How to Stuff and Prepare a Thanksgiving Turkey
The secret is there is no secret. This simple method yields a flavorful, moist Thanksgiving turkey every time: spread butter under the skin, stuff loosely, season generously, and truss the legs. Here's a step-by-step guide. For more on preparing a turkey, check out our downloadable, no-fuss guide.
Our Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Turkey for Thanksgiving
For a perfectly moist and tender turkey, follow these steps and download our full turkey guide for more tips and tricks on how to assure the bird is the star at your Thanksgiving table.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Properly Brining a Turkey
Giving your Thanksgiving bird a bath in salt water isn't complicated, but there a few things to know before you start the brining process. Here, we outline exactly how to brine a turkey for delicious results. Follow our instructions to prepare a perfectly brined turkey and download our complete turkey guide for more Thanksgiving tips.
Pan Gravy
Serve with our Turkey with Brown Sugar Glaze.
Maple-Glazed Turkey with Gravy
This turkey's crunchy, sweet crust is the result of boiling down maple syrup until it's almost crystallized and then brushing it on the bird during the last hour of cooking.
Classic Brined and Roasted Turkey
Brined to retain moisture, then basted with butter and wine while roasting, this turkey, the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, is golden and juicy. The bird is brined for 24 hours, so leave plenty of time for this recipe. If you don't brine yours, skip steps one and two.
Turkey, Cheddar, and Green-Apple Sandwich
This nourishing turkey sandwich recipe is a genius use of Thanksgiving leftovers. Sliced roasted turkey is stacked between slices of cheddar, tart apple, and whole-grain bread.
Giblet Stock
Giblets, which are the heart, gizzard, and liver of turkeys and other fowl, along with the neck, can be used to make a rich stock for homemade gravy. The liver should be cooked separately before being added to the stock, or it will make it too bitter. To save time, you can make this stock while your turkey is roasting.
Turkey Monte Cristo
If you like French toast and grilled cheese, you'll love a Monte Cristo. This sandwich is usually pan-fried, but baking it instead means you can use less butter and make several at the same time.
Stuffed Turkey Breast
This wonderful recipe for stuffed turkey breast is from "Martha Stewart's Cooking School" and makes a delicious dinner.
Stuffed Turkey Breast
Learn how to make this delicious and impressive turkey main, which is filled with our Sausage and Sour-Cherry Stuffing. It's the perfect recipe to make for Thanksgiving in lieu of the traditional roast turkey.