The first time I cooked the turkey — Randy Forbes

Having just moved to London in September, I anxious I might not even have enough friends to invite to a Thanksgiving dinner, never mind that I’d never been individually responsible for anything more rigorous than mashing the potatoes. Start by making a list of everyone coming to dinner. Turkey is the food item that most Americans agree has to be on the Thanksgiving dinner table, a Gallup poll found. Half of Americans say that Thanksgiving turkey is their favorite dish of the holiday.

“You can get a 12 to 14 pound turkey for around a little over $5”, he said. For larger birds, a bit less is fine; they have a higher meat-to-bone ratio. Thats roughly $1.44 per pound, an increase of about 9 cents per pound, or a total of $1.39 per whole turkey, compared to 2014.

The National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate took off on a United Airlines flight designated “Turkey One” this morning, flying from San Francisco worldwide Airport (SFO) to Washington, D.C. The birds will be greeted and pardoned by President Obama on Wednesday, November 25 at the annual Presidential Turkey pardoning ceremony at the White House.

The Department of Agriculture reports fresh turkeys now cost about a $60 a pound.

There are only three safe ways to thaw food: in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. The salt and sugars soak into the turkey and break down the tough muscle and lock in moisture. Be certain the brine is completely cooled before using it.

ShopRite: Once you meet the local purchase threshold on your Price Plus membership card, you’ll be awarded a free turkey or ham.

So for a 10-hour soak, use 1 cup each of salt and sugar. For a longer one, consider backing down to 3/4 cup each. Always keep the bird refrigerated during brining. “Add to your thickened gravy that you made with that lovely roasted turkey stock”. And on the flip side, flabby turkey skin isn’t something anyone wants to eat (nor is it visually appealing).

“I would cook the vegetables first, and then cook the turkey”. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Wash the brine off the turkey, pat dry with a paper towel.

Roasting temperatures vary widely by recipe.

Let’s say that this year’s Thanksgiving feast is going to be a more intimate affair than the usual cast of thousands, yet you still want turkey. Use an instant read thermometer that should read 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh.

Using a convection oven? They are great at browning, but require heating or timing adjustments. It shields it from the heat of the oven so your breast ends up over cooking far before your legs are done.

Don’t even think about deep frying an icy turkey. That allows the juices to redistribute inside the turkey before it’s cut into.

“I probably spent close to 300 dollars between everything”. If you’ve cooked the stuffing inside the bird, make sure that also reaches the same temperature for food safety purposes.

“If you can, deep-fry your turkey, but once you have a deep-fried turkey, there is no going back to a roasted turkey”. Uncover, and bake until the tetrazzini is bubbling and the top is browned, about 20 minutes more. You can see the menu and make reservations here or call 213-680-0330. Place roasting pan over two burners.

Add a whole bottle of rubbed Sage to the mix and garlic salt and pepper to taste… if to dry add a few chicken stock…

Speaking of foil, get the good stuff. During my corporeal sojourn (1975-1992), I was known to have partaken of a bird or two. Your Thanksgiving prep just got easier. Here’s how to make the most of the extra roasting space.