Easy Turkey Recipes & Ideas

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Food & Wine's Justin Chapple flavors mayonnaise with smoky chipotle chiles, then spreads it under the skin and all over the outside of a turkey before roasting. It yields super-juicy, delicious meat that's perfect for any holiday meal.

Salt & Pepper Spatchcocked Turkey

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this turkey from F&W’s Justin Chapple. Salt and pepper are all you need when the meat is juicy and tender. Because it’s spatchcocked (the backbone is removed and the bird is flattened before cooking), the skin is supremely crisp and it roasts in nearly half the time as traditional versions.

Dry-Brined Spatchcocked Turkey

A dry brine is not only an easier technique, but it also results in crispier skin and more flavorful meat than a classic wet brine. Those final six to 12 hours of drying will ensure crackling, crispy skin.

Simple Smoked Turkey

Smoking a turkey yields juicy and tender meat. The keys to success are seasoning the bird with a dead-simple saltwater brine, then controlling the temperature of the smoker for even cooking. The added bonus of smoking the Thanksgiving turkey? It frees up the oven for sides and pies. For instructions on how to prepare this recipe on a kettle grill, go here.

Turkey Schnitzel

At her restaurant Vic’s in New York City, chef Hillary Sterling hosts a joyful Passover feast, for which she makes this extra crispy turkey schnitzel. Keep lean turkey breast moist and flavorful by giving them the cutlet treatment. A meat mallet makes pounding thin cutlets easy, but a rolling pin is a fine substitute. Pound gently to avoid tearing. If you plan to make this recipe as part of your own Passover meal, substitute matzo meal for the rice flour to keep the recipe kosher.

Turkey Leg Roulade

Lovers of dark meat know that the leg is often the most flavorful part of the bird. This preparation isolates this much-loved cut in a recipe for a perfectly cooked bird with a crackling bronze skin. The process can be started several days in advance, needing only a quick blast in a hot oven to crisp the skin before serving.

Turkey Mole Rojo 

On Thanksgiving many years ago, chef T.J. Steele was driving from Mexico City to Oaxaca when he stopped in Puebla for a bite. There he ate a rich turkey mole that has stuck with him all these years. This version, which can be made in a slow cooker, is easier than traditional methods and makes a perfect accompaniment for Thanksgiving leftovers.

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