The basic turkey

A beautiful turkey is the glorious centerpiece of a Thanksgiving table. The skin of the turkey should be golden brown and the inside moist and tender.

Yes, there are blackened turkeys and smoked turkeys and turkeys rubbed with herbs and spices. But if you want a traditional dinner, go for a good old-fashioned roasted turkey.

Roasted Turkey
Active Work Time: 20 minutes
Total Preparation Time: 5 hours 50 minutes
To roast turkey unstuffed, season bird with salt and pepper to taste inside and out. If desired, insert pieces of celery, carrots and onions to improve flavor. Fold neck skin to back and fasten with skewer. Fasten legs down by tying or tucking under clamp or skin band.

1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, thawed

Salt, pepper

Basic Bread Stuffing or stuffing of choice

Butter, melted

Remove giblet bag from turkey. Check both cavities for extra parts. Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Rub salt and pepper to taste into neck and body cavities.

Loosely pack stuffing into neck and body cavities. Do not overstuff. Stuffing expands during cooking. Skewer neck skin to back of bird to hold stuffing in place. Tuck drumsticks with clamp or skin band, or tie with kitchen twine, and tuck wings under bird. Allow 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. If recipe makes more stuffing than bird will hold, place in lightly greased casserole at 325 degrees until heated through, 30 to 45 minutes.

Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with melted butter. Roast uncovered at 325 degrees until thermometer reaches 165 degrees in stuffing (if roasting unstuffed, take temperature in thigh). Check turkey for doneness by inserting instant-read meat thermometer into center of thigh and inside stuffing.

Baste with melted butter every 30 to 45 minutes. If bird is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil or cover breast with butter-soaked cheesecloth.

When turkey is done, remove from oven and let turkey rest at room temperature 20 minutes.

10 to 12 servings. 10 servings, without stuffing: 553 calories; 706 mg sodium; 217 mg cholesterol; 31 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 55 grams protein; 0.20 gram fiber.