• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Marge Perry's A Sweet and Savory Life

  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Calendar
  • About
  • Contact

Roast, Glaze, Rub, Brine, Spatchcock: How to Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey Every Which Way

November 18, 2016 By Marge Perry

In the past three weeks, we have cooked 12 — or was it 13?– turkeys, each a different way. We created recipes for people who are roasting their first turkey and those who are on their twentieth; for adventurous cooks and those (like me!) who love the classics. Here are some of our favorites, broken down by method.

ROAST TURKEY(S)

Cider Bourbon Glazed Turkey

Cider Bourbon Glazed Roast Turkey

A warm, rich and slightly sweet glaze practically cooks itself while the turkey roasts over a bed of apples and vegetables. This is one of our simplest recipes– though the beguiling aroma in your kitchen and flavor would lead you to think otherwise!

Perfectly Roasted Turkey

Herb Roasted Turkey

I am a New Englander, and still love the tried and true, traditional herb-roasted turkey. This is the turkey we just taught at my annual “Thanksgiving Essentials” class at Institute of Culinary Education. It is also one of the turkeys we will make for our own holiday gathering this year. It is a classic for a very good reason.

Click on these links for step-by-step illustrated guides to how to take the turkey’s temperature and how to carve the turkey.

TURKEY FOR SMALLER GATHERINGS

Smoked Sea Salt and Brown Sugar Crusted Turkey breast

Roast Turkey Breast with Smoked Sea Salt and Brown Sugar Rub

Sorry, people with large gatherings, but this sweet, salty, smokey rub is not for you. For cooks who have four to six people at your holiday table, gloat just a little about the fact that you could not do this delicious rub on a whole turkey: by the time it would be cooked through, the sugars would burn. It is ideally suited for a breast, on which the sugars and salt turn into a bronzed crisp crust.

Please note that the recipe yields 8-12 servings, but since some people go back for seconds and everyone wants take-home, this recipe is perfect for 6-8 people.

BRINED TURKEY(S)

In addition to specific recipes, we created step-by-step photo instructions for Food Network. The links follow.

Click here for the Wet Brine tutorial (Slides 8 – 16)

Cider Brined Turkey

…and here is a recipe for wet brining: Maple & Cider Brined Turkey

Click here for the Dry Brine tutorial (Slides 1 – 7)

Southwest Dry Brined Turkey

For our Southwest Dry Brined Turkey, we used the following rub (for a 12-pound bird):
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

SPATCHCOCK TURKEY

Rosemary Thyme Spatchcock Roast Turkey

Rosemary-Thyme Spatchcock Roasted Turkey

This spectacular looking beauty is a little more work for the cook, but the gorgeous presentation and moist, tender breast meat is a big pay-off. You can ask your butcher to spatchcock the bird for you, or you can cut out the back bone yourself.

Got questions or comments about your bird or cooking method? Use the comment section below or the contact form (the latter is private) and I’ll get back to you quickly.

 

Filed Under: A Sweet and Savory Life, Great for Gatherings, How-To, Poultry: Chicken, Cornish Game Hen, Turkey and Duck, Recipes

Previous Post: « Noodle Kugel with Cornflake Crust
Next Post: Six Do-Ahead and Delicious Thanksgiving Sides »

Reader Interactions

Get More Updates!

Sign up to get exclusive updates & tips!

Comments

  1. Frank B says

    November 18, 2016 at 2:57 pm

    I would like one of each

  2. Marge Perry says

    November 19, 2016 at 10:04 am

    We’re only making two, Frank, but come on over!

  3. Linda Borses says

    November 20, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    The Roast Turkey Breast with Smoked Sea Salt and Brown Sugar Rub looks wonderful and would be perfect for my small group. I went shopping today though and couldn’t find any Smoked Sea Salt. Any suggestions as to what could be used it its place. Thanks so much and I wish I could make every one of these.

    • Marge Perry says

      November 21, 2016 at 3:10 pm

      Hi Linda–
      You can get smoked sea salt at Whole Foods or many other specialty markets. Some supermarkets carry it as well, but not all. If you still can’t find it, another approach might be to use some smoked paprika, which is in the spice aisle of your supermarket (and not to be confused with plain paprika) and sea salt together. That will give you some of that earthy smokey flavor.
      Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

      • Linda Borses says

        November 21, 2016 at 7:35 pm

        Hi again Marge, Thanks so much for the quick response. I just happened to have smoked paprika and sea salt so I shall try that and save myself a trip to Whole Foods…the holiday crowds are crazy! Wishing you and yours a wonderful…and delicious…Thanksgiving!

  4. Mary Lindeberg says

    November 20, 2018 at 9:52 am

    should I glaze a spatchcocked turkey

    • Marge Perry says

      November 20, 2018 at 9:57 am

      You can if that is what you want– but you can also put an herb butter under the skin, or a spice rub over the skin. All three work equally well– it is a matter of how you like your turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!

Trackbacks

  1. The Thanksgiving Guide to Getting the Entire Meal on the Table Hot and At the Same Time says:
    November 18, 2018 at 11:09 am

    […] uncovered for 30 minutes. Here is everything you need to know about turkey, from cooking methods: how to wet and dry brine, spatchcock, and roast , to an illustrated guide to taking the turkey’s temperature, to how to carve the […]

Primary Sidebar

I make my living writing, teaching and speaking about food and travel. In the name of work, I (have to!) eat a lot, meet interesting people (many of whom, like me, are passionate about their work) and travel near and far to see where and how food is made, grown or raised. I am saved from a life of extreme obesity by the fact that I truly love to exercise, but I am always one forkful away from not being able to button my jeans. Mine is a sweet and savory life.

I share it with my husband and co-author, David Bonom. Check out our new book, Hero Dinners: Complete One-Pan Meals That Save the Day

To learn more about me, click here →

Subscribe

sign-up here for email updates!

  • Want to see a cool trick for poaching eggs? Check out this video we did for Anolon. The trick comes at :22!

  • Craftsy Blogger Awards - Winner Best Tutorials Badge

    Popular Posts

    How to Cook Tender, Juicy (not dry!) Chicken Breasts

    Grilled or Roasted Spice-Rubbed Chicken Thighs: My Go-To Easy Dinner

    Strawberry Frosted Cupcakes

    Disclosure statement

    Do you have Chicken Anxiety??

    Become a Chicken Master! Make moist, tender, juicy, safe chicken each and every time. My online Craftsy video class, All About Chicken will show you how. Click here to learn more-- and get a special reader discount of half price.

    Footer

    Hero Dinners: Complete One-Pan Meals That Save the Day, our latest cookbook, is available wherever books are sold (including on Amazon).

    Want to see more of my work? Click on "Articles" at the top of the page for links to our recipes, articles and videos in magazines, websites, and social media.

    Feel free to connect/follow via any of the social media buttons below or drop me a line here through my contact page. Read More…

    More From the Blog

    Subscribe

    sign-up here for email updates!

    Copyright © 2023 asweetandsavorylife