How to cook a turkey

Turkey is an incredibly versatile meat – lean and full of flavor. At Ferndale Market, we don’t mask our turkey’s flavor with fillers or additives because we don’t need to. The way we raise our turkeys makes all the difference. These turkey cooking tips will help you learn the basics and ensure your Ferndale Market turkey is tender, moist, and flavorful every time.

Thawing

The fridge is the best place to thaw your bird. Turkeys will thaw about 3 lbs per day so be sure to plan ahead.

Short on time? You can thaw your bird using the Cold Water Thaw method: submerge the unopened turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. This method thaws about 2 lbs per hour.

Brining

Brining is a great way to add moisture and seasonings to your turkey. The extra liquid helps prevent the turkey from drying out, thus allowing more flexibility in your cooking times.

The basic wet brine is one cup of coarse kosher salt or sea salt to one gallon of water, making enough to submerge the bird. We recommend not brining for longer than 12 hours.

Herbs, fruits, and seasonings are all great additions to brines. Customize to your tastes!

Thawing

The fridge is the best place to thaw your bird. Turkeys will thaw about 3 lbs per day so be sure to plan ahead.

Short on time? You can thaw your bird using the Cold Water Thaw method: submerge the unopened turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. This method thaws 2 lbs per hour.

Brining

Brining is a great way to add moisture and seasonings to your turkey. The extra liquid helps prevent the turkey from drying out, thus allowing more flexibility in your cooking times.

The basic wet brine is one cup of coarse kosher salt or sea salt to one gallon of water, making enough to submerge the bird. We recommend not brining for longer than 12 hours.

Herbs, fruits, and seasonings are all great additions to brines so be sure to customize to your tastes!

Cooked Fresh Whole Turkey

Cooking

When you are ready to cook your turkey, remove the bag of giblets from the neck cavity. Pat the bird dry with paper towels, then let rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. The plastic hock lock is oven safe and can be kept in place.

No matter how you decide to cook turkey, it is important to have a good meat thermometer. The turkey should come out of the oven when the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165F and the dark meat reaches 170-175F.

Cooking

When you are ready to cook your turkey, remove the bag of giblets from the neck cavity. Pat the bird dry with paper towels, then let rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. The plastic hock lock is oven safe and can be kept in place.

No matter how you decide to cook turkey, it is important to have a good cooking thermometer because you need to be sure the turkey comes out of the oven when breast reaches an internal 165F and the dark meat reaches 170-175F.

Carving a Turkey

Carving a Turkey

Carving a Turkey

Carving Turkey Breast at the Table

  1. Hold the top of the breast firmly with a fork. Take a sharp knife and cut into the side of breast at the base, parallel to the table top and just above the wing until you reach the ribs.
  2. Move to the top of the breast and slice the breast downward in portion-sized pieces to meet the base cut.

Carving Turkey Breast in the Kitchen

  1. Hold the top of the breast firmly with a fork. Starting at the top of the breast bone, push the knife along the keel bone and rib cage to carve the breast off the ribs.

  2. Lay the breast lobe on your cutting board. Carve into thin slices across the grain of the meat.

Carving Leg/Thigh at the Table & Kitchen

Pull the leg and thigh away from the body and cut away at the joint. Place on a cutting board and separate the thigh and leg at the joint. Carefully slice meat from bones, remove and discard hard tendons.

Butter & Herb Roasted Turkey

By Minnesota Chef, Donald Selmer