With The holidays just a few days away and you entertaining everyone in your family this year, cooking a turkey the best you can needs to happen for everyone to enjoy their meal. To make a meal that will be remembered you have to make sure the center attraction is the best it can be. Of course, that means the turkey. Go ahead and try to “distract” your guests with your fancy home floor plan, it’s the turkey that everyone can’t wait to see!

There are many ways to infuse flavor and moisture into a turkey. We all have relatives who cook their turkeys past their prime, thus creating a dry, tough bird. Meat is better when filled with plenty of moisture and flavor. The marinade can be anything from beer and honey to apple cider and herbs. If a wet marinade is not the way you want to go try a dry rub. Create a blend of herbs and spices, like garlic salt, pepper, citrus peel and other herbs and rub them on the outside of the turkey. Your home built from a unique house plan will soon be filled with these amazing aromas. These flavors will infiltrate the skin resulting in a fresh, unique flavor. Try injecting the flavors right into the meat by using an injection process will make a turkey extra flavorful and moist. Use the same ingredients as a marinade while also including butter for added moisture and inject the marinade directly into the meat of the turkey. If you want to go for something a little more unique, try using a brine instead.

There are many ways to get that picture perfect turkey you strive for. Oven roasted is the most traditional way you can cook a turkey because it is simple, flexible and provides juice for making excellent gravy. A turkey between 8 and 10 pounds will need to cook at 325 degrees for 3-3½ hours for the best results. For a 10-14 pound bird, cook at the same temperature for 3½ to 4 hours. Your house designs will start to smell like heaven! Deep frying a turkey has made a name for itself in recent years. Since it cooks in less than an hour and doesn’t take up valuable oven space some people prefer this option. You could even try putting your turkey in a slow cooker or using a smoker or grill to get the perfect bird. However you cook your turkey, be sure that the thermometer reads 180 degrees when it is taken out and let it “rest” for 30 minutes before carving to maintain the moisture level.