If you think your Thanksgiving turkey will only take one day to thaw you are doing it all wrong. People think their turkey will defrost over night. The average 12 to 16 pound bird takes three to four whole days to thaw. The meat will be tough and stringy for your guests and that is just wrong.
Cook your Thanksgiving turkey the right way using Chow’s basic roast turkey breast recipe. Begin by taking out the fully defrosted turkey out of the refrigerator. Remove the giblets and the neck. Pull the wings back. Pat and dry the bird with a paper towel for crispy skin.
Salt and pepper the bird all over. Then, rub the turkey inside and out with vegetable oil. Take half a stick of butter and stuff small pieces under the skin. Do not put your stuffing inside the turkey. Leave it out and let it cook more. Just put some pieces of celery, onion, and half a lemon.
Place the turkey in the roasting rack with the breast facing down. Once you have roasted it for 45 minutes, flip the turkey over. Baste it every 20 minutes by brushing the pan juices over it. After two hours check to see with a meat thermometer, if it is between 165 and 170 degrees.
Pull the turkey out and let it rest for a while. This will let the turkey juices redistribute evenly through the meat. A good 20 to 30 minutes is good to ensure the turkey is moist throughout.