Preheat oven to 450°F/232°C.

Place the turkey, breast side down, on the cutting board. Using kitchen shears, start cutting form the bottom cavity up towards the neck to remove the backbone and neck of the turkey.

• Reserve these pieces to make gravy or stock.

Lay the turkey, breast side up, on the cutting board and place both hands on the breast as if you are about to give CPR. With one sudden push, flatten the turkey until you hear a crack and it lies flat.

Using a liberal amount of salt (seriously, a full handful), sprinkle and rub it all over the front and back of the turkey, covering all the nooks and crannies. Now, do the same with your freshly ground pepper.

Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and put the turkey on top of the rack to promote better airflow while cooking. Rub a thin layer of plain mayo all over the legs and breast to ensure even browning.

Place turkey in the oven. The total cook time will be roughly 75-90 minutes for a 12 lb bird. To ensure even cooking, set a timer at 30 minutes to rotate the bird during cooking and once more at 60 minutes.

• While roasting, prepare the herb mayo by mixing all the ingredients together.

With about 10-15 minutes left, take the turkey out of the oven and brush on the herb mayo. Return the turkey to the oven.

Using a meat thermometer, test the breast meat and thigh meat separately. When the breast reaches 155°F (68°C) and the thigh is at least 175°F (79°C), pull the turkey out to rest on the cutting board for 10 minutes. Through carryover cooking, the temperature of the turkey will rise slightly while resting.

• Pulling the turkey at these temperatures ensures moist breast meat and succulent dark meat with the connective tissue broken down.

Break the turkey down by cutting the leg away from the breast and cutting at the joint of the leg and thigh. Remove the wings by pulling or cutting at the joints. Remove the breast by slicing on both sides and following along the bone. Place on a platter and serve.