Your best bet for getting a moist, tender turkey is to brine your bird. Brining involves completely immersing your turkey in a heated, then completely cooled, mixture of salt, sugar, water, and seasonings, usually overnight. Brining infuses meat with salt, so shop for a fresh (not frozen) or organic turkey that has not been injected with a sodium solution to make sure your turkey doesn’t get over seasoned.
For a tender, slightly tart turkey, try our recipe for Cider-Brined Turkey Breast. Make sure the brine is thoroughly cooled before adding it to the turkey.