I love turkey. One of my absolute favorite Thanksgiving traditions is prepping the turkey with my brother on Thanksgiving Eve: We opt for a compound butter — primarily chockfull of sage, thyme and rosemary — and a legitimate shower of coarse kosher salt before setting it (uncovered) in the fridge to help the skin further dry out before awakening at the crack of dawn to throw it in the oven with some mirepoix, bay leaves, garlic, lemon halves and a touch of wine or stock.

I'm a proponent of a truly bronzed, immensely crisp skin. I could also drink gravy by the gallon, a trait that I most certainly inherited from my mother. A tip I once learned was — after your bird has rested — to carve it carefully with the sharpest knife imaginable, ideally keeping the skin and meat intact and arranging it on a platter with a touch of stock or broth on the bottom, which will help keep the meat as moist as can be during any residual cooking. Also, don't forget a final sprinkling of salt before bringing the platter to the table.

In addition to loving turkey, I also think the way people tend to hate on it — saying that it's bland, dry and boring — is also pretty reductive. You're really just telling on yourself Perhaps you just haven't had well-made turkey?

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Which, to be fair, I totally get it. For many, that turkey can feel like the singular most inundating culinary project of the year, especially if you're serving a crowd and haven't worked with such a large bird before. So, Salon Food spoke with Heidi Diestel of Diestel Turkey Ranch to get the lowdown on all things turkey cookery for everyone from the top expert to the neophyte. You'll be able to master the piece de resistance of the Thanksgiving tablescape before you know it.

The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Is a frozen or fresh turkey better? Is there a distinct difference in taste or quality between the two once the bird is cooked?

“Better” depends on personal preference and how the bird is handled.

For convenience, frozen birds can be purchased early and stored accordingly, keeping you out of the hustle of the fresh bird frenzy. Frozen birds require a "slow as possible" thaw time, so make sure you have space in your fridge.

While it really doesn’t cost a farmer less to produce a frozen bird, they are usually a more value-driven price point.

Chefs and consumers alike think a fresh bird have an optimal texture. However, this can also depend greatly on how the turkey is cooked, prepared and not just whether it was fresh or frozen.

What is your opinion on brining? Dry or........

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