Let Us Bring the Turkey This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving
November 17, 2011 | 481 Comments

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so if you still haven’t, it’s time to order that turkey, STAT! Tomorrow is your last chance to order one of our Willie Bird Fresh Organic Turkeys!

 

But today we’re giving away a 20- to 22-pound bird to one lucky reader. Keep reading to find out how to enter!

 

A question many people ask is whether fresh turkeys are really better than frozen. We’ve looked at the differences, talked to the experts and have a few ideas of our own.

 

Fresh turkeys are often raised in an organic or free-range environment, so they tend to be a bit more expensive than their frozen counterparts. Flavor-wise, they’re richer, with a more intense taste, and their texture is more firm than that of frozen birds.

 

“You’re strictly getting a fresh turkey that’s roamed free,” says Beagle Brodsky, Willie Bird manager. “You’re getting more of the traditional turkey flavor, because the longer turkeys are frozen, the more flavor is zapped out of them.”

 

The birds are also more muscular because their movement isn’t limited, resulting in better skin texture and broader breasts with more white meat.

 

Fresh turkeys can be prepared exactly like frozen ones, but you’ll save a few steps. You don’t have to thaw the birds, and since they’re naturally more flavorful, brining is less essential.

 

“I took a 30-pounder and cooked it for four-and-a-half hours, just seasoned and roasted,” says Brodsky, adding, “We have a big family.”

 

What’s so special about Willie Bird turkeys? First of all, they’re fresh, not frozen, ensuring a juicy and flavorful bird. The turkeys are also free-range, raised on ranches in Sonoma county for the past 45 years without additives, hormones or antibiotics.

 

To enter, just leave a comment below by TODAY, November 17, at 5 p.m. PST and tell us your favorite way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey. We’ll pick a winner at random to receive a delicious, organic 20- to 22-pound turkey. We will email the winner just after 5 p.m., so check your email!

481 comments about “Let Us Bring the Turkey This Thanksgiving”

  1. Susan Hein

    This year is the first time I am roasting a turkey. It will be for our church’s free community Thanksgiving dinner. I was talked into it because I’ve been told roasting a turkey is easy! Hahaha! I’m planning on stuffing it and roasting it. We’ll see what happens! Wish me luck!

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  2. Sarah

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is without stuffing, just using a simple spice rub to season the bird and a high heat for the first 30 minutes of cooking to get a nice crispy skin!

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  4. Stephanie Jones

    I keep it simple…basic bread stuffing, rub butter over the turkey, season with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and roast.

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  5. Gerri Diiorio

    We like to brine the turkey and then put it in the smoker with olive wood. M-M-M-M-M

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  6. Laura Cassanos

    I would love to win a bird from you all..I have a smoker that I smoke turkeys sometimes..but for thanksgiving I like to roast a turkey..I just can not mess with tradition…

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  7. Sandy Schroeder

    I swear by brining. My favorite brine recipe is from Alton Brown. : )

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  8. Tara

    Fresh turkeys are always so much more flavorful. I cook mine with stuffing, mostly because I love the flavors of the roasted turkey that cook into the stuffing – there’s really no way to replicate that with stuffing that hasn’t been cooked in the bird.

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  10. Hyde

    I love Turkey stuffed or unstuffed.. Either way, it’s nice to “spice it up” a bit and change it each year with various side dishes. Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday, with all the choices to choose from! =)

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  11. Ali Jackson

    My favorite way to prepare our thanksgiving turkey is to brine it overnight with Williams-Sonoma brining mix, and then roast it with a nice herbed rub with sage and sausage stuffing.

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  12. kay dinolfo

    I’m all about traditional – so my turkey is roasted. I don’t care for stuffing it, so that goes in on the side, not INside.

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  14. susie larsen

    My favorite way to roast my turkey is to first stuff it with a grapefruit halved.. this makes it juicy without the strong taste of lets say a lemon –but that’s good too! I also stuff in basil or rosemary then a little butter , salt and pepper spooned”
    under the skin <3 yum.

