I am an absolute turkey addict.  We roast turkeys and have holiday style meals all throughout the year, so you can bet that over time I’ve learned some great tricks for how to cook the best and juiciest Thanksgiving turkey ever!

Making Your Best Turkey, Tip #1:

• Loosen the skin away from the bird’s meat and season liberally under the skin. You can use fresh or dried herbs, a favorite rub or even some seasoned salt. This way you will be seasoning the meat itself, rather than just the skin.

Making Your Best Turkey, Tip #2:

• Season the cavity the same way you’re seasoning under the skin. Doing this ensures the meat is seasoned from all sides!

Making Your Best Turkey, Tip #3:

• Stuff the cavity with fruit and veggies – I like to use apple, onion and whole garlic cloves. This will help steam cook from the inside and also add more depth of flavor.

Making Your Best Turkey, Tip #4:

• Roast the bird breast side down without a rack. This will cook the breast in the bird’s juices and keep it moist and tender.

Making Your Best Turkey, Tip #5:

• Cook the bird in a covered roaster. The seal from the covered roaster will steam cook the bird, lessening it’s cook time considerably, and helping keep it moist and delicious.

Making Your Best Turkey, Tip #6:

• When the bird is just about finished, take the lid off your roasting pan and turn the broiler on to crisp up the skin. Nothing beats crispy crackly well seasoned skin.

Making Your Best Turkey, Tip #7:

• Allow your turkey to rest at least fifteen minutes before carving.  This will keep all those delicious juices from running out into the pan.

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