Festive season 2021 – here’s a few variations of the Thanksgiving turkey recipe to try

by John Griffith
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The festive season is upon us! And it is never too early to start getting ready. So, start collecting ideas with this article. In it, we are going to show you a few examples of a Thanksgiving turkey recipe. This year Thanksgiving is going to be on November 28th.

Thanksgiving turkey recipe #1

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Thanksgiving turkey recipe #1

Ingredients:

For the turkey:

  • 1 thawed 15-20 lbs. turkey
  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • 2 gallons water

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup bourbon
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 4tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2tsp paprika

For the gravy:

  • 2tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • turkey heart and liver minced
  • 4tbsp flour
  • 4 cups turkey or chicken stock
  • pan drippings
  • white wine to taste

Try this delicious recipe to wow your guests this Thanksgiving

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Instructions:

  1. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity.
  2. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add salt.
  3. Place the turkey in a large vessel and and pour the remaining cold water and the saltwater solution on top of it. Place in the fridge and brine for 12-24 hours. When finished remove the turkey from the water and pat dry all over. Leave in the fridge to dry for another hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 °F .
  5. Truss the turkey and tie its feet and wings together with a twine.
  6. Place the turkey in a pan and cook for 1 hour.
  7. In a saucepan, combine the glaze ingredients and simmer, stirring often, until the mixture is reduced by two-thirds.
  8. After the turkey has roasted for 1 hour, brush with the glaze and flip the turkey. Brush the other side and roast for 1 hour, brushing on additional glaze after 30 minutes.
  9. At the 2 hour mark, lower the heat to 325 °F . Keep brushing on glaze every 30 minutes.
  10. After 3 hours, check the temperature of the turkey. Cook until it reaches 165 °F .
  11. Once cooked, let sit for 30 minutes.
  12. In a saucepan, melt 2tbsp butter and sauté the shallots for about 5 minutes. Add the liver and heart and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour, turn the heat to low and add the broth, a splash at a time. Transfer the fat from the pan, where you roasted the turkey, to a jar. Let sit until the fat settles on the top and pour it off. Add 1 cup of the pan drippings to the gravy gradually. Add salt, pepper and white wine to taste.

Maple-bourbon glazed turkey recipe

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Thanksgiving turkey recipe #2

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Here’s another recipe to try

Ingredients:

  • 12 lbs. thawed turkey
  • 6tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 yellow onions
  • 4 garlic cloves

For the dry rub:

  • 2tsp salt
  • 2tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2tsp paprika
  • 1tsp dried sage
  • 1/2tsp pepper
  • 1/2tsp ground mustard

Step-by-step tutorial

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Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F .
  2. In a bowl, combine the salt, thyme, sage, paprika, pepper and ground mustard.
  3. Remove the neck from the turkey’s cavity.
  4. Dry off the skin and cavity with a paper towel.
  5. Lift the skin and insert your hand between the skin and the turkey breast to separate them and insert three pats of butter under the skin. Repeat on both sides.
  6. Sprinkle the dry rub all over the turkey and use your hands to press it into the skin.
  7. Place the garlic cloves and onion halves inside the cavity.
  8. Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan and cover it with foil. Roast for 2 hours, remove the foil and increase the temperature to 400°F . Cook for another hour.

Easy and tasty turkey recipe

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Thanksgiving turkey recipe #3

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Another Thanksgiving turkey recipe

Ingredients:

For the turkey:

  • 12 pound turkey
  • 3 heads garlic cut in half
  • 3 slices of lemon
  • 6 sprigs thyme
  • 6 sprigs rosemary
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

For the herb butter:

  • 4oz. unsalted butter
  • 1tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 4tsp minced garlic
  • salt
  • cracked pepper

Simple and easy recipe

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Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a bowl mix the herb butter ingredients, divide in two and refrigerate one half.
  3. In a pan arrange the garlic, thyme, rosemary, half of the olive oil and 1 slice of lemon.
  4. Stuff the turkey with the remaining garlic, lemon slices, herbs and olive oil.
  5. Melt the remaining butter and rub it all over the turkey and under the skin. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Place the turkey on top of the garlic and herbs in the pan and drizzle with more oil.
  7. Cover and roast the turkey for about 3 hours.
  8. Uncover and baste with pan juices and cook for 30 more minutes.
  9. Flip the turkey and use the refrigerated herb better and spread over the turkey. Reduce the heat to 300°F and continue cooking.

