We all love Thanksgiving and it’s a good time to show appreciation for our friends and family. But sometimes we can get into a bit of a rut in the kitchen, cooking the same things over and over again.
So now you’re looking for some interesting turkey recipes, right? Because a good roast turkey recipe is essential for any traditional holiday meal.
And making the same old turkey over and over again can get a bit tired, right?
Why not try one of these unusual and unique turkey recipes (that are also crazy awesome!) to shake up the menu.
But first, have you ever thought about WHY we eat turkey on Thanksgiving? We did too and this is what we found out.
Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
Gobble, gobble, gobble! Roast turkey is probably the most popular holiday meal for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Turkeys are native to North America and they were widely available to early settlers.
- Turkeys are large enough to feed multiple people and aside from their meat, they don’t have much other use! For instance, other farm animals provide other edibles or uses like eggs from chickens, milk from cows, wool from sheep. Turkeys are just turkeys, so it may have made sense to use them for this reason.
- Some historians think that it might have something to do with the popularity of Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol. When the book was published in the 1840s, it introduced the idea of a turkey being something extra special. It’s what the Cratchit family wants to share most in the world, and shortly after this turkeys started gaining popularity.
- The actual celebration of Thanksgiving dates back officially to 1777 when an act of the Continental Congress declared it a real holiday. Then again in 1863 during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, Thanksgiving was declared a nationwide holiday again. Lincoln had started the tradition with an unofficial Thanksgiving dinner that featured roast turkey, his favorite meal.
So we’ve basically had roast turkey dinner for almost 250 years.
The same old plain roast turkey your mom made, and her mother made, and her grandmother made. Ugh.
I mean those are probably good turkey recipes, but some new turkey recipes might be just what you need this year.
If you’re tired of the same old, same old turkey dinner recipes – why not surprise your family and guests with a unique twist on your turkey dinner this year?
We’ve round up some mouth watering and maybe sometimes weird thanksgiving turkey ideas to try.
Best turkey recipe in the world
Roast turkey is both traditional and delicious, but there are so many unusual and unique holiday turkey recipes to shake up the menu.
You never know, after taking a look at our favorite different turkey recipes, you just might find a new family favorite of your own!
Maybe find the best turkey recipe in the world? (Pst if you do, be sure to let us know and we want to know about the funky turkey recipes too!)
Our favorite Deliciously Unique Turkey Recipes
Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and of course, food! While traditional turkey recipes are always a hit, why not mix things up this year with a unique twist on the classic bird?
Deep frying a turkey can be a delicious way to cook the bird, but it also comes with some risks. If you're not careful, you could easily end up with a fire or even an explosion. Here are a few tips to help you deep fry your turkey without burning down your garage :)
Whether you’re a fan of dark meat or white breast meat, just looking at this ancho scallion basted turkey should get anyone’s mouth start watering.
Smoking a turkey for a holiday meal creates a juicy bird with crispy skin and amazing flavor! Make our smoked turkey recipe for your guests.
This Five Spice Turkey is a delicious Asian inspired bird! There is also an authentic family recipe for Sticky Rice with Chinese Sausage and Mushrooms. Yumm.
This Apple and Sage turkey dinner recipe from The Food Network takes it home with sweet and savory.
Smoked Apple Cider Turkey is perfect for Thanksgiving Dinner. The quick brine and the apple cider marinade adds the best flavor and keeps it incredibly juicy.
This Whole Cajun Rotisserie Turkey is a family favorite. It is seasoned with all the right spices and comes out moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.
This Adobo spice roasted bird looks so delicious on its own, you barely notice the disposable roasting pan.
Maybe you could cover it up with a DIY Thanksgiving Centerpiece?
This garlic herb maple roast turkey is packed full of flavor with just a touch of maple syrup sweetness. It’s the perfect addition to any holiday table!
Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing
Calling all bacon lovers, check out this Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing from Tyler Florence. I’m thinking this will go perfectly with mashed potatoes and melted butter.
Grilled Turkey - How to Grill a Turkey for Thanksgiving (Golden and Juicy!)
If you’ve ever wondered if you can grill a turkey for Thanksgiving, the answer is yes! I love to bbq a turkey because it frees up oven space when I have so many other dishes to make when I’m hosting a holiday dinner. I’m sharing one of my favorite ways to cook a whole turkey that’ll be ready in just a few hours. The result is golden, juicy turkey with crispy skin, you’re going to love it!
For another southwestern spin on your Thanksgiving turkey recipe, skip the cranberry sauce and try this Mole roasted turkey with masa stuffing and chile gravy. This is one of the more creative turkey recipes I’ve seen.
