How to Bake a Juicy, Delicious Turkey

I've roasted at least two dozen turkeys in my life and they all turned out pretty well - but three years ago my girlfriend Chris introduced me to a sure-fire technique that she learned from her sister, which cooks the turkey thoroughly yet keeps it very moist and juicy. (A moist, juicy turkey is hard to achieve, due to the extended baking time.)

The secret? Wrapping the turkey in its own aluminum foil "pouch" that contains chicken stock and/or wine. Steam from the liquid keeps the meat moist while the bird cooks evenly inside and out, at 325 degrees for 15 minutes per pound. When an hour of cooking time is left, open the foil so the turkey can brown.

This method has ALWAYS been successful for me and it makes the process easy and stress-free. Some tips to ensure that your turkey turns out just right:

* Grease the inside of the foil with vegetable oil, butter or a cooking oil spray so it won't stick to the turkey; try to ensure that the foil isn't touching the top or sides of the turkey when you crimp the foil closed to make the "pouch."

* To keep the bottom of the turkey from sticking to the foil, I make a bed of celery ribs and carrots and lay the turkey on them. These veggies also add a nice flavor to the turkey drippings (along with the wine and/or stock), which I use to make gravy.

* Never stuff the turkey with dressing before baking. It lengthens the cooking time, which can dry out the turkey, and leaves too many opportunities for improperly cooked food issues to occur. Bake your dressing separately and if you like it really moist, add more liquid to your recipe.

Please leave a comment with your best Thanksgiving dinner cooking tips and/or recipes. It's always nice to find new ways to make the cooking easier and to have something a little different and new to add to the table on festive occasions.