About Roasting a Turkey

The Facts

Roasting turkey involves a few basic steps. Typically, the person roasting the turkey will remove the giblets from the inside of the bird. Then, he will rinse the turkey inside and out before patting dry with paper towels. At this point, some people will choose to stuff the bird, often using the giblets that were previously removed from the inside of the bird. The outside of the turkey is typically then rubbed with butter, oils and other spices. The turkey is then placed in a roasting pan, covered with foil and placed in a preheated oven at 350 degrees. The cooking time depends on the size of the bird, but can typically last anywhere between three to six hours.

Many people believe roasting turkey can cause the turkey to dry out. If properly basted and attended to, the turkey can still contain its natural juices and produce a moist and delicious bird. Another popular misconception about roasted turkey is that eating it makes you sleepy. While turkey is high in tryptophan which has been known to causes sleepiness, it is usually the amount of other carbohydrates and fats consumed along side a turkey dinner which leads to a lethargic feeling.

Turkeys for roasting purposes are usually sold frozen in grocery stores. These frozen turkeys can range in size from having enough meat to feed just a few dinner guests to birds that can feed over a dozen dinner guests. These turkeys can also range in weight---from approximately five to 30 pounds. When determining what size turkey to get for your dinner guests, plan to have about 1 ½ lbs of turkey per dinner guest.

The benefit of roasting a turkey in comparison to other cooking methods is that it is the safest method of cooking such a large bird. Some fried-food lovers insist on frying their birds for dinner guests. While this can offer a pleasant taste, it is considerably less health-conscious than roasting and is much more dangerous. People who fry their turkeys are usually advised to perform the act outside the home to prevent damage to the inside of the home and the people within it.

Roasted turkey has a grand tradition in cultures around the world. In the United States and Canada, a roasted turkey is usually the highlight of any traditional Thanksgiving celebration. In fact, Thanksgiving has become so known for the turkey main dish that is served on this day that some people often use the slang "Turkey Day" to describe Thanksgiving. In other places around the world, turkey is used as the main course of feasts celebrating Christmas.