It’s finally November, which means we’re just days away from eating our body weight in Thanksgiving favorites.

But with that comes the added stress of conjuring up a juicy turkey for all your dinner guests. While it may seem too premature to begin preparations (hello, we just said goodbye to Halloween), the earlier the planning, the better. To help Houstonians avoid common mistakes, Houstonia is tapping some of Houston’s best chefs to help us prepare the best holiday meal—from the sips, sides, and pies to cooking up the big bird and setting the table.

One of the most challenging aspects for some is preparing the turkey. I sat down with Brandon Holmes, executive chef of Rainbow Lodge, a restaurant known for its wild game, for tips and tricks on how to make the best turkey for your holiday feast.

First things first… It all starts with buying the bird. Holmes says it’s key for people to remember that not every turkey will cook the same. There’s a difference between a commodity bird and an organic pasture-raised one. Though the commodity cooks quicker, Holmes recommends the latter. You can purchase a pasture-raised turkey at an area grocery store, like H-E-B or Sprouts, but do so on Wednesday before Thanksgiving week so it has time to thaw through Saturday. Then, Sunday and Monday, it’s time to brine and air-dry the bird, Holmes says.

Brining a turkey ahead of Thanksgiving helps everything inside the bird cook evenly, but a freshly brined turkey won’t get crisp. That’s where air-drying comes in, which can help achieve a nice golden-brown, crispy skin.

Follow this recipe to cook a turkey like Holmes:

Ingredients:

2 gallons of water

3 cups of apple juice

1–1 1/2 cups salt           

2 cups brown sugar

10 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons of fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves

2 fresh bay leaves

1 orange, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 fresh jalapeños, cut in half

1/2 cup of whole black peppercorns

Note: If your turkey is more than 14 to 17 pounds, this recipe will need to be doubled.

Instructions from Holmes: Add all ingredients to a pot large enough to hold the liquid (at least 12 quarts). Bring it to a simmer, then stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. After this step is completed, set it aside and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, place in the fridge for a few hours until the temperature is below 42 degrees. Then, place the brine and turkey in a container large enough to hold both.

How to brine your turkey in a cooler: If you do not have a pot large enough or the fridge space to hold it, you can brine your turkey in a cooler, but you must ensure the temperature stays below 42 degrees. Freeze four to six two-liter bottles of water two days in advance to ensure they are completely frozen. Place two of the bottles in the cooler at the start of the brining, and when they are melted, replace them with two of the other frozen bottles. To keep the cycle going, wash the empty bottles, refill with water, then freeze again. Keep rotating bottles between the cooler and the freezer to keep the temperature below 42 degrees.

Air-drying: Place the turkey in the fridge to air-dry until it’s ready to dress on Thanksgiving. This will allow the skin to crisp and turn golden-brown when you cook it (freshly brined poultry will not achieve the desired exterior).

The Big Day:

When Thanksgiving finally arrives, dress your turkey with your favorite seasonings and herbs and roast it at 325 to 350 degrees. To avoid burning the turkey, use a meat thermometer to check the turkey breast occasionally so the internal temperature doesn’t go over 165 degrees. Holmes says there’s no need for anyone who has a convention on their oven to use a turkey bag, but covering the wings with foil can help protect them from burning. It may sound obvious, but Holmes says the number one tool isn’t a bag or basting brush—it’s your thermometer. Watch the turkey, and when it’s ready to serve, Holmes says, make sure your knives are sharp and follow the spine when carving.

If you don’t want to cook your own turkey, there are plenty of options this month to get your bird from a Houston restaurant. Stay tuned for our guide to some of the best to-go, catering, and dine-in options this Thanksgiving.