Thanksgiving for novices

I avoid all that fancy brining, injecting,etc. Not neccesary. I rinse out the cavity of the turkey, dry the inside w/a paper towel, rub salt in it, then spoon in the stuffing. (Put wings behind back) After that, I rub oil on the outside and cover loosely with foil. You roast it at 325 degrees F (160 C). Check the following for recommended cooking times-
6~8 pounds- 3 1/2~4 hours
8~12 pounds- 4~4 1/2 hours
12~16 pounds- 4 1/2~5 1/2 hours
16~20 pounds- 5 1/2~6 1/2 hours
20~24 pounds- 61/2~7 1/2 hours

Remove the foil the last 45 minutes. Turkey is ready when leg moves loosely in socket. You can baste while it's roasting if you want, but I prefer to just collect the juices for gravy. When the bird is done, let it sit 15 minutes before carving. Carve off pieces (start at breast and work downward) and scoop out some stuffing after. I make enough stuffing for 20 people so I have it in 2~3 baking dishes which I pop into the oven immediately after I remove the turkey. I'll be cooking my bird in about 5 hours! :-)

If you're not American then why bother celebrating a tradition that has absolutely nothing to do with your culture?

Why bother?
It's not a burden for me at all, it just makes for a good excuse to have my friends over for dinner.
For you guys it's a cultural traditional holiday, for us, it's just about the food =)

You shouldn't make the assumption that everyone here is American.

I don't think I did.
But anyway, I apologize if u felt I was implying that =)

There's no need to apologise. I just find it a bit odd that you would want to celebrate an event that is alien to your culture. Just roast the bird and enjoy.

I suggest reading the Serious Thanksgiving thread.

I am a big fan of brining and I discuss it in that thread. After brining, I loosen the skin by slipping my hand under it and rub seasoned butter onto the turkey. I cover the breast closely with foil (not tented, but wrapped tightly) for the first third or so of cooking. That way, the breast does not overcook when the dark meat is done.

Don't even think of stuffing the turkey ahead of time. That's asking or food poisoning. Cook's Illustrated suggests heating the stuffing before putting into the turkey--the stuffing must be too hot to handle. That helps everything cook master & more evenly. The stuffing goes into the big cavity as well as into the neck end. (I've seen European chicken recipes where the neck area got all the stuffing and the breast was sliced so that each piece got a bit of stuffing.)

You really need a meat thermometer to tell when the beast is done. Tent it lightly with foil and let it rest 20-30 minutes before carving. Take all the stuffing out before carving.

Thanksgiving dinner is usually served family style, so the stuffing and all the side dishes are served in dishes to be passed around or self service. The turkey may be carved at the table and a plate passed to each diner (you want white or dark meat?). Or the turkey may be carved in the kitchen & a plate of meat passed around. If you do this, the turkey should be shown off to the diners in all its glory. A compromise is an initial table carving, with seconds coming from a passed around plate. How to carve a turkey.

There are probably as many ideas for what temperature to cook a turkey, as there are turkey cookers. Some use a uniform temperature throughout. Some start high, then lower the temperature. Or, conversely, start low & finish with a blast of heat. How to roast a stuffed turkey Cooking times are shorter than Cocodrilo's

today the tradition of thanksgiving extends to all of our good fortun and positive events that have taken place in oour lives over the past year. it need not limit itself to americans only. so whats so bad about celebrating a positive event regardless of national origin?????

Celebrating a positive event is fine by me, gengis. Thing is, is the world ready for the globalisation and commercial exploitation of American traditions? In Australia (with due thanks to Hollywood) kids now celebrate Halloween.