How to Cook The Perfect Turkey

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Thanksgiving is almost here, so let’s talk turkey! How will you cook your Thanksgiving turkey? Traditional oven-roasted, slow cooker, electric roasted, Instant Pot, smoked, or grilled? 

The turkey is the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving feasts, but why not break from tradition and cook your turkey differently this year? Last year, I cooked our turkey in my infrared cooker, and it was easy. The best part was that it did not take up any oven space.

I am trying something different this year. This year, I am contemplating trying a slow cooker (crock-pot) recipe, smoked turkey, or maybe both. I gathered some great how-to-prep turkey recipe ideas from some of the best food bloggers anywhere.

10 Ways to Cook The Perfect Turkey 

I remember my Mother getting up before dawn on Thanksgiving to cook a 23-pound Butterball Turkey. She used a turkey baster and was tied to the oven all day, setting the timer, opening the oven, and basting the turkey repeatedly. The huge turkey took up all the open space, so it was a turkey circus trying to cook all the sides. For this reason, I love non-traditional turkey cooking methods.

Apple Cider Sage Turkey

This fantastic Apple Cider Sage Turkey Brine recipe results in a moist, flavorful turkey! Katie from Good Life Eats shares her turkey cooking method for a moist, beautiful centerpiece turkey. Her turkey cooking secret is her turkey brine (apple cider turkey brine), and she has some easy-to-follow turkey instructions to achieve her results.

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Roast Turkey in an Electric Roaster Easy Recipe

Julie answers all your questions about how to cook a turkey in a roaster from Taste of Lizzy T. This turkey cooking method leaves your oven available for those side dishes your guests will rave over. Julie answers your questions: how do you make herb butter for turkey? Also, how do you prepare a turkey for roasters? Most importantly, what temperature should be used to roast a turkey?

Slow Cooker Whole Turkey

How to cook your Thanksgiving turkey in a crockpot is an excellent question since I am very interested in trying this turkey cooking method. Easy crockpot turkey is Julie’s from The Litte Kitchen’s specialty recipe. You can free up your oven and just set it up, switch it on, and then walk away. That is my Thanksgiving dream come true! Hint: I will prepare veggies and the turkey rub the day before.

Dry Brined – Fried Turkey Without Oil

This method cooks wonderful turkey with a crispy outside and juicy inside. So you ask, is this recipe sent from heaven? Sharon shares Oil-less turkey fryer recipes from Grits, and Pine Cones (yes, she is Southern like me) is the dry brine turkey frying (oil-less) expert. Those Southerners can and will fry anything, according to Sharon. She used an infrared cooker.

Instant Pot Turkey Whole Turkey

If you are lucky and have an Instant Pot, then cooking your Thanksgiving turkey will be a breeze. Angelia from Bacon is Magic (I agree) shares all you need to know about cooking a whole turkey in an Instant Pot. Her 8-pound turkey was cooked in 48 minutes. That is definitely not the old-school method for turkey cooking!

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Grilled Tuscan-Style Turkey

Grilling a Thanksgiving turkey, you ask? Why yes, Annemarie from Just a Little Bit of Bacon shares how to prepare a turkey for the gill. She uses the Spatchcock method; thus, she warns it takes some strong kitchen shears! Annmarie shares her secret tips to getting that perfect grilled turkey (I am trying this one) on the grill.

How to Smoke a Whole Turkey for Thanksgiving

Smoking your Thanksgiving turkey will leave your oven open all day. Michelle from Blackberry Babe has been smoking her turkeys for 15 years and knows how to smoke a prize-winning whole turkey. She points out the difference between turkey brines (dry vs. wet) and shares all her tricks for getting a perfectly cooked turkey on a grill. I would love to have this smoker for my turkey.

Deep-Fried Cajun Turkey

Deep-frying a turkey for Thanksgiving is another method to cook it outside (this would be my hubby’s task), leaving your oven, counter, and table free for other important Thanksgiving dishes. Michelle from Blackberry Babe shares the easier way to cook a turkey in a turkey fryer. Michelle likes to inject the turkey with her special injector recipe blend to add extra flavor and guarantee the moistest turkey ever.

3 Secrets To Perfect Roast Turkey

If you are roasting your Thanksgiving turkey in the oven, you can have a perfectly cooked turkey with Chellie from Art From My Table’s three secrets for turkey roasting. Chellie is taking that old-school method to new heights with her secrets to keeping the turkey moist!

How to Cook a Turkey

If this is your first time cooking a turkey or if it’s your twentieth time cooking a turkey, Tonia from The Gunny Sack has all the answers to your questions. She has a guide for figuring out how much turkey you need to prepare per person. How to thaw a frozen turkey is another frequently asked question. Are you wondering how long to cook a turkey, then you will want to printout her cooking guide? She has an instructional video showing how to carve a turkey. Tonia’s post is a great resource.

Best Way to Cook a Turkey

Everyone has different ideas of the best way to cook their Thanksgiving Turkey, so the best way is the one that fits your needs and desires. I like the idea of trying something new every year. Break from tradition and mix it up this year!

Hint: If you purchase a frozen turkey, make room in your freezer and grab one on sale. If you are cooking a fresh turkey, make room in your refrigerator (fresh turkey can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks) so you have space when you bring it home.

Apple Desserts: You might want to add one of these delicious fresh apple desserts to your Thanksgiving feast.

Want a Stress-Free Holiday Season?

Want to enjoy all the holiday season has to offer, but it all seems overwhelming? Join me as we enjoy a stress-free holiday season with a ton of inspiration and money-saving ideas for decorating, gift-giving, and so much more. Join HERE! And have the best of everything this holiday.

Thank you for your visit today. I hope you found some sweet inspiration. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?

Merry Christmas,

Kippi