A Turkey Your Family Will Gobble Up

One of the most daunting holiday tasks is cooking the big bird.

From the buying to the thawing and then from the stuffing to the actual cooking, it's almost too much for one person to handle.

So let's talk turkey!

How big of a turkey do you need?

No matter how big or small your family may be, Butterball has a calculator that will help you decided just how large of a turkey you need. Simply punch in the number of adults, the number of children, if your family has big eaters and if you want leftovers. Try it!

How long do you need to thaw a turkey?

Thawing a turkey in the refrigerator is the safest method, according to turkey experts. It takes some time, so you'll want to make sure you plan ahead.

For instance, The Food Network said it takes approximately three days to thaw a 20 pound turkey. That's certainly not something you want to find out the day before the big feast!

A good rule of thumb is to allow one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey. You can also use the the turkey calculator for that task, too!

What do you need to do to prepare the bird?

Remove the turkey from the bag, wash the turkey warm water and remove the pouch containing the giblets and neck.

Coat the turkey with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Turkey recipes that will make them waddle away from the table?

You'll find basic recipes and seasonings on various websites, but Food Network, Butterball, Paula Deen and Martha Stewart had these yummy ideas.

Roasted turkey with herbs

Roasted turkey with wild rice, sausage and apple stuffing

Spice-rubbed turkey with garlic-pear puree

Roasted turkey with maple cranberry glaze

Bacon roasted turkey

If you are planning to fry a turkey, you can check out these tasty recipes. You may also find some others to try here.

How long do you need to cook a turkey?

Turkey experts recommend cooking turkey at 350 degrees. Cook times will vary, but plan to cook the turkey 20 minutes for every pound.

Here's a helpful chart for cooking times and temperatures.

If you are .

How to carve a turkey?

This breaks down carving step by step.

Need more turkey tips?

Check out Food Network's Top 10 Turkey Tips

Butterball

Have any tips of your own or a great recipe? Share them in the comments section below.