Ripples of Joy: How to Cook a Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey

It is almost Thanksgiving. Are you ready for it? I am.

I am always excited for Thanksgiving. There are a lot of things to be thankful for this year.

Anyway, I wanted to share with you how to cook the best Turkey for Thanksgiving. I know we all have different ideas and flavor preferences on how we want to cook our turkeys. When I say the best Turkey, I meant juicy, tender and moist, not dry.

I've been cooking Turkey for many years now and it has always turned out moist, tender and simply delicious. I cook my turkey using simple ingredients. Sometimes I add more stuffing but continue to stick with the same procedure.

I cook my turkey in the oven 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). The secret to having a moist and tender Thanksgiving turkey is 1. brining the whole turkey (12 hrs or more) and 2. rubbing herb butter.

Ingredients for herb butter rub:
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup freshly chopped sage
1/2 cup freshly chopped thyme
1/2 cup freshly chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Ingredients for Turkey stuffing:
1 large onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, halved
1 carrot, sliced chunk
1 celery stick, sliced

What you'll need:
Whole Turkey
Kitchen String
Heavy duty foil
A roasting pan that accommodates whole turkey
A temperature probe

Instructions:

1. Thaw turkey. Remove the neck and bag of giblets from the turkey. (we use these for making broth).

2. Wash whole Turkey and pat dry.

3. BRINE whole turkey. To make the brine, boil 1/2 gallon water and add 1 cup table salt, stirring until dissolved. Add 1/2 gallon of cold water and let cool to room temperature. Submerge the whole turkey. If you need more water, just remember to mix 1 cup table salt per 1-gallon water. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

4. Lift the whole turkey from brine, rinse, and pat dry. Let turkey sit in over paper towels to soak up any excess water.

5. Prepare Herb Rub: Stir together the sliced herbs: fresh sage, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, pepper, and garlic. If you don't like garlic, exclude it. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the softened butter. You can manually slice the herbs and garlic into really really small and mix everything or you can combine all ingredients using a food processor until smooth. Prepare this rub ahead.

6. Rub the whole turkey. Carefully slide your fingers between skin and turkey flesh to make pockets and rub herb butter in all pockets carefully to not to tear the skin. Do the same anywhere you can (breast, legs, and back).

7. Also, rub herb mixture into the cavity of the turkey. Add your stuffing to the cavity of turkey for additional flavor.

8. Preheat oven to 350° F (175 degrees C).

9. Set turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Tie turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity. Fold the wings behind the turkey, and position breast side up.

10. Place a meat thermometer into the turkey; in the thickest part of the thighs.

11. Place on a roasting rack. Cover the top of the turkey with aluminum foil. This is to shield it from being dry and burnt. (Take aluminum foil out 45 minutes before fully cooked).

11. Roast turkey. Cooking time varies with the size of the turkey and individual ovens. Baste every 30 minutes or so with pan juices or drippings until the inside meat temperature is 170 degrees (76.67 degrees C).