And I think someone already mentioned this but you'll need to plan out the oven schedule.

My BIL grilled his turkey last year (cooks illustrated method) and it was great!

I highly recommend brining, but think through how you are going to do it with such a large bird. I use a cooler and put in the turkey, brine water, and also ice to keep it at a safe temp. I keep it outside in cold weather. A brining bag would work, but keep in mind how much fridge space you'll need.

This is my fav, most reliable recipe:
http://www.marthastewart.com/353177/perfect-roast-turkey

Do whatever tradition your Mom does for cooking the turkey since that's what the group will expect. We often do the brown in bag b/c it always produces a moist turkey. But note that it will cook faster that way. I don't like brining b/c it's too salty for our group. We did this herb rub 2 years ago and it was amazing
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/herb-turkey-rub/detail.aspx
Be sure to stuff it between the skin & meat, not just put it on the skin.

This is a great thread! Like the OP, I'm a newbie at cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

Will a 20-pound turkey be sufficient for 21 people?? I've heard I should have at least 1 pound per person, but I can't fit a huge turkey in my oven.

Love the idea of preparing the sides in advance and heating them in a crock pot!

I get the free range already brined turkey at TJ's.

Op - do not panic! It will be ok! In my family, turkey is an after thought. It's a vehicle to eat dressing and mashed potatoes. I think we could skip it, make double ritz cracker stuffing and everybody would be happy!

Sad but totally true.

I get the free range already brined turkey at TJ's.

Op - do not panic! It will be ok! In my family, turkey is an after thought. It's a vehicle to eat dressing and mashed potatoes. I think we could skip it, make double ritz cracker stuffing and everybody would be happy!

Anonymous wrote:Making a turkey is incredibly easy.

Defrost adequately
Take out giblets and heart
Rub with oil and salt and pepper. Yes, there are tons of elaborate recipes and recommendations to brine and all that, but it's really not necessary for a novice to get started.
Place in oven for cooking time on wrap
Done!

Just a mild disagreement about the brining because it is a simple step and does make a huge difference, the concept alone should be convincing. If you have the room in your fridge, consider brining. I copied in a simple brine below to demonstrate how easy it is.

2 gallons cold water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons crushed garlic
fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage, about 3 to 4 twigs of each herb *
1 teaspoon cracked allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation:

*If you use dried herbs, use about 1 tablespoon of each herb.
This is enough for a 12 to 15 pound turkey, but if you have to increase the amount of water to cover the turkey, add proportionately more salt, sugar, and herbs.

(For each gallon of water: 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and approximately 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, 1 to 2 twigs of the herbs, and about 1/2 teaspoon of cracked berries and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.)

Submerge the turkey in the brine, top with a plate and put a large can on that to hold the turkey under the brine. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Before roasting, rinse the turkey well and pat dry. Roast without added salt following your favorite recipe.

Making a turkey is incredibly easy.

Defrost adequately
Take out giblets and heart
Rub with oil and salt and pepper. Yes, there are tons of elaborate recipes and recommendations to brine and all that, but it's really not necessary for a novice to get started.
Place in oven for cooking time on wrap
Done!

24 lbs is too big for 1st time. So, that wou l d be the first advice. The next advice is to keep it simple. Make one carb dish, one veggie dish and one sweet dish. For example: stuffing, salad snd cranberry sauce.

I disagree. The technique is the same, regardless of the size of the bird. The only things that are different are the size of the roasting pan and oven, and the thawing and cooking times. Unless OP is too small to physically flip a 24-pound bird over or remove it from the pan (and if so, aren't there others in the family to help?), I don't see a reason to worry about how big it is.

We use a bag..seals in all the juices and cooks quicker.

Anonymous wrote:FoodAndWine.com has the best turkey recipes. I would definitely brine the turkey; it makes a huge difference.

100% agree about brining.

So not forget to take the giblets out of the cavity!

FoodAndWine.com has the best turkey recipes. I would definitely brine the turkey; it makes a huge difference.

OP - You'll be fine. I've fixed (take that, snarky PP) Thanksgiving dinner pretty much every year for 24 years. I've never screwed up the turkey. I've messed up side dishes and desserts, but turkey is just not hard to do.

I agree with the PP who stressed thawing the turkey well in advance. It will take a 24 pound turkey at least 3 days to thaw in the fridge. I would give it longer. Take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge by Sunday. If (God forbid) it isn't completely thawed, you can put it in cold water but that's a pain in the ass.

I'm from Mississippi and we don't stuff our birds in the deep south. We make dressing instead. I have no advice at all about how to properly stuff a turkey. I put some onion and celery and salt and pepper in the cavity and throw it away after the turkey is done. I make cornbread dressing instead and it is literally amazing. Also, stuffing a large turkey is usually not a great idea anyway.

Just follow the directions on the turkey. Generally speaking it will take a 25 pound turkey about 4 1/2 hours to cook at 350. You don't have to continually baste the turkey, but make sure you to baste it a few times. Take it out and let it sit for about 20 minutes before you carve it. Just cover with a piece of foil to keep it warm. Like the PPs said, use that time to get everything else on the table.

People always ask me how I pull of Thanksgiving supper for so many people. My secret? I do almost everything in advance. All of my side dishes are made days in advance and frozen. All of my desserts are baked a day or two before. I set the table the day before. Literally the only thing I have to worry about on Thanksgiving Day is the Turkey.

You'll do great! People make a huge deal about cooking a Turkey. Really, it's one of the easiest things to prepare.

OP here: thanks for the tips everyone! My Mom, who usually hosts was the one who told me to do 24 pounds. She promised to consult without laughter, and my Dad will be the expert carver. I definitely will use my roasting pan and will check to make sure I am not over doing the side dishes, my sisters and SIL will also be bringing some side dishes.

Maybe I will re-think 24 lbs and go for more like 20? It is 9 adults and 5 kids.