Tips for preparing turkey

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Tomorrow is turkey day. Here are tips:

• To help keep your bird from drying out in the refrigerator before you roast it, store it breast down.
• Weigh the neck and giblets after removing them from the turkey. They can weigh a pound or more, so subtracting that weight will affect total roasting time.
• Put a dish towel under your cutting board to keep it from slipping while you are carving.
• Use paper towels to wipe the handle of the knife frequently to prevent slippage.
• Never cut through a bone.

Brine your bird for added flavor

Marinating a turkey in brine — liquid infused with salt — causes the meat to be more moist and flavorful (the salt causes the protein strands in the turkey to unwind and form a web that traps moisture in the meat).

To brine a turkey: Heat 1 cup kosher or Hawaiian salt together with 1 gallon of water until salt is dissolved; add 1 gallon of cool water. Chill; warm brine will begin to cook the turkey. Completely immerse turkey in brine for 24 hours (or however long you wish); keep refrigerated. A light fruit juice such as apple or pear can make up part of the liquid or you can add 1/2 cup sugar to the brine to help the flesh brown. For poultry, plan for about 2 hours brining time for every pound of meat.

Try this recipe for main dish

This recipe serves 12-14 people and assumes your turkey is defrosted. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the giblets and neck from the body and neck cavities of a 12-14-pound turkey. Rinse the turkey in cold water, drain it and pat it dry with paper towels.

Loosen the skin over the breast and legs by running your hands just under the skin. Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan. Season 1 stick unsalted butter with salt and pepper to taste. Rub 6 tablespoons of the butter mixture under the skin, pushing it with your fingers over the breast and legs. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture over the outside of the turkey skin. Season the turkey with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Or scatter the bottom of the pan with whole carrots and celery stalks and then place the turkey on top. Transfer the turkey to the preheated oven and roast for about 45 minutes, until it has turned a golden brown. Then cover the turkey with tented aluminum foil to keep the skin from getting too brown. Continue roasting. About 30 minutes before the turkey is done, remove the foil and baste with the pan juices. After 10 minutes, baste again.

Start checking for doneness after 2fl hours; the total cooking time should be about 3 1/2 hours for a 14-pound turkey. The turkey is done when the thermometer registers 180 degrees in the thigh or 170 degrees in the breast meat.