Most Popular Alternative Turkey Cooking Methods

There is nothing wrong with doing the tradition traditionally, but some people are looking for new ways to prepare the iconic Thanksgiving Turkey meal. This is a list of some of the most popular alternative turkey cooking methods. Get creative, dare to venture away from the traditional cooking methods and find your own unique way and new flavors. The first step is always getting the turkey, but once you have your bird it's about how you get it hot and on the table. 

Grilled Turkey

Grilling your turkey does more than just free up the oven for other sides and desserts; it gives your turkey a unique and great flavor. If you want some of the crispiest turkey skin you can get, grilling is the way to go. The smoke a grill makes also give the meat a unique and rich flavor.

There are some tricks to grilling your turkey. Ovens have very precise controls for temperature and a enclosed space to make heat even. While grills have covers, every time you open them the heat fluctuates. Depending on if you use propane or briquette grill heat can also be less even than an oven so you need to take steps to overcome these challenges. Keeping track of the temperature of the grill and the temperature of the meat is absolutely necessary. This will help you track how long the meat has been at the right temperature for the weight of your individual bird. Catching the turkey drippings for gravy is a bit of a trick, but some models have a spot to put a tin pan. If you don’t have a grill like that fashion some kind of a tinfoil drip catching system.

Braising Your Turkey

While most people tend to expect the iconic golden traditional turkey set at the center of the table a lot of families love the unsurpassed moistness of the braised turkey meat. Uncompromising chefs don’t have a moment’s hesitation when hacking the turkey apart. While the turkey will probably always be the centerpiece of thanksgiving, a lot of people aren’t thrilled with the meat when it is simply tossed in the oven. Choosing to braise your turkey involves cutting it apart, but by doing so you will have the moistest turkey imaginable.

Deep Frying Your Turkey

People deep fry everything from snickers bars to Twinkies. In the South and all across the country many turkeys take a nice long dip in deep fryers. Choosing to deep fry your turkey does two things for you, unique flavor and super fast cook times. We all know that cooking in oil isn’t the healthiest method for cooking things, but few will hesitate to admit that it is one of the most delicious. Cutting down on the time it takes to cook a turkey also leaves more time to spend with family enjoying the day together.

Outdoor cooking is absolutely necessary, under no circumstances try to deep fry your turkey indoors. A lot of people use propane burners to heat the pot of oil. Safety is key with everything, so as you are using your vegetable or peanut oil take great care to have the right hooks securely installed in the turkey and a way to safely put it in and take it out. Safety is thinking ahead, no one needs a trip to the ER instead of enjoying football, friends, and family.

Smoking Your Turkey

If you are ready to infuse new and unique flavor into your thanksgiving turkey smoking gives you the control to get creative. With different types of wood chips it is not even necessary to flavor the turkey before you cook it. Varieties like cherry, apple, peach, maple, hickory, and more give you the flexibility to make your thanksgiving meal unforgettable.  You can still brine your turkey before smoking it with your apple cider, bourbon, or wine.

Water smokers are some of the most popular options for smoking turkey, or you can get aggressive and build your own. Even some old charcoal grills can be transformed into a functional smoker.