As millions of families gather together to celebrate Thanksgiving, perfecting the Turkey is key to cooking an outstanding meal.

To make the perfect oven-roasted turkey for your holiday dinner, dry-brining with a homemade spice rub is absolutely mandatory.

To make the perfect oven-roasted turkey for your holiday dinner, dry-brining with a homemade spice rub is absolutely mandatory.

FOOD How to cook a perfect turkey for Thanksgiving There’s a sense of accomplishment when you set a large, golden bird on the holiday table.

Master these skills to cook a foolproof Thanksgiving bird, and a better roast chicken throughout the year. Spatchcock for success Think of spatchcocking as turning a 3D turkey into a 2D one.

Although making a whole turkey can be impressive, selecting one of its cuts — the breast, thighs or legs — is often cheaper, easier to manage and takes up less of that precious oven space.

Many devoted conventionalists swear that oven-roasted turkey is the only way it should be eaten. However, more rebellious chefs have taken to deep-frying their birds over the last decade.

Roast 45 minutes. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat). Using clean potholders (or 2 thick wads of paper towels), rotate turkey breast side up.

How to deal with every last-minute Thanksgiving turkey conundrums like a pro like when to thaw and what to do if it's still frozen.

Need a little help putting on a Thanksgiving meal for the whole family? Here is where to get your staples - from turkey to dessert.

Place turkey in oven, breast side up and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Turn the turkey breast side down and roast for 30 minutes.

Many turkey breast recipes recommend starting the oven at a higher temperature of 425 degrees. This sears the bird. Then the temperature is reduced to 325 degrees to finish the cooking.