The way a bird that size is done in Ontario, guys, is to set the oven at 350 Fahrenheit and put it in breast-side-up with an oil-soaked dishcloth draped over it. Yes, 15 minutes per pound and another 15 at 400 degrees for browning is the way to go. Be sure to rest the turkey for about 20 minutes before carving; while it sits and thinks about itself, you make the gravy.

I belong to the no-stuffing faction, preferring the knob of butter and some onions approach with a bird that size. Stuffing is for turkeys in the 10- to 15-pound range.

To thaw, I agree with BWL's picnic cooler technique, and Steve Shaw is right about getting it to room temperature before crossing the start line; take it out of the cooler when you get up in the morning and let it sit in the kitchen until Zero Hour. With respect to salmonella, remember that this creature will spend upwards of five hours in a moderately hot oven. If it's fully cooked (no red in the juices when you stab the thigh), any unfriendly microbes will be well and truly dead. Just don't put the cooked turkey on any surface that has had any contact with the bird when it was raw.

Be prepared to baste your turkey thoroughly about every 45 minutes or so, although that could add to the cooking time, depending on how fast your oven reheats and how quickly you work. I recommend a long-handled ladle or spoon; those syringe things look neat but they usually quit on you when it matters most.