Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As you get ready to cook your Thanksgiving turkey, one local chef has advice to make your bird delectable come Thursday. He says you need some time to thaw out a frozen turkey, and if you're frying it, why that's a must.
When it comes to how much time you need to thaw your turkey, it depends on the size of the bird.
"Normally, I get it from two days to thaw out. If not, you just leave it in the fridge overnight," said Chef Darian Bryan in an interview with WBEN.
Thawing the bird is a must if you're frying it.
"You need all of that moisture out of it, because you're going to start a grease fire," Chef Darian warned.
Once the turkey's thawed, Chef Darian says there's a way to get the skin crispy and the meat juicy.
"I make a compound butter, and I season the turkey with some herbs, like thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and I made this compound butter with garlic, lemon zest, parsley and rosemary and thyme," Chef Darian detailed. "I make little slits in the skin and push my hand underneath to stuff the compound butter underneath the skin. That helps the bird to stay nice and juicy throughout the cooking process, so it's not drying out."
If you're frying your turkey, Chef Darian says it's critical to keep an eye on it.
"If a temperature is too hot, it's going to be burned. If it's not hot enough, it's just going to get soggy skin. But also, the most important part is it not exploding in the fryer and cause a grease fire," Chef Darian warned.
This happens when the oil floats over to the flame, causing the fire.
When it comes to putting stuffing in the turkey, Chef Darian admits he's never tried that.
"That's a brilliant idea, but for my family, that doesn't really work, because I'm from a big family and we have to make stuffing separately," Chef Darian said.
He does have concern over the raw juice from the meat getting into the stuffing.
"A turkey take forever to cook too, so I'm just wondering if the stuffing is going to be overcooked by then," Chef Darian added.
His best advice is to be prepared to cook, so you can have a good time when it's time to eat with your family.