For the sake of convenience, we recommend a frozen turkey. When choosing a turkey, size matters. A typical 14-pound bird serves 16 people.
Five days ahead is a smart time to start gathering ingredients.
Every 4 pounds of turkey will need 24 hours of thawing time.
Set a calendar alert on your phone after buying the turkey.
While it's still in its packaging, mold a few sheets of foil around the breast area, then set aside for roasting day.
The day before, unpackage the bird and remove the giblets. Then, give your bird a rubdown with an ample amount of salt and return it to the fridge.
When removing the giblets, save the neck for your gravy.