Makes 8 servings plus plenty for leftovers

Hands on: 30 minutes

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Total time: 2 1/2-3 hours

There's more than one way to roast a turkey, but from experience we've learned to start at a high temperature, then turn it down for crisp skin and moist meat.

• In advance: Place the raw turkey in the refrigerator breast side down so the juices flow to the white meat; this contributes to moist breast meat. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before roasting.

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (do not add salt to a brined bird)

1 12- to 14-pound turkey, neck and giblets removed

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Adjust oven rack to the lower-third position.

In a small bowl, mash together the butter and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold running water, drain it and pat it dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body.

Place the turkey in a roasting pan (fit with a rack, if desired). Generously season the inside and underside of the turkey with salt and pepper.

Using clean hands, loosen the skin over the breast by running your hands just under the skin. Reaching with your fingers as far as possible, carefully loosen the skin over the legs. Gently push about 6 tablespoons of the butter mixture under the skin, using your fingertips to carefully spread the butter over the breast and legs. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons butter mixture evenly over the outside of the turkey skin.

Transfer the turkey to the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes. The turkey should begin to turn golden brown.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and loosely cover the turkey with a large piece of tented aluminum foil. Continue to roast the turkey. If desired, baste the turkey with the pan drippings every 30 minutes or so.

Start checking for doneness after about 2 hours. Remove the turkey from the oven when a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted in the breast. (The internal temperature will continue to rise a few degrees after you remove it from the oven. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the turkey is done when the breast meat reaches 170 degrees and the thigh meat 180 degrees.) The total cooking time should be 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird.

Transfer the turkey to a carving board and set aside to rest for at least 20 minutes prior to carving. Reserve the drippings in the roasting pan for the Turkey Gravy (recipe follows).

Per serving: 459 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 57 grams protein, 1 gram carbohydrate, no fiber, 24 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 171 milligrams cholesterol, 185 milligrams sodium.