So, the best holiday of the year. No presents to buy, just food to eat. (Maybe this year there will be some snow to shovel.) I decided to excerpt last year’s Thanksgiving entry just for the safety of those responsible for cooking the bird. Enjoy.
Thanksgiving may be the best holiday of all. It can be too hot on the 4th of July, and rain can cancel the fireworks. You have to stay up too late for New Year’s Eve.Thanksgiving? Just show up and EAT. (Unless you have to cook the turkey, and peel the potatoes, make the stuffing, bake the pies, do the dishes, and wrap up the leftovers.)
If you are cooking the turkey, here are some tips to help…
If you are frying it, be sure that you heat the oil in a safe, open place. It should not be on your deck or in your garage. Make sure the bird is completely thawed.
If you are baking the turkey, use the following chart to help calculate the appropriate cooking time for your sized bird. Remember, under cooking the bird can lead to food poisoning. (If you don’t want to do it next year, just tell your mom it is her turn. There is no reason to make people sick).
Turkey weight // Hours for a stuffed bird // Hours for an unstuffed bird
6 to 8 pounds // 3 to 3 ½ hours // 2 ½ to 3 hours
8 to 10 pounds // 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours // 3 to 4 hours
12 to 16 pounds // 4 ½ to 5 ½ hours // 4 to 5 hours
16 to 20 pounds // 5 ½ to 6 hours // 5 to 5 ½ hours
If all else fails, here is the Butterball Turkey Hotline…800-288-8372