So what are you doing with your turkey to make it delicious?

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

Rather than just a dried out old bird?

Please share your secrets with me. I want really nice turkey this year.

[Notyetthere]

First time here too. I plan to use Nigella's recipe for a spiced brined turkey. It has had some positive reviews.

[lilolilmanchester]

Check your oven cooking guide for timings. We have a fan oven and it takes a lot less time to cook than e.g Delia or Nigella suggest. Let it rest, breast downwards, covered infoil And a tip from a friend years ago,stick an unpeeled cooking apple in the cavity, helps keep it moist.

[whoneedstosleep]

I do it Xmas eve, lots of butter between breast and skin then more on top with streaky bacon.

[haggisaggis]

I brine it - but most important thing is not to overcook it. A good quality, free range bird can cook in as little as 2 hours. Depending on where you buy it, you might be given a cooking thermometer thingy that you put in the turkey wen it goes on teh oven and it pops up to tell you when it cooks - or use a cooking thermometer. It is cooked when it reads 70 deg c (put it into thickest part of the bird and make sure it doesn't touch the bone).

[ChangedToday]

I don't cook Turkey [unhelpful sorry]

[Marne]

Same as ChangedToday we are having beef, I don't think its possible to make turkey taste good, if it was possible then people would eat it more than once a year .

[DeepThought]

We stick a lemon and an onion up it's bum and lay bird on a trivet of large bits of carrot onion halves and celery sticks. Strips of smokey bacon over the top of the bird then douse in decent sherry. Then roast.

Mince up the trivet veg as base for gravy with pan scrapings. This does need sieving before decanting. Yummy.

[winklewoman]

We've done the Nigella brining thing for several years now and would not contemplate any other method. Not only is the turkey succulent on the day, but it stays like that for Boxing Day (and beyond).

[MillyONaire]

I am marinating it in buttermilk and orange for 24 hours, then buttering and rashering and roasting!! (boned breast only)

[TeeBee]

Cook it upside down.

[wordfactory]

By the best quality you can afford.

Stuff it with something fatty -sausage meat based.

Smother in butter.

Put in tin upside down.

Layer streaky bacon over.

Do Not Overcook!!!!!

[Jenijena]

Swapping it for something else :)

[ErrolTheDragon]

We'll be using our tried and trusted method ... buying a crown roast from M&S

[VesuviusPoovius]

I swap it for a chicken

[AnneEyhtMeyer]

I put lots of butter under the skin and then more on top and covered in bacon. I use a trivet of veg, then I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the roasting tin and then make a big tent of foil over the bird.

Never had a dry turkey.

[5HundredUsernamesLater]

All of the above and if you aren't actually stuffing the bird placing a bunch of fresh sage and an onion inside give it a nice flavour.

[ElfOnTheShelf]

At the risk of sounding thick, do you cut the lemon or onion in half before sticking it inside and lilo do you put the unpeeled apple inside the cavity after cooking so just whilst it's resting or whilst cooking too?

okay okay I do sound thick but who cares

Also those who roast birds upside down, is this for the whole cooking duration or do you turn it right way up halfway through it's cooking time. I'm thinking the skin wouldn't brown if upside down the whole time

[wordfactory]

Elf I turn the bird round - breast side up - with about 30/45 mins to go. That should give you a nice golden skin. Though the bird is a little flatter thsn normal.

[ZombieSquirrel]

I'm attempting a cranberry, bacon and walnut stuffing. My mum attempted it last year and I loved it.

[2blessed]

Let the bird soak in lemon and salt water overnight. Season first thing in the morning, putting seasoning into slits in breast. Whole Onion, garlic, pointed sweet pepper and fresh thyme in the cavity. Smother with butter and that should be it. Yum!

[wordfactory]

Zombie stuffing a bird is a good way to increase flavour and texture.

Just ensure the bird and the stuffing are not fridge cold when they go in the oven. And don't overpack.

It's these two issues that can cause illness.

[wordfactory]

For the briners amongst us, a question. Is the salt in the brine noticible in the bird's meat?

And are the juices too salty for gravy?