When you think about Thanksgiving turkey, what comes to mind? Moist, tender, juicy and flavorful, right? Our Ultimate Guide to Thanksgiving Turkey has every tip you need for the Best Turkey Ever!
Start With A Game Plan
Turkey Day is known for its hustle and bustle, so having a solid plan is essential. Organize everything in advance: shopping, table settings, side dishes, and desserts. If you’re ordering a fresh turkey, make sure to book it early. Going the frozen route? Make time (and space) to fully thaw it.
To Brine or Not To Brine
Brining locks in moisture and adds flavor. If you have a fresh turkey, a wet brine works wonders for juiciness. But if it’s pre-brined in a salty solution, like most grocery birds, simply leave it in the bag until cook day.
Here are some top brining picks: LC BBQ - Hen Drench, All Q’ued Up - Rockin’ Rooster Bird Brine, Coastal Goods - Brine Time, and How To BBQ Right - Bird Brine. Each will bring moisture and flavor to your turkey.
For an all-in-one option, try the Sucklebusters - Area 51 Bird Brine Kit, which includes two seasoning packets and a resealable heavy-duty brining bag. And if fridge space is tight, use this Turkey Brining Bag in an insulated cooler with bags of ice to keep your turkey at a safe temp.
Injecting Flavor
Injecting is a quick way to add flavor, especially to the breast meat. We recommend LC BBQ - Fowl Play Chicken Injection or the Butcher BBQ’s Bird Booster options: Chipotle Flavor, Honey Flavor, and Original Flavor. Or try versatile brine products that double as injections as well: Flaps 20 - Poultry Palooza, Butcher BBQ - Bird Booster Brine, and The BBQ Bus - Peep Show Chicken Brine & Injection.
Need a reliable injector? Go for the Heavy-Duty Metal Pistol Injector, or for multiple birds, the High Capacity BDI Injector.
Seasoning Perfection: Ultimate Flavors for Thanksgiving Turkey
Turkey is a blank canvas for your favorite flavors! Use the BBQ Pro Shop Flavor Guide to avoid over-salting and to find the best flavors for your bird. Here are some of our favorites.
Herb-Based: For that classic flavor, try Meathead’s Amazing - Tuscan Herb Poultry or Seasoned Pantry - Turkey Time Rub. Other favorites include Pitdaddy Outfitters - Northwoods, Big D’s Q - Game On, and B Xtreme - Stampede Dust.
Savory Profiles: Garlic and onion blends add savory goodness. Use them on their own or as part of a combo with another rub. Try Aces Wild - The 4 Queens, Fire Dancer - PG SOB, Loot N’ Booty - Gold Star Chicken Rub, or Plowboys BBQ - Yardbird.
Cajun Kick: For a flavorful Cajun twist, we recommend All Q’ued Up - Bayou Bandit, Heath Riles - Cajun Creole Garlic Butter, Pit O’ Heaven - Cajun PitGrit, and Your Behind BBQ - Arizona Cajun Rub.
Sweet Touch: A kiss of sweetness is a nice flavor variation for turkey. These seasonings lean sweet but not overly so, thanks to just the right amounts of underlying salt, savories and heat: Hotty Totty - Sweet Chipotle, Man Meat BBQ - Southern Style Honey Pecan Rub, and Smokin’ Hoggz BBQ - Smokin’ Applewood Rub are our favorites.
Glazes & Sauces: For a fruity glaze or sauce, try Blues Hog - Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, Croix Valley - Blackberry Ancho Chile Sauce, or Heath Riles BBQ - Maple Honey Habanero Glaze.
4 Great Ways to Cook A Turkey
Here’s how to make your turkey juicy and delicious:
Smoke That Bird: Smoked turkey is our hands-down favorite, and makes for the best sandwich leftovers, too. The smoking process imparts a complex flavor that turns ordinary turkey into something special. Almost any smoke wood will do, just avoid the strongest ones like mesquite and hickory. We love the light, sweet smoke of fruitwoods like apple, cherry and peach. Sugar maple is another excellent choice. Bonus: more room in the oven for side dishes and pie.
Spatchcocked: Our favorite method — it speeds up cooking and delivers even results. Check out our Smoked Spatchcocked video for tips. Check out our Smoked Spatchcocked video for tips.
Whole Turkey: Cooking whole in a smoker is similar to roasting but frees up oven space.
Turkey Breast: A smaller scale recipe that we even won a grand championship with!
Deep-Fried: Fast, flavorful, and super tender. Allow about 3 minutes per pound at 350°F. Use a large, sturdy pot and be cautious with hot oil — and make sure your bird is fully thawed.
Oven Roasting: For traditionalists, the oven is a classic. Herb or savory flavors suit this method well, and for time and temp, follow the directions on your turkey’s package.
Crock Pot: For something simple and hands-off, a slow-cooked turkey breast is delicious. Bone-in or boneless works well with a stick of unsalted butter and your favorite rub, like Killer Hogs - TX Brisket Rub or Frugoni - Asado All-Purpose Rub.
Next-Level Leftovers
Lucky enough to have leftovers? My formula for the ultimate turkey sandwich includes stacking turkey with something crunchy, something fresh, and something creamy.
For condiments, try Kelley’s Gourmet Mustard, Croix Valley - Honey Dijon Sauce, Duce's Wild Mustard, or Loot N’ Booty BBQ - Honey Gold BBQ Sauce.
Need some crunch? Weez’s Groovin’ offers Bread & Butter Pickles, Big As Texas Pickles and more.
Essential Tools & Supplies
Keep it clean and safe with Brining Bags, Meat Bags, Disposable Cutting Boards, Super Towels, and Nitrile Gloves. Heat-resistant gloves like the Deluxe Fireplace Gloves and Heat Resistant Grill Gloves are perfect for grilling.
And don’t forget the BBQ Pro Shop Factory Team Flavor Guide for seasoning tips, flavor ratings and usage ideas!
Happy Thanksgiving! You got this!
P.S. If all else fails and you get into trouble with the turkey, cook a leg of lamb instead.
Ms. Freak is head cook of Smoke Freaks, the BBQ Pro Shop Factory Team. She and her partner, Mr. Freak, are the tongues and testers behind the FACTORY TEAM FLAVOR GUIDE.