It’s finally November and you know that means, at least here in Texas, Fall is finally starting to make its appearance, families are planning gatherings and Thanksgiving is on the way! 4Change is here to help you make the most of the holiday and if it’s your turn to cook, step away from tracing the hand turkeys and check out some Thanksgiving turkey tips!

Across America folks are starting to think about turkeys. It’s Thanksgiving, so no pressure when your entire family comes over expecting food and good food at that. Food Network has shared 10 tips when factoring in the main course this year.

Start with selecting your turkey, and there’s a few options. Old-fashioned heritage style, organic, fresh or frozen. It’s totally up to you, just remember each may have their own unique way of being prepared. Another thing to remember when selecting your bird is weight. You don’t want to have less food than needed. Sure, eating turkey sandwiches up until Christmas because you bought too much is perfectly fine, but DO NOT HAVE TOO LITTLE. Figure in about 1.5 pounds of turkey per guest.

Ready to start cooking? Good, we’re getting hungry. A unique way to cook your turkey is by laying it on a bed of vegetables instead of a standard rack. Racks help to cook the turkey evenly around and a layer of veggies can do just that and add some nice flavor to your gravy. Don’t forget to brine the bird as well!

Some love it, some hate it but stuffing is a quintessential part of your whole turkey cooking process. Keep it on the side though. Cooking the stuffing in the turkey not only will take longer but can promote bacteria growth.

Have you tried not basting the turkey? Opening the oven door periodically not only fluctuates the temperature, it can dry out your turkey. Try rubbing the bird with butter or oil beforehand to keep things moist. Once all this is nearing the end, you’ll want to be sure you have a good meat thermometer. Test in the thickest part of the turkey, it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover it in a foil tent and let it rest for roughly 20 minutes before carving.

The final step and most important in our eyes is to nap in the main chair of the house. You did all the hard work after-all! For the full list of tips visit the Food Network’s article here.