you when the turkey is fully cooked yet still juicy. If you choose to baste the bird, do so every 30 minutes.
Turkey roasting chart:
| SERVINGS | WEIGHT | STUFFED |
|---|
| 4 to 6 | 10 - 12 lb (4.5 - 5.5 kg) | 3-1/2 - 3-3/4 hours |
| 8 to 10 | 12 - 16 lb (5.5 - 7 kg) | 3-3/4 - 4 hours |
| 12 to 16 | 16 - 22 lb (7 - 10 kg) | 4 - 4-1/2 |
Roasting Times for Whole Turkey:
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed* |
|---|
| 7 - 11 lbs (3- 5 kg) | 2 ½- 3 hrs | 3 - 3½ hrs |
| 11- 15 lbs (5-7 kg) | 3 - 3 ½ hrs | 3 ½- 4 hrs |
| 15 - 20 lbs (7- 9 kg) | 3 ½ - 4 hrs | 4 - 4½ hrs |
| 20-24 lbs (9-11 kg) | 4-5 hrs | 5-5 ½ hrs |
Our turkeys have been packing on the pounds right along with us. In 1960, the average commercial turkey—the kind many of us will serve for Thanksgiving—weighed 16.83 pounds. Today, the average turkey is 81% larger, weighing in at more than 30 pounds.
A turkey crown (2-2.5kg) will feed 6 people. A small turkey (3-4.5kg) will feed 6-8 people. A medium turkey (4-5kg) will feed 8-10 people. A large turkey (6-6.5kg) will feed 12-15 people.
Toms are grown to an average live weight of 41 pounds, while hens average 17 pounds. Translating this to the retail level, if the turkey you purchased at the store weighs 16-24 pounds, then it's a tom, if it weighs 8 to 16 pounds, then it's a hen.
Planning the right amount of food to get is the first step in preparing the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Thankfully, there's a simple rule of thumb to estimate how much turkey to get for your guests. Plan on getting one pound of turkey per adult guest and one-half pound per child.
Turkey size for 3-4 people: A 1.5-1.75kg / 3-4lb bird. Turkey size for 5-6 people: A 2-3kg / 5-6lb bird. Turkey size for 7-9 people: A 3-3.5kg / 7-8lb bird. Turkey size for 10-12 people: A 4-4.5kg / 9-10lb bird.
Outstanding hearing is an asset to all prey species. Dickson's compilation of wild turkey experts reveals that a wild turkey's hearing is acute, although its external ear lacks a flap, or pinna, which concentrates sound waves. Field observations suggests turkeys hear lower-frequency and more distant sounds than humans.
A turkey crown is the breast of the bird still attached to the bone with the legs and wings removed. A crown is perfect if you have fewer people to feed or guests who all like white meat. Advertisement. The other advantages to a crown are that it will cook quickly and should fit in any oven – and your roasting tin.