Learn how to make delicious Thanksgiving quality turkey and gravy in less than an hour using your Instant Pot.
Pit Boss Smoked Turkey (Just 6 Simple Steps for Juicy Smoked Turkey)
A juicy fresh smoked turkey has got to be one of the most delicious things on Earth. And, it’s not that hard to make! Our friends at Simply Meat Smoking will give you everything you need to know about smoking a turkey in a wood pellet grill like the Pit Boss.
This Smoky Paprika-Bacon Wrapped Turkey is the mother of all roasted turkeys. Saying it’s over-the-top might be an understatement, and it will surely bring your Thanksgiving feast to the next level!
If you want the most perfectly moist, flavorful, and juicy Thanksgiving Turkey, my recipe for dry-brining is what you’re looking for. All you need to do is rub the turkey down with salt, seasonings and fresh herbs.
Impress your guests with this gourmet Bobby Flay turkey recipe for Black Pepper-Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey. The key to this recipe is during the last 15 minutes of roasting, you will need to stop basting with chicken stock and instead brush on a pomegranate glaze. Yum!
Don't fight with baking a whole bird! Spatchcock it and have your holiday meal on the table in a flash. Complete with a tangy apple cider maple glaze, this turkey won't take all day.
Orange-Ginger glazed turkey for your Thanksgiving Feast. This easy, flavorful approach to roasted Thanksgiving turkey is sure to please!
Whole Grilled Turkey is my favorite way to cook a Turkey. Packed with flavor and it makes the most amazing gravy!
If you’re looking for fun turkey recipes and are a fruit lover, you’ll love this roast turkey dinner with fruit and nut stuffing from Martha Stewart. It includes prunes, apricots, raisins, currants, apples, cranberries, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and cashews – wow.
This gluten-free turkey is an allergy friendly option that tastes great!
Doesn’t the idea of cooking a turkey on top of an open can of beer sound like something your dad would do? Well, it’s not! This is one crazy way to cook up some Thanksgiving dinner. You’ll be surprised how amazing that meat will taste when making beer can turkey.
Spatchcock cranberry orange glazed turkey. This one of the fastest ways to get turkey roasted in half the time with a pretty presentation.
Take your holiday roast turkey to a delicious new level with this recipe that shows you exactly how to make a gorgeous Bacon Wrapped Turkey with a bacon lattice top.
This Thanksgiving Turkey is basted with a butter and wine sauce.
This butterflied turkey with apple cranberry glaze on the Food network, gets rave reviews for its flavor.
Bacon Wrapped Herb Roasted Turkey takes dinner to a whole new level with this amazing recipe. The bacon becomes a crisp and delicious layer of flavor in this show stopping dish.
Make a whole turkey in less than 2 hours with this Spatchcock Turkey Recipe. It is the best way to make tender, juicy, flavorful turkey!
Bring the flavors of the Mediterranean to your turkey with this unique recipe. Pomegranate, saffron yogurt and roasted garlic all contribute to the amazing flavor!
Dry Brined-Fried Turkey without Oil is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. This is a recipe for an easier, faster, and healthier way to deep fry a turkey in an oil-less turkey fryer. Dry brining adds flavor and moistness throughout and cajun seasoning spices things up ever so slightly for a Thanksgiving turkey you will never forget!
Now it’s your turn to share – What is the best holiday turkey you’ve ever cooked or eaten?
Which are your favorite unique turkey recipes? Have you tried any of the above? How did it turn out?
How to Deep Fry a Turkey Without Burning Down Your Garage
Is this the year you’re finally going to try deep frying a turkey? Afraid you might burn something down…like your garage? That is definitely a legitimate concern!
We’ve got you covered though with our step by step How to Deep Fry a Turkey post.
What should you make with leftover turkey?
The great thing about roasting a turkey for dinner is that even if you host a large dinner party, you will almost certainly have turkey leftovers.
Lots of turkey leftovers.
Which means you need an arsenal of lots of leftover turkey recipes. (Or maybe just one really good one?)
Unfortunately turkey tends to really dry out when reheated.
Luckily, we kept that in mind with our easy turkey hand pie recipe which is an awesome way to use all of that leftover turkey!
How to Make Turkey Hand Pies from Thanksgiving Leftovers
All of these turkey recipes look great! The Orange Glazed Butterfly Turkey is calling my name!
Im sorry I am laughing at the beer can turkey! I had Cajun turkey that is just amazing!
Sounds like some great ideas for spicing up the turkey dinner
Great list of turkey recipes, I can’t wait for our thanksgiving dinner.