Did you know that turkey wasnât even necessarily served at what is considered the âfirst Thanksgivingâ meal shared between the Pilgrim settlers of Plymouth colony and the Wampanoag people back in 1621? Fowl was served, but historians think it was probably duck or goose. And yet, nowadays turkey is by far the star of Thanksgiving Day meals across the country, even though so many of us are terrified of cooking it. I say we should end crying foul on the fear of preparing this particular fowl.
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Iâve gathered some of the easiest Thanksgiving turkey recipes to share with you. These recipes are simple and straightforward, but that doesnât mean that they are lacking in flavor. Not at all. They produce juicy, flavorful results without the stress of unnecessary steps and complicated instructions. Enjoy!
This easy, no-fuss turkey is juicy and packed with flavor.
According to Tastes Better from Scratch, the âkey to baking a perfect Thanksgiving turkey is not to overcook itâ because if you do, youâre going to dry out the meat and no one wants dry turkey meat. Sounds about right. This recipe is simple, you donât have to brine, baste, or even use an expensive roasting pan to get a juicy bird on your holiday table.
You canât fail with this turkey recipe.
âI know many people get intimidated by cooking a turkey, but you needn’t worry. It’s easy! Especially with this no-fail, foolproof, beginner recipe. Just think of it as cooking a large chicken,â says Lisa Bryan of Downshiftology. She also shows you how to carve the turkey.
If youâre short on time, try this spatchcock turkey recipe.
Spatchcocking means that you remove the birdâs backbone so that you can lay it flat in a roasting pan. This method reduces the cooking time and also makes so that the breast and thigh meat cook at the same rate because the whole bird is being exposed to the same level of heat.
This might be the worldâs simplest Thanksgiving turkey recipe.
This recipe requires only 10 minutes of prep time. You pat the turkey dry with paper towels, season it inside and out with salt and pepper, and fill the cavity âwith aromatics like chopped onions, carrots, apples and herbs.â
Roast a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey.
If you are cooking for a bunch of people, it makes sense to roast an entire bird. But if you are cooking for a smaller group, cooking an entire turkey isnât necessary. Roasting a turkey breast makes for shorter cooking time and can be less intimidating to prepare.
