Let’s be honest, the best part of Thanksgiving is the food. It’s what we look forward to for months and dream about for weeks. Once the long-awaited week arrives, the food preparation almost becomes more of an event than the actual feast. The coup-de- grâce of this feast is the turkey, obviously. For years the bird was prepared the same way. A bit of brine on the outside, some spices inside, then stick in the oven for several hours. Then a fascinating idea took hold: what if we switch things up to reflect the taste of those eating? It was a crazy notion that has now given each family their own unique cooking tradition. If you and your brood are still looking for ways to tweak your main course, take …show more content…
While it may seem like an odd “seasoning”, it can help produce one of the juiciest turkeys you’ll taste. The mayo isn’t potent enough to give off an overwhelming taste. Instead, it does its job of adding moistness. And since you’re going to probably put mayo on the sandwich you make with the leftovers anyways, is it really that strange? Start by mixing your choice of herbs with 1 ½ cup of mayo (per 13lbs of turkey). Spread the mix on the skin and inside of the bird with salt and pepper. Toss in some chopped celery and onion with a stick of butter inside then cook per your weight instructions—for this size and ingredients, cook at 450° for 30 minutes then at 350° until internal temperature reaches …show more content…
Everything about this recipe brings happiness to the table and will leave you wanting to cook it several times a year. Mix 2 cups of maple syrup with 1 cup of preferred bourbon (Jack Daniel’s is a favorite) then add in some salt-water mixture. Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours. Once it’s time to cook, butter the skin and add veggies inside. Cook to weight specifications. The real key to keeping this one tasty and juicy is to pull it out of the oven every half hour and brush with more of the syrup—bourbon mixture. Your guests will thank you for the meticulous attention.
Fried
This is a huge favorite among pockets of people—especially in the South—but still isn’t widely adopted as a standard. For those wanting to shake up their table though, consider the fryer as opposed to the oven. The key is to inject the turkey first. Homemade concoctions are usually the best because you can tweak it to your liking. Try to include vinaigrette-based dressing for extra juiciness. Fry in the cooking oil 3 minutes per pound then watch your family attack the pan like scavengers.
Once the turkey hits the Thanksgiving table, it’s most likely going to be whole-heartedly consumed no matter the style. Make the meal a little more special with one of these four turkey recipes to try this Thanksgiving, courtesy of Vision