Buying: If a turkey weighs 12 pounds or less, buy 1 pound per serving. If a turkey weighs more than 12 pounds, buy 3/4 pound per serving. These buying guides are estimates only, and you may need to buy a larger turkey depending on how many people you plan to serve.
Thawing: To thaw a whole frozen turkey, place the wrapped frozen turkey on a tray in the refrigerator for 2 to 5 days (allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 5 pounds of meat). Remember: Don't count the day you will be roasting the turkey. (For example, if you plan to roast a 12-pound turkey, start thawing the turkey Monday night if you plan to roast it on a Thursday.) Once the turkey is completely thawed, remove the giblets and the neck piece from the cavities. Rinse the turkey well and pat it dry with paper towels. Remember: Do not stuff the bird until you're ready to roast it.
Stuffing: Just before roasting, spoon some of your prepared stuffing loosely into the neck cavity of the turkey. Pull the neck skin over the stuffing; fasten the neck flap to the back of the turkey with a short bamboo skewer or a long toothpick. Loosely spoon a small amount of stuffing into the body cavity. Do not pack the body cavity too tightly with stuffing. (You may want to reserve any remaining stuffing in a casserole dish to serve to those guests who prefer not to eat the stuffing that was cooked in the turkey. Alternately, if you prefer not to stuff your turkey, place quartered onions, herbs, and celery in the body cavity.) Tuck the drumsticks under the band of skin that lies just above the tail (or you can tie the drumsticks back with cotton kitchen twine.) Twist the wing tips under the back of the turkey and secure in place.
