From turkey tips to seating advice, Martha Stewart tackles Thanksgiving

Martha lends a hand with holiday preparations by answering all of your pressing Thanksgiving questions.

Q: How should I seat people around the holiday table? — Cynthia Harrison, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

A: If you don’t have room for a kids’ table (or only one or two children are attending), place little ones between their parents. Separate couples to open up the conversation, unless they’re a new pair — rookie guests should never be stranded. Space loved ones with strongly opposed points of view apart, lest a friendly debate escalate into a shouting match. And save the ends for the hosts, so they can get up easily.

Q: How do I keep turkey breasts from drying out between carving and serving? — Bryan Gorman, Salt Lake City

A: First off, rest your bird for at least 20 minutes when it comes out of the oven to let the juices redistribute (tent it with foil to keep it warm). Then carve as close to serving time as possible, placing the sliced meat in a shallow dish and spooning a little cooking liquid or stock over it.

Let’s talk turkey!

For more turkey trouble‑shooting, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

How big should my bird be?

For a large party (10 to 12 people), you’ll need a 15-to-20-pound turkey — figure 1  1/2 pounds per person. Turkeys of 12 pounds or less, however, have a smaller meat-to-bone ratio, so if your group is smaller, allot 2 pounds for each guest.

How do I defrost it?

Thawing in the refrigerator is best: Place the turkey (in its unopened wrapper) breast-side up on a rimmed baking sheet, and allow one day for every 4 pounds. Forgot to start until the morning of? You can cut defrosting time to 30 minutes per pound by placing the turkey breast-side down (again, in its wrapper) in a pot with enough cold water to cover it completely; replace the water every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled. As long as you get up early enough — or if your bird is small — you’ll still get it to the table in time. (To watch a video on this technique, go to marthastewart.com/quick-thaw.)

Wet or dry brine?

Dry is preferable because it ensures moist, well-seasoned meat without the spongy texture that can come from wet-brining. Also, dry-brining takes up less refrigerator space.

When making stock, should i keep the pot lid on or off?

Off, for two reasons. One, it allows steam to be released, which results in greater concentration of flavor. Two, it helps with temperature control: Stock should stay at a steady low simmer (if it boils, it turns cloudy).

Do I need special carving tools?

A long, thin carving knife is ideal for clean, even slicing through wide sections of meat. But if you don’t have one, your longest chef’s knife will work fine.

Pet tip

House sitter smarts

A new person in the house when you’re out of town can be stressful for your dog or cat, so lay out a schedule for the helper that’s similar to your normal routine, and set out favorite toys or a familiar blanket.

Leave a list of rules for your home (no shoes inside, no pets on the furniture), as well as contact information for yourself, an on-call friend and your veterinarian.

Explain in advance any conditions your pet has (such as allergies) and medications she takes, and leave extra food and medications out for the sitter just in case. Last, go over your itinerary, noting if and when you’ll be unreachable.

This story was originally published November 18, 2017 at 6:12 AM with the headline "From turkey tips to seating advice, Martha Stewart tackles Thanksgiving."