Thanksgiving is approaching ever quicker and if you’re anything like this humble reporter, you’re no doubt scared witless about how to prepare the prize turkey at the center of it all.

Thankfully, food writer and chef J. Kenji López-Alt is on the scene to help us out with just such a thing, via one of Big Think’s videos.

According to Kenji, the art of cooking the perfect turkey actually comes down to understanding some basic scientific knowledge about the illustrious bird. Not unlike a chicken, turkey meat comes in two varieties — light and dark. Not only do these two varieties differ in taste, but they also demand different optimal cooking temperatures.

Unfortunately, the conventional method of placing your turkey in a roasting pan actually makes it near impossible to ensure your dark meat receives the higher temperature flame it needs without inadvertently overcooking the white breast meat it shares space with. That is, unless you come ready with a few simple techniques of your own. These can include literally flipping the bird, cutting it up into smaller pieces, or paying mind to simply rotate it as it’s cooking.

The simplest trick and one that can cut down on the cooking time by half, however, is best left for Kenji to better explain. Here’s hoping you’ll use it to give you and yours the best Turkey Day possible.