6 METHODS to Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey

How will you cook your turkey this year?

Oven baked/roasted, deep fried, smoked, instant pot, air fryer, crockpot…SO many options!

Over the next coupla weeks we’ll share with you our favorite recipes. 

We’ve got some interesting options whether you like it more on the simple side to extravagant rubs and exotic seasonings. 

Not sure what you like?

Take a look at some of these options for flavorings:

• Basic Herb Turkey Rub : This classic rub consists of flavor pairings like garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary and sage. The herbs perfectly complement the turkey while keeping the flavor simple.
• Brown Sugar and Spice Rub: Do you crave a hint of sweetness? Look for rubs with brown sugar, honey or maple syrup. Spices like cumin, mustard, cinnamon and cloves pair nicely with the sweet.
• Cajun Turkey Rub: Now here’s a way to add some serious spice and depth to turkey with the classic Cajun flavors of cayenne, paprika, garlic and oregano. The heat makes for an exciting Creole-style turkey.
• Lemon and Herb Rub: Use lemon zest and juice to give this rub a refreshing taste mixed with rosemary, thyme and parsley, it’s a Greek-inspired turkey seasoning.
• Coffee Rub: Have some coffee lovers in your life? The richness of coffee makes an unexpected addition to a turkey rub. Mixed with spices like chili powder, cumin and cinnamon for an incredible taste.
• Jerk Turkey Rub: Wishing you were on the beach instead of freezing for Thanksgiving? Imagine you’re there with the taste of a Caribbean turkey, use a jerk-style blend with habanero peppers, allspice, cloves, garlic, onion and thyme. It delivers spicy heat and warm flavors.

Don’t those ALL sound delicious?

How much rub do I need?

• Plan for about 3-4 tablespoons of rub per pound of turkey meat. Err on the side of more to be sure the flavor permeates.

Now, you’ve got your rub chosen, you know how much you need – here’s how to properly apply it to get the most flavor from your turkey.

How to Apply Turkey Rub

• Under the skin – Loosen the skin from the breast and thighs, rub some of the mix directly onto the meat, then replace the skin. This helps the rub penetrate through the meat.
• Over the skin – Coat the entire surface of the skin evenly with the rub. Try to avoid thick clumps.
• Body cavity – Fill the body and neck cavities with some of the rub for flavor from the inside out.
• Relax the rub – Once coated, let the rubbed turkey rest in the fridge 8-24 hours so the spices can deeply season the meat.

Cook as desired – Roast, grill, smoke or fry, which ever method you choose. The rub adds flavor throughout the entire cooking process.

We’ve got a couple of recipes to get you started:

• Oven Roasted: A Simply Perfect Roast Turkey
• Oven Roasted: Lemon Oregano Roasted Turkey
• Crockpot: Crockpot Turkey with Garlic Butter

Looking for something a little more challenging?

Next week, we’ll bring you recipes to smoke your turkey, use an instant pot or deep fry!

Simply click on the “Print Recipe” button above the recipe and you’ll be able to easily print them.

WHAT’S NEW ON THE FARM
Within the last 30 days, we’ve had 30 cows who’ve been calving.

We moved them close to the house, so we could keep a close eye on the first time mothers.

Thankfully, the weather has been fairly nice.  Only a couple nights dipping to 15*F, but nice warm sunny days.

It always amazes me how strong and determined they are.  Usually, within 15 minutes of them being born they are trying to stand and nurse.

I love watching them race across the field with their tails high in the air.