The domesticated turkey is a large poultry bird raised for food. The modern domesticated turkey descends from the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), one of the two species of turkey (genus Meleagris); however, in the past the ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) was also domesticated. Despite the name, turkeys have no relation to the country of Turkey and are native to North America.The turkey is reared throughout temperate parts of the world, and is a popular form of poultry, partially because industrialised farming has made it very cheap for the amount of meat it produces. The female domesticated turkey is referred to as a hen and the chick as a poult. In the United States, the male is referred to as a tom, whilst in Europe, the male is a stag.The great majority of domesticated turkeys have white feathers, although brown or bronze-feathered varieties are also raised. The fleshy protuberance attached to the underside of the beak is known as a "wattle".

As we may know, turkey is a long time favorite of many families and now there are some great cooking tips tricks that anyone can learn and use to better prepare these wonderful birds.

Every year hundreds of thousands of people wind up in hospital emergency rooms as a result of kitchen accidents involving knives. Don’t become a statistic! The Times points out the wrong approach. {To be read aloud in a southern accent:} “One year the turkey took a long time to cook and I went to carve it after about 13 beers..."

First step for the bird is a 24-hour spicy brine. Then the turkey is coated with a BBQ sauce-based marinade and allowed to rest for another 24 hours. Grilling time: the turkey is browned on the grill and cooked with the indirect heating method.

Great Videos on how to cook Turkey, just in time for the holidays!

Excerpt from article by Food Critic J. Scott Wilson: "Like many restaurants this time of year, Razzoo's sells fried turkeys for takeout. Unlike most of the rest, they do theirs properly. I won't reveal their cooking process, but it's somewhat unconventional and yields the most tender fried bird I've ever set my teeth into." www.razzoos.com