Even lifestyle guru Martha Stewart had to start from somewhere.
Stewart detailed to The Daily Mail that it’s been over 50 years since she hosted her first Thanksgiving — but the family dinner almost ended up in disaster.
The newly married Stewart had “bravely” invited her entire family over for a holiday feast — she prepped for the get together with pies and side dishes, as well as a 30-pound turkey. But when it came time to cook the turkey, she forgotten to reduce the oven, and was left with one charred, inedible bird.
SEE MORE: All your turkey questions answered 11 PHOTOSTop 10 Butterball turkey tips for ThanksgivingSee GalleryTop 10 Butterball turkey tips for Thanksgiving
10. Butterball recommends the Open Pan Roasting Method to consistently create a tender, juicy and golden
brown turkey. Use a shallow pan about 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, and always use a flat rack so the turkey cooks
evenly.
9. Use the stuffing calculator on Butterball.com to figure out the right amount to make everyone at your table
happy.
8. Prepare stuffing just before placing in the turkey, using only cooked ingredients. Loosely stuff neck and body
cavities of completely thawed turkey and do not tightly pack stuffing into turkey.
7. Before roasting, turn the turkey’s wings back to hold the neck skin in place. This levels the turkey in the
roasting pan to encourage even cooking, and with the wings out of the way, makes carving easier.
6. Remember home food safety tips when handling turkey
- Wash hands often
- Keep raw turkey and ready-to-eat foods separated
- Cook to proper temperature (see tip 13)
- Refrigerate cooked turkey promptly to reduce temperature to below 40 degrees Fahrenheit
5. What size bird to buy? Allow 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person for generous servings and leftovers.
4. Quick and easy. Butterball offers fully cooked turkeys. Already seasoned and roasted, just throw them in a
shallow pan and warm in the oven according to package instructions for a no-mess, no-fuss way to delight
3. No time to thaw? Try thawing more quickly by submerging the turkey in cold water. Leave the bird in the
wrapper, place it in a tub or sink of cold water and allow 30 minutes of thaw time for every pound of turkey.
2. Butterball recommends refrigerator thawing. For every four pounds of turkey, allow at least one day of
thawing in the refrigerator.
1. Fresh or frozen turkey? Fresh turkeys need no thawing and are ready to cook. Frozen turkeys can be purchased
weeks in advance, but require several days of thawing before roasting. Fresh Butterball turkeys are all natural and
contain no additional ingredients. Frozen Butterball turkeys are deep basted to be extra tender and juicy.
You can find more life-saving tips from Butterball here.
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“My fateful mistake? I preheated the oven to 500 degrees, then forgot to turn it down to 325,” she explained to the publication. Crying, she drove to buy another turkey and was luckily able to save Thanksgiving dinner, though it was held 6 hours late.
Not only did Stewart reveal her top 5 Thanksgiving turkey recipes (lucky Daily Mail!), but she also divulged two of her favorite sides always included on her holiday table: Creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. The key ingredient to getting “velvety smooth” potatoes? Cream cheese.
And with that, we hope to have a very Martha Thanksgiving.
h/t The Daily Mail
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