Thanksgiving Turkey

Allow 1 day per 4 lbs of meat to thaw in the refrigerator (example: a 16-lb turkey should take 4 days to thaw in the fridge).
If there are any pinfeathers left and they bother you, use a pair of needlenose pliers to pull them out - you don't have to, though.

Brining your Turkey (what we recommend to ensure juiciness!)

What you need:
• A non-reactive container big enough to hold the turkey plus brine (meaning, plastic or stainless steel, such as a 5-gallon bucket or an ice chest)
• Enough brine to cover the bird. To make the brine, the ratio should be 1 cup Kosher salt to 1 gallon cold water.
  Two gallons of brine should be enough to cover up to a 15 lb bird, depending on the container you put it in
• A cool spot, 40º or cooler, that is large enough to fit your brining container – this may not fit in your fridge.
  If you are brining in an ice chest, you can add ice right to it to keep it cool, or if it is cool enough outside, you can keep it there.

Preheat your oven to 350º. Plan on roasting an unstuffed turkey for 15 minutes per pound (a 12 to 16 lb turkey would take 3 to 4 hours), and a stuffed turkey for about 20 minutes per pound.
Your target temperature when roasting the turkey is 165º in the center of the breast meat. We recommend basting the turkey every ½ hour to every hour, using drippings or butter.
If you do not stuff your turkey, you may consider cutting up an onion and a half a stick of butter and putting both in the cavity of the turkey.