Dry-Brined Thanksgiving Turkey With Chiles

FAQS

1. How long does it take to cook a turkey?

   A turkey takes surprisingly less time to cook than you might think. Depending on how hot your oven is, a whole bird can take 12 to 15 minutes per pound to roast. Keep in mind that a brined turkey will often cook faster, sometimes significantly so, which is why you shouldn’t simply set a timer. Instead, always check the internal temperature when figuring out whether or not your bird is done roasting, and start checking earlier rather than later. The difference between a great turkey and a perfect turkey is an instant-read meat thermometer: The turkey is done cooking when the thickest part of the thigh reaches at least 165 degrees and the thickest part of the breast reaches at least 150 degrees; both will continue cooking as the turkey rests for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

2. How do you cook a turkey?

   There are as many ways to cook a turkey as there are cooks in the world. You can roast, deep-fry, air-fry, slow-cook or even smoke your turkey. For more control, you could spatchcock a whole bird first before cooking, which means removing its back bone and pressing down on the breast bone so the entire turkey lies flat and cooks evenly. Many chefs also like to cook turkeys cut into pieces because the dark meat (drumsticks, thighs and wings) often needs more time to cook than the white meat (breast). For tender, fall-apart meat, you can slow-cook turkey legs, thighs or wings in fat (a technique called confiting) or braise them in liquid.

3. How long does it take to thaw a turkey?

   In the refrigerator, it takes a frozen turkey 24 hours for every 5 pounds to thaw completely, so be sure to plan well ahead before Thanksgiving Day. But if your turkey is still rock solid on Thursday morning, there is a safe way to thaw it in time for dinner: Soak your frozen turkey, still in its packaging from the store, in a tub or sinkful of ice water, replacing the ice occasionally to keep the water at a foodsafe temperature of 40 degrees or less. (According to the USDA, if the water temperature goes above that for longer than 2 hours, then the outside of your turkey will be at risk for foodborne bacteria.) Using this water-soaking method, it takes a frozen turkey 30 minutes per pound to thaw completely.

4. How do you brine a turkey?

   There are many ways to brine, but the two most common methods are wet-brining and dry-brining. To wet-brine your turkey, soak it in a saltwater solution, adding whatever spices, herbs and other seasonings you like. To dry-brine your turkey, salt the entire outside and cavity of the bird and leave it in the refrigerator, either covered or uncovered, for up to 3 days. There’s a world of difference in taste and texture between a brined and unbrined turkey: When roasted, a brined turkey’s muscle fibers are much better at holding onto moisture, resulting in juicier meat.

5. How do you carve a turkey?

   Letting a hot, just-cooked turkey rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes (and up to 60 minutes) is as essential to carving a turkey as is a sharp knife. If you’ve ever carved a roast chicken before, then carving a turkey is very similar. There are many ways to do it, but the easiest method is to first carve off the legs, then split each leg into drumstick and thigh portions. Next, carve off each breast half on either side of the breastbone, which is the bone that runs through the bird’s median. Finally, carve off the wings, and don’t forget to flip the turkey over to pop out the two juicy “oysters” of meat tucked behind the thighs underneath the bird. For any remaining meat left on the carcass, simply tear it off with your hands and serve with the carved portions. If you’re a visual learner, watch our turkey carving tutorial.