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  15. Lini Valen

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to brine it in some homemade brine the night before, and then roast it! This year, we’re going to try a slow-roast on our grill and using a cheesecloth soaked in some delicious spices and olive oil on top of the turkey.

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  17. Tovan

    Roasting is my absolute favorite way of preparing turkey. I brine the bird the night before, pat it dry, and truss it after filling the cavity with citrus, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, butter, salt, pepper, and herbs. I rub it with herbed compound butter, and roast it in the oven. I do baste if I’m not too busy preparing side dishes, and the bird comes out perfect each time.

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  19. Liz H

    I like to brine the turkey the day before Thanksgiving to make sure the turkey stays nice and juicy. I use some pepper, lots of garlic and some fresh rosemary to give it a great flavor. I use the turkey drippings to make gravy.

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  20. Tenley

    Best way to have turkey is stuffed with my Aunt Kimm’s stuffing recipe and roasted – browned and crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside. Yum.

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  21. brandi

    This year, I am having a smoked turkey..so the cooking is already done for me!

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  22. daniel tosh

    We like to brine our turkey, then loosen the skin and rub it inside and out with a tasty herbed butter. Chopped onions, apples and and sage in the cavity. Then we roast it in a buttered brown paper bag. Can’t wait!

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  23. V. Kong

    Last Thanksgiving (2010) was the first time I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner and the first time I cooked a turkey. I used your dry brine product and the turkey came out very juicy and delicious!

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  24. Alison Hirt

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is with my husband! We have the best time cooking together, especially on Thanksgiving. We cook two birds – one in the smoker and one in the oven. I used to be a big fan of wet brine, but we have started to “dry” brine and really like the results.

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  26. Anjanette

    Low temperature roasting with traditional bread style stuffing (no cornbread thank you very much).

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  27. Megan

    my favorite way to cook a turkey is to stuff it with our family recipe of stuffing and just rub a little salt, pepper and butter on the bird!

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  29. Donna Langston

    I make a turkey plain rubbed with a little oil and salt and pepper only. This came from college days when a group of us were all snowed bound and could not get home for Thanksgiving. We were all broke and all we had for Thanksgiving was a turkey given to one fella from his place of employment. It was the best tasting turkey ever!

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  30. Jana

    I am roasting a basic butter basted turkey with sage. Keeping it simple this year and using my All-Clad Roaster and Rack that I bought from Williams-Sonoma 15 years ago!

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  31. Robin Pennington

    I’m from California. We BBQ EVERYTHING, including the Thanksgiving turkey! I’m in Colorado now doing my first Thanksgiving here and have to figure out how to cook it in the oven. A couple of friends swear by the ‘turkey in the bag’ thing, so I thought I’d give it a try. I’d love to do it with a Willie Bird turkey!

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  32. Daphne

    Typically, we inject the turkey with a Cajun style herb butter, but this year we are trying out the Williamson Sonoma turkey brine. I’m excited!!

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  33. Suzanne Koziatek

    We’re traditionalists — brined and then roasted, with pecan and tart cherry stuffing cooked inside the bird.

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  34. Jennifer McCoy

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is with my dad. Every year daddy is in charge of the turkey but he usually let’s me tell him which method we are going to try. This year my family has invited 3 other families who don’t have family near to celebrate. We will be roasting out turkey with a brown sugar glaze. Yum! 1 week!

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  35. Freddy

    I do a simple brine overnight and then I put a LOT of garlic, rosemary, sage and thyme in the food processor and then under the skin – it makes for a very nicely seasoned bird. A little butter and salt on the skin gets it nice and brown – perfection! I’d prefer to cook in on the grill (as I have done many times) but in November the cooking times vary too much as a result of the outside temperature and wind.

