Gobblin' Turkey

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First off, here's a handy-dandy link about purchasing and proper turkey preparation: Let's Talk Turkey.

I roast my turkey breast down in the roasting pan. That way, the juices drip into the turkey breast and make it tender and juicy.

I don't always stuff my turkey, but when I do, I like to use a lot of seasonings so that the flavor will permeate the meat. I love to use freshly chopped onion, minced garlic, celery, and the spices: sage, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Don't forget to add liquid to your stuffing, either. I put the stuffing in the neck and abdominal cavities, and any leftover stuffing gets poked between the wings and/or sprinkled over the top of the bird and/or stuffed between the skin and the breast meat. I don't serve the turkey stuffing from the bird, so I make a less seasoned stuffing to be served with Thanksgiving Dinner.

Once the bird is juicing, I baste every half hour.

I also love turkey leftovers, so I tend to purchase a bigger turkey than what I actually need to serve for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Don't over-roast. This will dry out the meat. I pay attention to how big the turkey bird is, then follow the directions printed on the label (from the plastic covering the bird). I have my husband check the bird at the end of the minimum time the directions said to roast, then if it's not done, check every 15 minutes. I also roast the turkey at the temperature recommended (325 degrees, I believe). I pull the turkey out of the freezer 2 days in advance: 1 day in the fridge, the next day in the sink with cool water.

Don't forget to Spam your roasting pan, and if you cover the bird with tinfoil (I do, because my roasting pan isn't big enough for me to put the lid over the turkey), you can spray the side of the tinfoil that goes next to the turkey-lurkey so the skin won't stick.

Anyone else have tried and true turkey roasting tips to share? I'd love to hear them.