Proper planning will alleviate any stress associated with roasting a perfect whole turkey to realize your dreams of hosting an ideal Thanksgiving. Don’t worry about Aunt Mary or your mother-in-law, you can do it by following these simple steps from Turkey Farmers of Canada.

“First of all, buy a suitably sized turkey by counting on one pound of turkey per adult, or one and a half pounds if you want leftovers,” says Janice Height of Turkey Farmers of Canada. “Once you’ve purchased your turkey, determine whether it needs to be thawed by reading the label, since some frozen pre-stuffed turkeys don’t need to be thawed at all. If your turkey does require thawing, calculate when it needs to be started by planning on five hours per pound using the refrigerator method (place turkey in a leak-proof pan on your fridge’s bottom shelf) or one hour per pound if soaking it completely submerged in cold water that’s changed every hour.”

According to Height, your turkey needs to be roasted within 48 hours of being thawed. There’s no need to clean your turkey, just prep it with your family’s traditional spices and stuff if desired. To determine doneness, insert a meat thermometer deep into the meat without touching bone and roast until you’ve reached the proper temperature: 170°F (77°C) in the breast and 180°F (82°C) in the thigh.

Voilà! Let stand 15-20 minutes before carving, which will surely let everyone know that dinner is ready. For more tips on how to thaw, cook and carve your turkey, visit www.turkeyfarmersofcanada.ca. Once the family’s gone home and it’s time to enjoy the leftovers, visit www.turkeyfarmersofcanada.ca for more great leftover ideas. Aunt Mary will never know your secret!