Ways To Prepare A Thanksgiving Turkey

Ways To Prepare A Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving is filled with flavors and festivities, and we know no two families are exactly the same. Here are five ways you can try cooking your next bird for Turkey Day. They all result in a delicious bird your friends and family wont be able to get enough of. And then, naps for everyone! For those of you who are hardcore traditionalists, why not keep an open mind? Were convinced you wont be disappointed. Keep reading for five ways to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey.

Brined Turkey

Ways To Prepare A Thanksgiving Turkey _ Bobs Red Mill One great way to make a turkey is by brining it first. Brining is extremely popular and helps make any lean piece of meat more moist and flavorful, turkey included. When you brine a turkey, the salt water gets deep into the turkey meat and loads it up with extra juices and flavor. Some folks like to add additional seasonings to their brine and swear it increases the flavor. Others say you only need salt water, that adding anything else doesnt make a difference. We say, give it your best shot and experiment, its your turkey! Whichever way you lean, brining is great for creating one juicy, delicious bird everyone will be talking about for years to come.

Fried Turkey

If youve never had deep-fried turkey, youre definitely missing out. This is a great way to prepare a bird that is moist, delicious, and loaded with goodness. You also get tasty, crispy skin, which may well be the best part! Most stores sell injectable flavoring you can shoot deep into the turkey meat to further enhance its flavor. Frying your bird in peanut oil is typically recommended for the best results, and make sure youre not using a turkey fryer indoors or near anything flammable because that thing gets hot. Also, make sure to keep the kiddos out of the area. Most importantly:make sure you thaw your bird and its at room temperature before startinga frozen turkey will ignite and explode! Another nice thing about frying a turkey is that its much faster than roasting it in the oven, so you can often cook two or three in the same amount of time it takes to roast one in the oven. This makes frying a turkey great for feeding large crowds!

Roasted Turkey

Of course, sometimes tradition matters. If thats you, and you prefer making your turkey the old-fashioned way, roasting it for hours in the oven is the way to go. Just be careful because this method makes it very easy to overcook your turkey and end up with dry, not so tasty meat. You have to monitor your turkey closely and check its internal temperature with a food thermometer. And while basting was once thought to be essential, it turns out you can get the same great results without the fuss by brininga turkey (see above) or tenting it with foil halfway through... You can also try injecting your turkey with flavor to add extra moisture. While some still swear by stuffing their bird with dressing, for food safetys sake, we advise you bake it in a separate dish.

Grilled Turkey

While grilling may not be the most traditional way to prepare that Thanksgiving turkey, it can be pretty amazing. You can try grilling the whole bird in a roasting pan, or you can cut it up into pieces and grill it that way instead. We particularly enjoy grilling it in pieces, because you can really add flavor, plus cook it fairly quickly. Either way you do it, grilling your turkey with its own juices is also great because you can free up your oven space for other items of Thanksgiving dinner deliciousness. Pumpkin pie anyone? To get started, rub your bird with your favorite turkey seasonings, salt and pepper and get to grilling.

Crockpot Turkey

If youve got some time to spare, why not try cooking your turkey in the slow cooker this year for your Thanksgiving meal? It takes a little longer, but its pretty much no muss, no fuss, set and forget. You can add in stuffing and tuck your veggies in all around the meat, and the result is a full course meal in one pot. You may not want to place a whole bird in the crockpot, but turkey breasts are amazing, or you can cut your turkey up into parts and cook it that way. You can also make your mashed potatoes and mac and cheese separately and have plenty of oven space for things like bread rolls and dessert to complete your meal. Flavor the body, cavity, and turkey legs with a liberal amount of your favorite seasonings, set your crockpot on low and enjoy the end results. Easiest turkey dinner, ever. As you can see, there are many ways to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey. If youre feeling stuck in a turkey rut, we encourage you to try something new. You may be pleasantly surprised with the results!  
Bob's Red Mill
October 16 2018

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