You will get a perfectly crisp skin

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And super tender and delicious meat

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Thanksgiving turkey recipe #4

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Maple-glazed turkey

Ingredients:

  • 12 lbs thawed turkey
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 3tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
  • salt and pepper
  • optional stuffing for the turkey to taste
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 8 strips bacon

Maple-glazed turkey with bacon and sage butter

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Instructions:

  1. Pat the turkey dry.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  3. Mix the sage into softened butter and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Slip the sage butter between the skin and the meat and spread it into a thin layer. Repeat all over, where you can reach.
  5. This step is optional, but you can stuff the turkey with stuff, such as, garlic, onion, orange slices, lemon slices, etc.
  6. Mix the maple syrup with the hot water and baste the entire turkey.
  7. Place the turkey in the oven and cook for 2 hours, basting with maple syrup every 30 minutes.
  8. After 2 hours, check the turkey’s temperature, baste with syrup and add the bacon strips, until they cover the breast. Return to the oven and bake for 30 more minuted and baste with syrup again, on top of the bacon. Continue baking until the turkey reaches 165°F .

 

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Crispy and tasty turkey with bacon

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Thanksgiving turkey recipe #5

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Herbal turkey recipe

Ingredients:

  • 12 lbs. turkey (completely thawed)
  • 6 fresh sage leaves
  • 6 fresh thyme stems
  • 3 springs of rosemary
  • 3 springs of oregano
  • 1 1/2 cups of mayonnaise
  • 2tbsp coarse salt
  • 2tbsp pepper
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter, salted

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Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Remove leaves from herbs stems. Add sage, rosemary, oregano and thyme to the mayonnaise and mix well.
  3. Rub the mayonnaise mixture inside and out of the turkey. Season with salt and pepper. Add the celery and onion inside and out and tuck the butter into the cavity.
  4. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F and continue roasting until the meat reaches 165°F.

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Herbs and mayonnaise make for a delicious turkey seasoning

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Make sure to spread it all over

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The delicious results

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Doesn’t it look super crispy and yummy

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Thanksgiving turkey recipe #6

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Turkey with herb butter

Ingredients:

  • 12 lbs turkey
  • 1 onion
  • 1 lemon
  • .75oz container fresh rosemary
  • 1 apple
  • .75oz container fresh thyme
  • .75oz container fresh sage

For the herb butter:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1/2tsp black pepper
  • 6-8 garlic cloves
  • fresh chopped herbs

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Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Mix the butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, 1tbsp rosemary, 1tbsp thyme and 1/2tbsp sage.
  3. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with quartered lemon, onion, apple and leftover herbs.
  4. Separate the skin from the breasts and add a few spoons of the herb butter underneath the skin.
  5. Baste the top of the turkey with the rest of the herb butter .
  6. Roast until the meat temperature is 165°F.

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Easy gravy recipe

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Gravy recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 cups warm chicken stock or pan drippings
  • 1/2tbsp chopped fresh herbs
  • salt and pepper

Instructions:

  1. In a skillet melt the butter, whisk in the flour, until a smooth paste is formed.
  2. Pour in the stock and whisk until smooth. Bring to a simmer.
  3. Whisk in the herbs and simmer for another minute or two.
  4. Season with salt and butter.

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How to cook a turkey

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If you are wondering how long to cook a turkey – until the temperature of the meat reaches 165°F

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What temperature to cook a turkey depends on the oven – cook at about 350°F

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How long does it take to cook a turkey – about 4-5 hours

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Tutorials on how to roast a turkey

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How to bake a turkey

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How long to bake a turkey depends on how tender you like the meat

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Oven roasted turkey

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Roast turkey recipe

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Best Thanksgiving turkey recipe

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How to cook a Thanksgiving turkey

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How to make a turkey for Thanksgiving

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John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.