Cooking a turkey can be intimidating. With its large size and long cooking time, there are so many opportunities for things to go wrong. But have no fear – Reddit is here!
As an avid Reddit user myself, I often turn to the site’s many communities to get advice on cooking. Redditors are more than happy to share their tips, tricks, and techniques for getting perfect results every time. When it comes to roasting a turkey, Reddit has some stellar guidance on how to cook it to juicy, flavorful perfection.
In this article, I’ll share some of the best tips I’ve gathered from seasoned Reddit turkey chefs Whether you’re cooking your first bird or looking to step up your game this holiday season, these techniques will help you wow your guests and have them begging for leftovers!
Selecting and Preparing the Turkey
The first step to turkey success is choosing the right bird. When browsing the poultry section make sure to pick one that’s 16-24 pounds; this ensures there’s enough meat to go around without being too unmanageable. You’ll want to plan for about 1-1.5 pounds per person.
Once you get it home, pull out the giblets and neck from the cavity. One Reddit user swears that rubbing the outside with a halved onion, smashed garlic cloves, and olive oil makes for a beautifully browned skin. Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels before seasoning.
Many Redditors recommend liberally seasoning under the skin. One shared their special mixture of butter, garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper that they carefully loosen the skin and rub directly onto the breast meat. This adds tons of flavor!
Trussing for Even Cooking
Trussing brings the turkey’s wings and legs close to the body with butcher’s twine so it roasts evenly. While optional, most Reddit users strongly advise trussing. Not only does it cook more uniformly, but it also helps the turkey hold its shape for that gorgeous Norman Rockwell presentation.
Make sure the wings are tucked under the shoulders and tie the legs together at the ends. Wrap the twine around the breast to cinch it up nice and tight. Voila! Your bird is ready for roasting.
Using Aromatics and Herbs
One of my favorite tips from Reddit is filling the turkey cavity with aromatic veggies and herbs. Common choices are onion, carrots, celery, lemons, limes, garlic, rosemary, sage, and thyme. The turkey essentially roasts on a bed of flavor!
Make sure you roughly chop the vegetables so they fit nicely into the cavity. Toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper first to add even more taste. Stuff them in the main cavity as well as under the skin in the front and back openings.
The onions and lemons in particular add moisture while infusing delicious flavor throughout the meat. It’s an easy way to take your turkey from bland and boring to succulent and scrumptious.
Maintaining Moisture
With its lean meat and long cooking time, it’s no wonder turkey often turns out dry and tasteless. Luckily Reddit users have discovered some clever solutions for keeping your holiday bird juicy and delicious.
Many swear by brining the turkey in a saltwater solution for 8-12 hours before cooking. The salt infuses moisture deep into the meat for some seriously succulent results. Make sure to rinse and pat it completely dry before roasting.
Another moisture-boosting trick is tenting the turkey with aluminum foil during the first few hours of roasting. This essentially steams the meat, ensuring it stays ultra juicy. Remove the foil during the last 45-60 minutes so the skin gets nice and crispy.
Finally, basting goes a long way for moistness. Redditors recommend basting every 30 minutes with turkey drippings, butter/olive oil, or even chicken or turkey stock. Just take care to quickly close the oven again so you don’t lose too much heat.
Monitoring Temperature
Cooking the turkey to the proper internal temperature is absolutely essential for both safety and taste. According to most Reddit turkey gurus, 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F in the thigh is ideal doneness.
Be sure to use an instant-read meat thermometer to accurately monitor the temperature. Don’t rely solely on the pop-up timer if your turkey has one – they are notoriously unreliable.
Once it reaches the target temp, immediately remove it from the oven, tent it with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. The temperature will continue rising a bit as it rests, finishing off the cooking process.
Putting It All Together
You have all the tips and tricks for roast turkey greatness – now let’s walk through the full process from start to finish:
- Remove giblets, rinse turkey inside and out, pat dry. Season all over with salt and pepper or a wet rub.
- Truss the turkey tightly with twine to hold its shape.
- Stuff cavity with chopped aromatics like onion, carrots, lemons, garlic, and herbs.
- Rub butter and herbs between skin and breast meat.
- Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in lower third.
- Place turkey breast up on a rack in a roasting pan. Tent with foil.
- Roast for 2-3 hours, basting every 30 minutes until 165°F in thickest part of breast.
- Remove foil, increase temperature to 425°F. Continue roasting until 175°F in thighs, about 1 hour.
- Let rest 30 minutes before carving.
It may seem like a lot of steps, but trust me – the results are so worth the effort. Your turkey will turn out moist, flavorful, and picture perfect, sure to wow even your pickiest relatives.
This holiday season, skip the turkey stress. With these tips from Reddit’s best turkey chefs, you’ll have the know-how to roast a bird that makes Norman Rockwell proud. Just get ready for the chorus of “can I take some home?” as your lucky guests savor forkful after forkful of your juicy, succulent holiday centerpiece.
