Everything Thanksgiving: Get all our Thanksgiving recipes, how-to’s and more!
Thanksgiving only comes once a year, which means there aren’t many chances to practice cooking up a Thanksgiving turkey ― and that often spells disaster. But if you study up and learn about the basics of cooking a turkey, you can totally pull it off.
We’re here to warn you of all the possible pitfalls ― so do your homework, and you won’t have to worry about committing one of the many mistakes that have become all too common.
Below, we’re presenting all the ways a turkey can go wrong in your kitchen and how to these mistakes can be easily avoided. It’s really easy once you know what you’re doing, we promise.
Read up, and you’ll be fine come the big day.
*Note: The USDA recommends all turkeys be cooked to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit for optimum safety. You’ll notice below that we often suggest removing the bird from the oven when it reaches 160, but that’s because the bird’s temperature will continue to rise to 165 (or above) after you remove it from the oven. Just make sure it ultimately reaches 165.