33 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

Who needs pulled pork when you can have braised turkey legs? These beauties—with their flavorful stock and truly memorable golden skin—will give you a reason to cook turkey more than once a year. See recipe.

Worried you won't have enough leftovers for next-day sandwiches? Rather not bother with a giant turkey? The bone-in breast is your ticket. With no basting or babysitting, it's the path of least resistance to juicy, flavorful meat, impressive enough to earn applause but foolproof enough to supplement a whole bird. See recipe.

Separate cooking techniques for breast and legs in this recipe ensure that the different cuts reach their most delicious potential. Cutting the raw turkey into parts is the only challenge here; if possible, ask your butcher to do it for you. See recipe.

Deboning a turkey breast isn't difficult (just like cutting the rib bones away from a chicken breast, but bigger), but most butchers will do this for you. Ask for a whole breast, skin on, bones removed when you order it at the meat counter. See recipe.

Yes, you can buy just a turkey breast for this tingly Sichuan-spiced recipe. And when you cook it without the rest of the bird, you eliminate all those whole-bird problems. See recipe.

No patience for a traditional, labor-intensive brine? The dry brine is applied directly to the turkey's skin for a few hours, delivering big flavor and less hassle. As one reviewer writes, “had zero regrets.” See recipe.

A little soy sauce in the glaze ensures the burnished mahogany skin that holiday memories are made of. But it’s not just for looks; this brined and buttered bird is seasoned inside and out. See recipe.

You know what they say about good things taking time, right? Well, Plan at least one day ahead to let the turkey—seasoned with the homemade Cajun spice mix—cure overnight. “Family fave for Thanksgiving!,” writes one anonymous reviewer. See recipe.

This is a good option for cold-weather Thanksgivings eaten under threatening skies, since the combination of herbs and citrus provides a house-filling aroma that speaks to sunniness. Garnish with some remaining sprigs of sage and thyme, but be careful with the rosemary, as a little goes a long way. See recipe.

This grill-roasted turkey is fragrant with smoke and fruit, and the cooking method ensures juicy meat and crispy skin. And, as someone somewhere (probably) once said—a little butter never hurt nobody. See recipe.

The warm, sweet spices in this recipe (cinnamon and star anise) are balanced by the cider, ginger, and cilantro. Also, whatever you do, don't forget to save some cider for the table—obviously! See recipe.

Forget crispy skin this year and go for moist succulence. The yogurt, spices, and citrus combine to make a bird you're not soon to forget. Roasting the turkey in a roasting bag ensures juicy meat all over, which we love to serve atop herbed rice. See recipe.

A simply roasted bird (that is almost too beautiful to eat), glazed with rosemary-infused butter. See recipe.

No more dry bird! Chef Suzanne Goin prepares the breast and legs with distinct cooking techniques, resulting in unbelievable flavor and texture for each part: The breast is brined overnight before roasting, and the legs are cooked in duck fat and left to confit until fall-off-the-bone tender. Ask your butcher to remove the legs and thighs for you. See recipe.

Look to Mexico, where turkey has been the big bird for centuries. Continue the theme by using the leftovers for tacos (corn tortillas, shredded meat, lime...). We promise you won't miss your sandwich. See recipe.

You'll want to make extra of this lemon-herb butter because it goes well with chicken and fish too. Pro tip: Don’t forget to arrange a few lemon slices under the skin for extra zest! See recipe.

This recipe comes from the November 1988 issue and is part of our Thanksgiving Hall of Fame series. This large turkey will serve 16. If you have a smaller group, there will be plenty of leftovers to enjoy over the next few days. See recipe.

A whole turkey makes for a great presentation, but it takes a lot of brining, basting, and what not to ensure the breast doesn’t dry out before the legs are done. There is another way—two ways, in fact: Cook the legs and the breast separately, using a different method for each. It’s possibly the greatest holiday-food “Aha!” moment ever. See recipe.

This roast turkey recipe comes from the Bon Appètit November 1991 issue and is part of our Thanksgiving Hall of Fame series. Like loads of things, an oldie but a goodie. See recipe.