Turkey Tips by Jan Birnbaum

Because the white meat and breast meat are so dramatically different in fat and juice content and cook at significantly different rates, I cut the bird in parts to cook it. Yes, it does somehow lose some of the old time feeling of a whole roasted bird, but as a chef, cooking the meats to perfect temperature and juiciness is more important to me. This obviously reduces the cooking time dramatically. I actually bone the breast completely of its carcass, then I remove the leg and thighs together. That leaves the backbone, which I often roast with the rest because it is the perfect snack for me and the on-lookers while the rest of the dinner comes together. If you're not a "snacker", then take the chest cavity and the backbone and make a delicious stock out of it. Around my house, the day after Thanksgiving is about sandwiches and other great dishes made from the leftovers. --JB