A mother thinks of everything, and if Melissa Wong is anything, she’s a mother. In fact, the mother of three and grandmother of eight has been named the United Chinese Society of Hawaii’s 2017 Model Mother of the Year.

While I’m sure Wong has done many things in life to earn that honor, I also know this: If all the society did was examine her routine during the holiday season, they’d have enough reason to award her the title.

Here’s why: “I make 12 to 15 turkeys every Thanksgiving season,” she said. “I make them two at a time, for other people. I started making them for my sister-in-law and my single friends so they were fed and so that they could have parties. I keep in mind how happy I’m going to make people.”

In her desire to keep folks fed, Wong plans ahead — way ahead, as a good mother should. She provides one turkey for the party itself and another for afterward.

“That way, everybody can take home turkey leftovers,” she said. She employs her husband Arthur’s carving skills to divvy up the bird for each guest, usually eight to a large turkey. By the time they leave, she has it portioned and packed, complete with a bottle of homemade gravy for each person.

The tradition began when Wong was a model daughter.

“I would make turkeys for my parents so they could entertain. They usually threw three or four parties during the holidays,” she said.

In doing so, she became familiar with Foodland’s longtime holiday offer: Spend $25 and get a large turkey for $10. (Check other supermarkets for their holiday turkey offers.)

“Imagine, for $10 you can make people SO happy,” she said.

Through the years, Wong has figured out how to streamline her task. In her kitchen there’s no such thing as roasting a turkey for four hours — she’s got it down to about a 2-1/2-hour process (maybe more for an extra-large turkey), starting with a high oven heat of 450 degrees. Her birds turn out well flavored, mainly with basic poultry seasoning — she oils the outside of the turkey, then shakes seasoning over it.

“I don’t brine. No basting,” she stated firmly.

Wong’s turkeys are also notably moist. She can’t say exactly why, but thinks it has to do with the shortened cooking time. She even purchases turkeys with the plastic button that pops up to indicate when it’s done. Those buttons are notorious for delivering dry birds because they pop when the turkey hits an internal temperature of 165 degrees, considered by many to be too high. But that isn’t the case with Wong’s turkeys.

Still, “if someone doesn’t want to use the button, just place a thermometer where the button is supposed to be (in the thickest part of the breast), and aim for somewhere between 160 degrees to 165 degrees,” she advised. “It will be just fine.”

Even if the turkey turns out a bit dry, “the gravy makes it all OK.”

As to that gravy, Wong starts with liquid from simmering the turkey giblets.

“That goes on the stove even before you put the turkey in the oven,” she said, and it simmers the entire roasting time. But the vital element is turkey drippings — well browned, not burned. She is vigilant about adding water to the roasting pan to prevent burning.

“The worst thing is burnt gravy,” she said.

Finally, Wong’s last piece of motherly advice: For all gatherings, stick to making one dish.

“You’ll become a master if you keep doing the same thing over and over. My girlfriend does a jambalaya dish, and people will come out for her jambalaya,” she said. “Do your jambalaya over and over, or do your gumbo — or do your turkey. It will become your specialty.”

ROAST TURKEY, THE MELISSA WONG WAY

Wong’s roast turkey is less a recipe than a procedure. Here’s how she does it:

Start by thawing a large turkey, 17 to 20 pounds.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove giblets, tail and neck from the cavity. Put giblets in a pot of 3 to 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer while turkey roasts. Add water as necessary so you end up with 3 cups.

Meanwhile, place turkey on a roasting rack and place rack in a roasting pan.

Oil the surface of the turkey, then season. Wong uses salt-free poultry seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. If there is no pop-up button in the turkey or if you don’t want to use it, place a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast (not touching the bone).

Wrap the wing and drumstick tips with foil.

Pour 3 cups water into the roasting pan. Tent turkey with foil and place in oven. Roast 1 hour.

Remove foil, check whether drippings are browned. If they are, add 2 cups of water to prevent burning. Roast another 30 minutes, until turkey is a deep golden brown.

Re-cover turkey with foil. Roast another 30 minutes. Check on drippings in pan and add 1 cup water if necessary.

After 15 minutes, check again. Has the button popped? Is the thermometer at 160 to 165 degrees? If not, check again every 5 to 10 minutes. Add water to pan as necessary.

When turkey is done, remove from oven and uncover. Let sit 10 minutes. Cover again and let sit 30 minutes so juices can be reabsorbed.

Remove foil from legs and wings; carve. Serves 8 to 12.

MELISSA WONG’S GRAVY

• Turkey drippings
• 1 cup flour
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
• 3 cups giblet liquid (made by simmering giblets in water as the turkey roasts)
• Fresh or canned mushrooms (optional)
• Seasonings of your choice, to taste
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 package gravy mix
• 1 cup water

Remove turkey and rack from pan. Pour out drippings and defat pan. Defat drippings and return to pan. Add flour. Slowly add chicken broth to flour and deglaze pan. You will end up with a roux.

Add 1 cup giblet water and incorporate into roux. Place pan on stove and turn heat to medium-high. Add more giblet water, 1 cup at a time. Boil gravy mixture, then lower heat to low. Add mushrooms, if using. Season to taste.

Combine cornstarch, gravy mix and water. On high, add this mixture as necessary to thicken gravy to desired consistency. Lower heat and simmer a few minutes to cook cornstarch. Makes about 5 cups.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Is there a cooking technique you’d like explained? Email food editor Joleen Oshiro at joshiro@staradvertiser.com. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.