You have a family get-together coming up, and you have volunteered to roast a turkey. If you have never successfully roasted a moist turkey, there are a few tips to master before you begin. To delight your guests with a golden-brown bird that is as appealing to the eye as it is delicious, you will need to know how to choose the right turkey, how to prep it, and the trick to roasting it to perfection.

Choosing a Turkey

• Fresh or frozen? Purchasing your bird fresh or frozen is a personal choice. Though some prefer the taste of one to the other, more than likely your choice will be based on your schedule and the date of your dinner party. If you choose to purchase a fresh bird, you must use it within a few days. Keep it refrigerated until it is ready to be cooked. Never purchase a pre-stuffed fresh turkey as any mishandling can result in bacteria quickly spreading. If you choose to purchase a frozen bird, you will need to factor in thaw time. Turkey should be thawed in the refrigerator; depending on the size, this can take anywhere from one to six days.
  
• Size. How many people are you feeding? Turkeys come in different weights, from around 8 pounds to 20-plus pounds. Allow a minimum of one pound of turkey per person. A 12-pound turkey, along with all the goodies that go with it, will easily feed six to eight people.
  
• Personal recommendations. It does not matter which brand of turkey you use. If you roast it properly, you will always end up with a juicy turkey. There are many different brands out there, and generally the store brand tastes as good as any other brand. You will also want to check the ingredients to be sure that there are no additives in your choice. Many turkeys now have a button that pops up to tell you when the turkey is done. The pop-up button is pretty accurate, though it’s best not to rely on it solely. You should have a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. You can purchase these at most grocery stores.