Top 10 Turkey Tools
November 17, 2009 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Cooking Tools, Hallowe'en, Fall & Thanksgiving, Pots & Pans, Seasonal, Serving, Winter, Christmas, & Hanukkah
I’ve taken the list that I shared with you last year and updated it with up-to-date links and prices. Here are all the top 10 tools that you’ll need to take you turkey from preparation through perfect roasting and carving! Plus a bonus 2 items for serving 
- The foodloop, or twine, to tie the turkey’s legs together. 4 for $10
- Turkey Lacers to keep the skin flaps tight over the stuffing if you still do stuffing the traditional way. 8 for $3
- Or a Stuffing Cage, which I prefer, and will hold up to two boxes of stuffing mix! Of course, then it should really be called “dressing” instead of stuffing, but you are stuffing it into the cage…oh, never mind! $10
- Roasting pan with a rack. I like using an open one and putting foil around it to get my turkey started, but you may prefer to buy a covered roaster. All-Clad roaster with rack $200 (pricey, but not a single bad review!)
- Meat Thermometer, to make sure you get your bird up to temp. It doesn’t have to be one of these funky digital ones, but doesn’t this look nice? $23
- Oven Mitts like these non-slip silicon beauties! $11
- Turkey Lifters, which you might not need if you have a small turkey, but believe me, these are essential with my 25 pounders! $12
- Cutting Board, which almost everyone already has, but how about getting one of these non-slip easy to wash ones? $15
- Carving Knife and Meat Fork set to finish off your bird perfectly! You can make these as elaborate as you choose, even electric, but I like the plain old plain old. $60 set
- Whisk, maybe even a non-stick silicone coated one like this, for making perfect gravy. $12.50
You’ll notice that I left out the Baster, long considered an essential tool. I don’t use one (“Bastin’ is wastin’ “) and no one else I know does either, but you can argue with me in the comments if you’d like I thought it also might be nice to have a Fat Separator ($16), but I don’t have one and have managed to make wicked good gravy so far without one. If you can think of other essential turkey tools you use that I missed, leave a comment!
Here are the 2 bonus serving items I don’t think you can really get by without:
- A Turkey Platter. No, it doesn’t have to have a turkey on it, but it is fun. Any large platter will do. $27
- Gravy Boat and Ladle. Yes, you need the ladle too. Icky pools of dripped turkey gravy in the saucer or on the table…enough said
$5.50
I love that oven mitt and the foodloop looks pretty cool!
Nikki, I definitely need a whole set of these silicone gadgets and gizmos!
These are great. I definitely want one of those food loops for tying up the legs.
My favorite gadget for turkey, though, is the three-piece “disposable” aluminum pans. The turkey sits in a rack with handles to easily lift it from the pan. The pan sits in a second rack with handles for moving it in and out of the oven.
I’ve been using the same one for years. Plus it’s very lightweight – which is important when you’re cooking a 20-pound bird!
I love the stuffing cage! I didn’t even know that they exsisted. What a brilliant idea