Be proactive: Tame your turkey day with proper preparation Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 18 2009 05:32 AM From staff reports

For many people, cooking a Thanksgiving feast is a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be. Plan ahead and shop early to get a jump start on the holiday.

The turkey is the centerpiece of the meal for most families.

Proper preparation can make purchasing, thawing and cooking the bird as easy as 1-2-3.

First, decide how many people you need to feed.

Linda Fuchs, a Bell County extension agent, recommends knowing how many people will be coming to your Thanksgiving dinner and how much room you have in the refrigerator or freezer.

Fuchs suggests the following formula for figuring out how much turkey to buy:

Whole bird — 1 pound per person

Boneless breast of turkey — ½ pound per person

Breast of turkey — ¾ pound per person

Prestuffed frozen turkey — 1 ¼ pounds per person – keep frozen until ready to cook.

If you're buying a frozen turkey, you can buy it any time, just make sure you start to thaw it in time.

If thawing in the refrigerator:

A 4- to 12-pound turkey — 1 to 3 days

A 12- to 16-pound turkey — 3 to 4 days

A 16- to 20-pound turkey — 4 to 5 days

A 20- to 24-pound turkey — 5 to 6 days

If thawing in the sink in cold water:

A 4- to 12-pound turkey — 2 to 6 hours

A 12- to 16-pound turkey — 6 to 8 hours

A 16- to 20-pound turkey — 8 to 10 hours

A 20- to 24-pound turkey — 10 to 12 hours

The day before Thanksgiving, do a final check to make sure you have all the ingredients you need to cook. Do as much prep work as possible in advance. Pies and cakes can be made and refrigerated overnight. Many casseroles can be premixed and stored in the refrigerator until it's time to bake them Thanksgiving Day.

On Thanksgiving, start your turkey first, since it usually takes the longest to bake. If using a stuffing, be sure to stuff the bird loosely, Fuchs said, since the stuffing expands while it cooks.

Here's a rough cooking table for preparing your turkey, which should be cooked in a 325-degree oven.

Unstuffed turkey

8 to 12 pounds — 2 ¾ to 3 hours

12 to 14 pounds — 3 to 3 ¾ hours

14 to 18 pounds — 3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours

18 to 20 pounds — 4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours

20 to 24 pounds — 4 ½ to 5 hours

Stuffed turkey

8 to 12 pounds — 3 to 3 ½ hours

12 to 14 pounds — 3 ½ to 4 hours

14 to 18 pounds — 4 to 4 ¼ hours

18 to 20 pounds — 4 ¼ to 4 ¾ hours

20 to 24 pounds — 4 ¾ to 5 ¼ hours

Turkey must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to check it. Pink turkey is not safe to eat.

Also try these recipes for a holiday salad and cranberry and sausage stuffing.

But no matter what you cook, be sure to take time to give thanks for the feast.