There is no other day in the calendar quite like Thanksgiving when 88% of Americans take Turkey recipes. It is the one holiday where the only focus is on food. Halloween is about candy but also about ghosts; Christmas is about food but also about Jesus; and your birthday might have a cake involved but that’s not the main event. So, Thanksgiving is the one day a year where we can fill ourselves to busting without any of the guilt that would usually plague us after such an act. We can pile up plates with sweet potatoes, fresh veggies and turkey and eat until our heart’s content.
But, in order to get the enjoyment you deserve out of a Thanksgiving dinner, it has to be cooked to perfection. Of course, the deal breaker is always the turkey. Will it be too dry? Will it have enough flavour? Here are a few fail-safe recipes that will make your turkey go down in Thanksgiving history.
Turkey Roasted in Parchment
If you like the skin of your turkey extra crispy and for the meat to be tender and moist (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t) then you’re going to want to give this recipe a go. You will need to cover the turkey in butter, salt and pepper before wrapping it in baking parchment and stapling the parchment together to form a bag. Cook it for around 2h45 minutes and then remove the turkey from the parchment. Then pop the turkey back in the oven for another 45 minutes and hey presto you have a perfect, crispy turkey.
Maple-Glazed Turkey
Someone out there decided to combine to very different but very delicious things: maple syrup and turkey. This combination led to something incredible that you simply have to try for yourself. Start cooking your turkey as normal and while you do so heat up 1 ½ cups of maple syrup until it has come to a boil. Reduce the syrup until there is about ¾ of cup in the pan. Take the turkey out at regular intervals and brush it with the maple glaze.
Turkey with Rosemary and Lemon
This simple but effective recipe will give your turkey a fresh and zesty flavour – distinguishing it from all the plain, boring turkeys your friends will be eating. Heat up some rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil in a pan until the garlic is nice and soft. Once the infused oil mixture is ready, brush it all over your turkey and season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Then simply put the turkey in the over and roast it as per usual. The result will blow you away.
Deep-Fried Turkey
Deep-fried turkey is not a great recipe for the calorie counters, but it is one of the most delicious ways to prepare this bird. The day before you plan to eat the turkey, season it with some spices and let it marinate over night. The next day, you will need to heat up a ten-gallon pot of oil in which you can cook your turkey. Completely submerge your turkey in the boiling oil for about 45 minutes then lift it out, drain off the excess oil and enjoy!
