Turkey tips from the kitchen

It's cooking day and the turkey still feels icy inside. What now?

Switch to a cold-water thaw. Keep the turkey in its leak-proof wrapper, put it breast side down in a clean sink or cooler, and cover it completely with cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Plan on about 30 minutes per pound that's still frozen, and cook it as soon as it's thawed.

Never thaw a turkey on the counter or in warm water.

When should I stuff the turkey?

Right before it goes in the oven, never the night before. Stuff it loosely, about ¾ cup per pound. Stuffing expands as it cooks, and packed stuffing stays cool in the middle.

When I open the oven to baste, the temperature drops. Is that a problem?

Not for a quick baste. Twenty or thirty seconds with the door open won't hurt anything. At 325°F your oven gets back up to temperature quickly.

The best time to baste is when there's about half an hour of cooking time left. Work quickly and close the door between steps. Opening it again and again adds up and can stretch your cooking time.

Where do I check the temperature?

In more than one spot. Every spot needs to read at least 165°F:

• The crevice between the wing and the breast. It's easy to miss and one of the last areas to cook through.
• The innermost part of the thigh, near the body.
• The thickest part of the breast.
• The center of the stuffing, if the turkey is stuffed.

Keep the thermometer tip off the bone, which reads hotter than the meat around it.

Why let the turkey rest before carving?

Resting 20 to 30 minutes lets the juices settle back into the meat, so they don't run out onto the cutting board, and it makes carving easier. Cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm. Use the time to make the gravy.