creative ways to cook a turkey

9 Creative Ways
to Cook
a Thanksgiving Turkey


The tradition of preparing and feasting on a
Thanksgiving meal dates to the 17th century,
when the first European settlers arrived on
these shores. Although Turkey Day
celebrations vary by region, family, and
personal preference, eating turkey is a custom
shared by 95% of the population, according to
the National Turkey Federation. Follow this
slideshow to learn about the different ways
Thanksgiving turkeys are prepared in the U.S.


Roast Turkey
The roast turkey is a simple and traditional dish that many
Americans prepare for their Thanksgiving feast. Roast
turkeys are often flavored with a rub, typically a wet or dry
mixture of ingredients, which can vary from region to
region in the United States. In the Northeast, saltencrusted roast turkey and savory herb roast turkey are
common. In Hawaii, coffee rubbed and pineapple mustard
roast turkey is popular.


Marinating the Turkey
To enhance the taste and tenderness of the Thanksgiving
turkey, many people place the meat in a marinade before
cooking. Marinating is a technique in which a spiced liquid

soaks the bird, penetrating the meat to add flavor.
Marinades can contain a variety of herbs, spices, and acids,
such as lemon juice, wine, or vinegar.


Brining the Turkey
Brining is another pre-cooking treatment traditional in
preparing a Thanksgiving turkey. Placing the entire bird in a
salt and water solution known as brine produces a moist and
well-seasoned turkey. After brining the turkey for up to 24
hours in the refrigerator, the bird can be placed in the oven.
This technique often produces a moist bird that's hard to
overcook.


Fried Turkey
Fried Turkey is often called "New Orleans fried turkey" because
the tradition originated in Louisiana. Small turkeys, usually
eight to ten pounds, are used for frying. The entire bird is
lowered into a vat of hot oil and cooked until crispy and golden
brown. It won't take long; fried turkeys typically cook fast,
about three minutes for each pound.


Tofurkey TM
In recent years, Tofurkey TM has become a vegetarian
alternative to turkey on Thanksgiving. Made of vegetarian
protein such as tofu, Tofurkey TM can be prepared as other
meat turkeys, including roasting, grilling, frying, brining, and
using marinades for added flavor.

Turducken
Turducken is a unique variation of preparing a Thanksgiving bird.
Its origin is not clear, but it is thought to have Cajun-Creole roots
and has been traced to Louisiana history. A turducken is a
partially boned turkey stuffed with a boned duck, then stuffed
with a boned chicken. Layers of stuffing, spicy and flavorful, are
spread between each bird. The three meats making up the
turducken tend to make this option more expensive-and
certainly complicated-than meals involving a single bird.


Grilled Turkey
Grilled turkey for Thanksgiving combines two American
traditions: barbeque and turkey. After marinating the bird
overnight in the refrigerator, cut it into four sections, remove the
breast bone, and place it on the grill, flipping occasionally until it
is cooked through and ready for a delicious Thanksgiving meal.


Stuffing a Turkey
A long-standing tradition is to fill the turkey's body cavity with
stuffing. The stuffing is prepared separately and placed inside the
bird just prior to cooking and after removing the giblets, which
are located in a bag in the abdominal cavity. There's no limit to
what flavors, fruits, vegetables, spices, and meats you can include
in your stuffing. Some popular choices include sausage, onion,
cranberries, rice, carrots, cornbread, apples, prunes, and even
oysters.

Smoked Turkey
Smoked turkey is a more flavorful and tender way to prepare
turkey than roasting. There are plenty of recipes for smoking
the perfect bird, but a good rule of thumb is to choose a turkey
in the 12 lb range; larger birds will take much longer to cook,
which can be detrimental to tenderness and flavor.