Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

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 a perfectly moist and tender turkey, follow our advice. The result? A bird is the star at your Thanksgiving table.

Serve with our Turkey with Brown Sugar Glaze.

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.

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.

Getting a great-tasting turkey on the Thanksgiving table is easier than you might think. Here, the bird is rubbed with a flavorful mixture of butter and fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme before going into the oven. Use the roasted vegetables and turkey neck to make Rich Gravy.

In her recipe for perfect roasted turkey, Martha roasts a 20-pound bird stuffed with her Classic Stuffing. Before it goes into the oven, she covers the turkey with four layers of cheesecloth soaked in a butter and white wine basting mixture. The cheesecloth keeps the bird moist, and prevents it from getting too dark too quickly. It's removed about an hour before the end of roasting to allow time for the turkey to brown.

Keeping your bird juicy isn't that hard—all you need is the right seasoning and a really large fridge. Brining is the first step in our roasted turkey recipe.

Want to cook your turkey faster? Try spatchcocking. When the turkey's backbone is removed and the halves are flattened, the meat cooks in just one hour. Since this method doesn't allow for stuffing the bird, simply make a batch of turkey stock to flavor and moisten the stuffing as it bakes beside the meat.

Roasted with orange, lemon, garlic, and fresh sage and thyme in its cavity, this simple citrus and herb turkey makes a spectacular Thanksgiving centerpiece. An easy pan gravy is the finishing touch.

For super-flavorful gravy, scatter cut oranges, onion, and garlic, along with a few rosemary and sage sprigs, in the bottom of the pan before you begin roasting the turkey. This recipe for upside-down turkey is a fun way to prepare your Thanksgiving meal.