Food Cooking Tips & Techniques How to Prepare a Turkey for Roasting Skip the Butterball hotline this year—follow our easy instructions and prepare the turkey of your dreams. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 16, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email You've thawed your turkey and have the oven perfectly preheated to the right temperature. Now what? We know it can sound intimidating, but preparing a turkey for roasting is a simple task, no matter how big the bird. All you need are a few basic techniques and you'll be ready to impress the crowd at your Thanksgiving dinner. How Long to Cook a Turkey, in One Easy Chart What You'll Need: TurkeyKitchen twineRoasting pan with rackBaking trayParing knife How to Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey Without a Roasting Pan How to Prepare a Turkey for Roasting: 01 of 04 Empty the inside and place turkey on a tray Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong Reach your hand into the turkey's cavity and remove anything that's in there, such as a packet of giblets. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rimmed baking tray or cookie sheet—this will catch any juices and make post-prep cleanup a breeze. 02 of 04 Tuck the turkey wings Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong Holding a wing in your hand, lift that side of the turkey a couple of inches and tuck the wing underneath the bird's back. Lower the turkey and repeat with the other side. Tucking the wings will make for more even roasting and keep them from burning. 03 of 04 Tie the drumsticks together Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong Cut a piece of kitchen twine (about 8 inches in length). Cross the turkey legs at their "ankles"—the thinnest point, directly above the bottom joints. Then, wrap the twine around the two ankles, tying it into a knot or bow to hold them together. This makes for a tidy-looking turkey. 04 of 04 Transfer the turkey to a roasting rack Caitlin-Marie Miner Ong For cooking, transfer the turkey from the baking tray to a rack set inside a roasting pan. If one of the wings comes untucked, tuck it back under the bird. RELATED: How to Take a Turkey's Temperature Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit