Ingredients:

12-pound Kock's Free Range Bronze Heritage Turkey

RealSalt Kosher sea salt

What is a plastic Hock Lock and is it safe?

Thaw the turkey ahead of time in the refrigerator or even in the ice chest shipping box. The objective is to thaw the turkey without letting it's external temperature rise up out of the safe range.

Pat dry before roasting. Stuff with an old traditional meat dressing if desired. Insert thermometer into the center of an inner thigh muscle, being careful not to touch the bone. Better yet, Koch's turkeys come with a pop up timer. Salt the outside of the bird, cover and place in roaster/oven at 325°F.  Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F which is where the pop up activates. To brown the bird, uncover for the last 30 minutes or so, probably close to when the the temperature reaches 155°F.  The general rule of thumb is to cook about 20 minutes per pound for an 8-pound turkey and about 15 minutes per pound for a 20-pound turkey, adjusting the time for variables such as size of bird, added stuffing, actual oven temperature, accuracy of meat thermometer, etc. It is most important not to overcook the turkey so keep a careful watch close to the end of the estimated cooking time.

How Many Servings per Pound of Turkey?

For turkeys smaller than 16 pounds, estimate one pound per serving (this accounts for bone weight). For larger birds, a bit less is fine; they have a higher meat-to-bone ratio. But if your goal is to have ample leftovers, aim for 1½ pounds per person whatever the turkey’s size.

  • For 8 people, buy a 12-pound turkey.
  • Thawing Turkeys

The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is in the refrigerator. You’ll need about 24 hours per four to five pounds of turkey. You also can put the turkey in a sink of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes, and plan for about 30 minutes per pound.