Turkey Know-How

No matter how delicious your appetizers or decadent your pie, the turkey will always take center stage on Thanksgiving Day. Because many cooks roast a whole turkey only once a year, the task can be intimidating to anyone, no matter how experienced. Producing juicy, succulent meat is a challenge when roasting a bird in the oven’s dry heat, but the following techniques will help create the ideal bird. Among the secrets to a well-browned turkey with moist meat are brining it (below), using a compound butter or turkey injector, and checking the temperature with a thermometer.