Many of you will be putting a bird in the oven tomorrow morning. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the years:

1. Cook that turkey with the breast down. Yes, it won’t look like the pictures in magazines, but you’re probably going to carve it before you serve it anyway. The breast meat stays nice and juicy this way.

2. Do not over cook! Use that meat thermometer and take the bird out when you reach 180 in the center of the meat.

3. Allow 30 minutes for the turkey to sit before carving. This gives the juices time to be pulled back into the meat.

4. If you want a little extra flavor, consider stuffing butter and rosemary (or other spices) between the skin and meat.

5. Never. Never. Never, attempt to cook a turkey on the barbecue because the electricity has gone out. Your 20 pound bird may end up being a 5 pound carcass. Not that I’d know anything about that.

What is your Thanksgiving specialty?

Image: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net