Q&A for How to Clean a Turkey

No—in fact, food safety experts recommend not rinsing or washing fresh poultry. Rinsing the turkey will only splash potentially dangerous germs around your kitchen. The one exception is if your turkey is brined, in which case it’s okay to rinse the excess brine out of the body cavity.

Typically, when you buy a turkey in the grocery store, the giblets are tucked inside either the neck cavity or the main body cavity. The giblets are usually wrapped up in a small paper bag. The neck may also be tucked inside the body cavity. Simply reach in and pull them out by hand, then wash up with soap and water when your'e done.

The hock locks are plastic loops that are sometimes placed around the legs of store-bought turkeys. The hock lock is heat resistant, so you can safely leave it on if you like, and even use it to hold the legs together to help keep the stuffing in.

Yes, it is safe to clean your turkey with vinegar. You can clean chicken or turkey with vinegar, lemon or lime juice. You can also wash it with the Real Lemon or lime.

Keep it in the refrigerator and wrap it in Saran wrap or foil to keep it safe to cook the next day.

Put an apple or onion inside and lace it closed. This adds a nice flavor and keeps the breasts from drying out.

Yes, but take it off after halfway through the cooking time, as the foil will prevent the top of the turkey from browning.

No, it is best to clean your turkey just prior to cooking it.

It depends on the size, so either google the weight of your turkey and look for the cook time or read the label on the package.

I smoke mine with charcoal. This year I had a 13 lb turkey and it took about 7 hours.

No, you don't need to cook stuffing in the turkey. You can cook it separately as a side dish if you don't want it in the turkey, or skip the stuffing altogether.

Yes. You could also cook the stuffing separately and add it to the turkey after cooking.