7. Use the four-spot test for doneness. When it's time to check your turkey for doneness, the old method of pricking the thigh and looking for clear juices is not reliable. Between supermarket turkeys bred for buxom breasts and the inevitable hot spots in your oven, we urge you to take the temperature in at least four places: both thighs, as well as the thickest part of the breast on each side. Don't remove the turkey from the oven until all these places register a minimum of 165F.
8. Let the turkey rest after roasting. When the turkey comes out of the oven, it's hard to resist the urge to start carving, but resist you must. While your turkey has been roasting, the juices have been working their way toward the outer part of the roast. If you slice the turkey while it's still hot, those juices will keep up their momentum, moving right out of the bird and leaving the meat moist and dry as sawdust. Let the bird rest on a platter for 30 minutes. During that time, the juices will move back to where they belong, inside the meat. Some people like to cover the turkey with foil while it's standing, but that's only going to turn the gorgeously crisp skin flabby. Rest assured that even uncovered, the turkey will still be slightly warm after half an hour.
9. Keep turkey leftovers foil-free. When you clear the table before dessert, focus first on storing the leftovers. A turkey carcass takes up nearly as much room as an uncooked bird, so break it down now. Remove any remaining breast or thigh meat in the largest pieces possible and wrap the meat separately first in wax paper or parchment, then in plastic. Whatever you do, don't wrap the turkey in foil. The salt and iron in the bird can corrode the foil, leaving smears of aluminum on the meat.
Now that you're well armed with this essential information, relax with the confidence that you can handle this bird and enjoy the feast and festivities.
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