How to Stuff and Prepare a Thanksgiving Turkey

A step-by-step guide for the most flavorful, tender bird.

Whatever roasting method or stuffing recipe you choose this year, there are nine essential steps to follow if you'd like to produce a flavorful, moist turkey. Our easy-to-follow guide takes the intimidation out of preparing the main dish of a classic Thanksgiving menu while helping you achieve the best possible flavor and appearance. A simple method that brings a deliciously tender Thanksgiving turkey to the table and it's as easy as it comes? Sign us up!

Tip

Start with a completely thawed (or fresh) bird and preheat the oven while you prep the turkey.

Related: 4 Common Thanksgiving Turkey Mistakes Home Cooks Make—Plus, How to Avoid Them

Tuck Wing Tips and Remove Anything in Cavity

First, tuck the wing tips underneath the turkey's body by gently lifting one side at a time and tucking and folding the wing under. Remove anything in the cavity such as the giblet packet and neck. Reserve these if desired for another use, such as making turkey giblet stock .

Pat Turkey Dry

Next, pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels to remove extra moisture; this is important because it means the skin will crisp rather than steam. Salt and pepper inside of the turkey and keep salt and pepper on hand to season the exterior after stuffing the bird. Make sure not to skip seasoning inside the cavity—seasoning inside and out infuses flavor into every bite.

Rub Butter Underneath Skin

Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the turkey breast and rub softened butter under the skin. This is a well-known pro tip: rubbing butter under the skin gets you the juiciest breast meat and golden skin all around.

Stuff Cavity of Turkey

Loosely stuff the large cavity of the turkey (stuffing expands as it cooks). Save a small amount of stuffing for the next step.

Related: Make Perfect Stuffing Every Time With Our Customizable Recipe (and Step-by-Step Instructions)

Stuff Neck of Turkey

Stuff the neck cavity with a small amount of stuffing. Fold neck skin over opening.

Tie Legs

To ensure a beautiful presentation and even cooking, tucking the wings and tying the legs are essential steps. Using kitchen twine, cross the legs together and tie them securely at the "ankle."

Season Exterior With Salt

Season the turkey generously all over with salt.

Season Outside With Pepper

Repeat the last step but this time, season the turkey over with freshly ground black pepper.

Arrange in Roasting Pan

Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan. It's ready to roast. After the turkey is roasted, don't waste those delicious pan drippings—head over to our gravy guide .

Related: How to Roast the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey