How do YOU cook a turkey?

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I have been seeing all kinds of recipes for different ways to cook a turkey. I thought we could all post tips, hints and recipes here for the big day! So, how do YOU cook a turkey? (Ok, so it's a chicken. But it's all I could find! ! LOL!)

To thaw a turkey you need 1 day for every 5 pounds of turkey. Ex: If your turkey is 20 pounds, it will take about 4 days in the fridge to thaw. ALWAYS THAW IN THE FRIDGE to avoid contamination.

Here's a cool recipe I ran across that would be good for camping:

1) Dig a hole large enough to hold a bed of hot coals & completely submerge turkey.
2) Start charcoal in the hole, & allow to become white hot.
3) While coals heat, rinse turkey, pat dry, & rub with butter. Sprinkle with seasoning as desired (salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme....).
4) Wrap 6 - 8 hot coals in aluminum foil. Place these coals in the large cavity of the turkey.
5) Wrap buttered & seasoned turkey in at least 4 layers of foil (I like the non-stick kind).
6) Place wrapped turkey in the hole, on hot coals. For faster cooking time, cover entire turkey & hole with more foil, a metal garbage can, or metal barrel (Make sure these are clean & have not been used with flamable contents!).

Loosely cover with dirt to make an "oven". Turkey (15 - 20 lbs.) should be done in no more than 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Check internal temperature to be sure. Leaving turkey on the coals longer will not result in dry meat as it would in your indoor oven, and basting is not necessary.

Sides Dishes: Corn on the Cob and Baked Potatoes
Soak corn in water in the husks for several hours (a 5-gallon bucket works well for this), then place each ear, with husks intact, on the coals of the fire until done (about 10 minutes) -- silk & outer husks will char, but corn will be hot & delicious. Peel husks back to form a "handle", roll on a stick of butter, salt, pepper, & enjoy!

Potatoes are easy -- wrap in foil, & cook on the hot coals just as you would in your
oven. Takes about 30 mins.

For dessert, try baked apples. Core apples. Fill with cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and a dab of butter. Wrap in foil, & "bake" on hot coals 15 - 30 mins. A delicious end to a delicious meal outdoors with no pots or pans to wash!

Nikki, alot of people do that down here with chicken. But they use a can of BEER! They even sell a special holder that has a place to put the beer can and then sit the chicken over it. Then you can put it in a smoker, in the oven or on the grill (if it will fit) It's really good, but I'm betting yours tastes better!

We don't cook a turkey, since we always go to my MIL's house. This year my BIL is smoking a turkey and deep frying 2 and my MIL is making one the old fashioned way.

On the rare occasions Rick and I cook a turkey, we keep it simple. Mix seasonings with butter and rub it UNDER the skin. Cover with foil and cook it in the oven according to directions. Take foil off for the last 30-45 minutes to brown the skin. I like to baste it to keep it from drying out, but it dtill tastes pretty good even if you don't.

I got one of those injectable marinade kits on sale a few weeks back (for FREE) and I just picked up a turkey last week since they were on sale.We are going to do it for our New Years Party. It's a cajun marinade and sounds yummy! Has anyone ever tried one of those?