As many of you know, I made my very first Thanksgiving turkey this past weekend! And because I’m so nice, I will impart on you the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained from this experience. =) Remember: there are many different ways to roast a turkey, and it’s really up to you to decide which method you want to go with!
Half-carved turkey for small group potluck dinner 
There are so many things to consider when you are roasting a turkey. I’ll break it down into three parts with helpful links:
1. Types of turkeys. Kosher, organic, processed, self-basting, natural – what are the differences? What does it all mean? Real Simple, Bon Appetite, has all the answers you need (I went with a kosher turkey).
2. Brining. What does brining mean, and why should you consider doing it? Serious Eats labs did a little experiment and found that brined turkeys taste significantly better. Martha Stewart has a good brining recipe. Basically, you are adding moisture to the poultry so that it’s nice and juice once you’re done cooking.(Brining is the best thing that ever happened to chicken and turkey).
3. Basting. I always assumed you’re supposed to baste the turkey. But be careful, as frequent opening and closing of the oven can release a lot of heat. Suggestion – try basting during the last hour of cooking, every twenty minutes. (Note – I did not baste my turkey because I was preoccupied – but it turned out fine).
A word of warning: When the turkey is inserted at a high temperature into the oven, it will get smoky! So just be aware of it during the first 30 minutes of cooking. My apartment smells like turkey even today! (My sincerest apologies to my roommate and anyone else who has come over since Saturday).
Check out this awesomely comprehensive list by Cheap Healthy Good for more information on all recipes Thanksgiving!
