Tips for preparing the best turkey on Thanksgiving

Tips on preparing the best turkey

Chef Matthew Ridgway from Cooks & Soldiers shows the most efficient and tastiest way to prepare your bird for Thanksgiving.

Chef Matthew Ridgway from Cooks and Soldiers offers tips for brining and cooking your turkey on Thanksgiving. For more information on Cooks and Soldiers click here.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position available and remove other racks from the oven.

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Remove the turkey from the packaging and dry bird well with paper towels, inside and out. • Salt and pepper the inside of the cavity as well as the outside of the bird.

• Place the turkey on a roasting pan, breast side up.

• Rub the skin generously with butter, making sure to get the thighs as well.

• Tent the turkey with foil.

• Roast the turkey for 2 hours.

• Remove foil and baste the turkey with the butter that has melted in the roasting pan.

• Turn the oven up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Roast the turkey 35-45 minutes longer until the temperature in the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Remove the turkey and let sit aside for 15 minutes before carving and plating.