8 Turkey Tips You Should Know This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and it’s time to start thinking of that most daunting of tasks — cooking the turkey.

I have cooked a ton of turkey in my day, so I have come up with some useful tips for YOU, that will help make your turkey task nice and easy this year (or at least a bit less painful).

AND, hopefully you’ll come out with a tasty, moist, flavorful bird that everyone will love!

Roast Your Turkey In A Reynolds Oven Bags

I learned about these a few years ago, and they have been a LIFESAVER!! These oven bags make the most perfect, moist, and tender turkey. There is no need for basting, because everything, including the moisture, just stays sealed up in the bag!

You can find these Turkey Oven Bags right on the Walmart website. They will run you less than $3 for 2 bags, and they will make the PERFECT turkey!

Roast Your Turkey On A Bed Of Vegetables or Fruit

This will allow air to get under and around your turkey, making it cook evenly — aka yummy. Also, all your drippings will get TONS of flavor from the veggies or fruit that you use under the turkey. When you baste, or make gravy, all that flavor will be infused into the turkey. My mouth is watering right now.

Wrap Your Turkey In Bacon

Mmmmm. Bacon. It makes all things better, doesn’t it? This will keep the bird nice and flavorful, and will help keep in the moisture. BONUS — you can eat the bacon on the side when the turkey is done roasting.

Cook Your Turkey In An Air Fryer

What is an air fryer? Just a fancy convection oven. It will make heat circulate around the bird, and give you an even, more quickly roasted turkey. The skin should also crisp up nicely. You want to make sure and cook the bird until it registers 165 degrees farenheit with a meat thermometer!!

Typically, you would use a boneless or bone-in turkey breast (about 4 pounds). Set the temperature of the air fryer at 350 degrees, and cook it for 30 minutes. Then you flip the turkey, and cook it for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. Use that meat thermometer the check for doneness.

Let The Turkey Rest

As with any meat, you want to let it rest about 10 minutes before you cut into it. That will keep all the juices inside, and make it insanely good.

Stick Apples or Oranges (Or Both) Into The Turkey Cavity When Cooking

This also helps keep the bird nice and moist, and makes the flavor insanely good!! Just grab about 2 oranges (cut in half) and 1 to 2 apples, and stuff them in the turkey before you put it in the oven to cook. If you haven’t tried this method, you MUST try it!! I stuff the bird with the apples and oranges, and then stick the entire thing in a Reynolds Oven Bag.

Skip The Full Turkey, And Only Get A Turkey Breast

If we are honest, my family only mostly goes for the white meat of the turkey breast. I am always left — for DAYS — with the dark meat, which I then have to figure out things to make.

INSTEAD, last year, I bought just a bonesless turkey breast. It was large enough for the entire family (there are 4 of us), and I wasn’t left with a ton of meat that I had to try and use.