Thanksgiving is a favorite of mine when it comes to the holidays. One of the main reasons: food. Need I say more?

Before you get ready sit down and enjoy all the yummy food, there’s one thing that has to happen first. Someone has to cook the turkey – it’s not going to cook itself!

Whether it’s you or someone else cooking the turkey, here are a few pointers that will be helpful along the way to ensure that you have a perfect Thanksgiving meal.

1. Thaw it out – Is your turkey fresh or frozen? Depending on your answer to that question, make sure to thaw it out accordingly. The turkey should be at room temperature before you pop it into the oven.

2. Add some flavor – There are tons of recipes you can look up, or you can try something more original. Coating your turkey with butter and fresh herbs is always a good way to go.

3. Lots of foil – You want to cover the breast of the turkey with aluminum foil. Make sure to put the foil on tightly. When there are about 40 minutes left for the turkey to cook, that’s when you want to take the foil off. You don’t want to have a burned birdy!

4. Rack it up – I’ve heard that cooking a turkey on a rack helps to get the turkey cooked on all of the sides.

5. Stuff it (or not)– I don’t know how popular it is anymore to put stuffing in the turkey. It’s harder to cook the stuffing at the proper temperature when it is inside the turkey. I recommend cooking the stuffing on its own.

6. Temperature check – Try not to open the oven door too much to check the temperature. Heat is lost every time you open the oven door. There are many guides online to help figure out how long you should cook the turkey for. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature and put the thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey.

7. Nap time – Once you remove the turkey from the oven, you should let it sit for about 20 minutes. By letting it sit, it gives the turkey more time to absorb the juices. No one wants a dry turkey.

8. Cut it up – When you are carving the turkey you should use a sharp knife. You can also use an electric knife.

9. Dinner is served – That’s it! Enjoy your turkey surrounded by friends and family. Follow this guide and you will have the best turkey day possible.