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  36. Judith Armstrong

    I always cook mine upside down..never need to baste..then flip it over for the last 40 min to brown. I get lots of raves :)

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  37. Carol

    The only turkey I can eat must be organic and antibiotic free. In the area I am from there is no such bird to be purchased. I roast my turkey in the oven at 325- . I spice the turkey very simply with sea salt and pepper and organic olive oil and then I place a cheese cloth over the top to cover the turkey. I baste it every 20 minutes with the pan drippings. I do a cornbread and goat cheese stuffing that compliments the turkey quite nicely.

    Thank you for giving me an opportunity to win an organic turkey for our family. I certainly would be a surprise to all!!!

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  38. Jennifer Thornal

    I like rubbing the turkey down with a little olive oil with sage and thyme on and under the skin. Then I will sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the skin and bake it at 450 for 30 minutes then bring down the temp to 350 for the rest of the cooking.

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  40. Elaine Dye

    My favorite way to cook a turkey would be in my new gas oven. Cooking became exciting again when the 15 yr old electric job took a trip to the curb. Now, I need recruits to help with the peeling the potatoes and baking corn bread, for the stuffing ritual. Bring me the bird.

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  41. Sheila

    I prefer brining the turkey before roasting – produces a moist, flavorful meal with little effort! I’m actually planning to try a honey and rosemary brine recipe this year. Happy holidays!

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  42. Lisa Cholakian

    Organic Turkey! I would fill the cavity with aromatic herbs;rosemary, thyme, sage and a few lemon wedges and a light dusting of poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. then I like to make an herb butter and butter the whole turkey especially under the skin of the breast, YUMMY!

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  44. Chris Tolomeo

    My favorite way to roast a turkey is to place an onion, orange & some fennel inside with spices, season well both under & over the skin with salt, pepper, poultry seasonings and olive oil and place into a Oven Roaster bag and roast until thermometer is at least 165 degrees (internal temperature). We make our stuffing in a pan. Delish!

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  46. Lily

    I roast my turkey without stuffing. I rub it with salt the day before and on the day off, I brush it with an herbed butter consisting of thyme and rosemary. Then I tuck some sage between the skin and toss some more rosemary, thyme and sage in the cavity and baste throughout with butter.

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  47. Brandie

    I brine my turkey overnight and then put herbed butter (that I make myself) under the skin, season the cavity and outside of the bird. Roast that up and you will have such a moist bird with nice crispy skin, mmmmmmmmm good:)

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  48. Jeff

    Last year I did a dry brine based on suggestions from the Williams-Sonoma website and Thanksgiving meal guide from the store. Lots of salt and pepper to start, but I also added garlic powder, onion powder, various Italian herbs (because I’m Italian), ground mustard, and also threw in some paprika and cumin and a few other things on the shelf because I figured why not! I rubbed that under the skin, then with what I had left I turned it into a paste with some olive oil and then rubbed that on top of the skin. I let it sit overnight, then stuffed it and roasted it. It was very juicy and flavorful, and my favorite compliment of that day: “Jeff, I never go back for seconds on the turkey itself, but this tastes so good I’m going to!”

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  49. Maureen Kenney

    I love to stuff my Turkey with whole apples, onion, celery and herbs (cook my stuffing separately) and create a rub from Organic butter, olive oil, and fresh rosemary, sage and thyme from my garden. I place it under the skin and on top and slow roast. Fills the house with wonderful smells of fresh herbs!

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  50. Amy Van Amburgh

    Each year is different! One of my favorite methods uses an apple brine, but I also frequently use a simple dry rub. For me, it’s the quality of the bird that really makes the difference. I love Willie-Birds!

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  51. go

    My favorite way of cooking turkey is to brine it in apple juice and herbs! Possibly the best and moist turkey I’ve had to date.

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  52. Teresa

    I like my turkey and dressing separate. I love turkey with golden crispy skin that is delicious by itself! I can’t wait for Thanksgiving!

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  53. Katrinka

    The best turkey ever was one that we brined! juicy and moist loved it! Must say that my favorite part of the dinner is the turkey and cranberries-no stuffing, potatoes or gravy for me. Almost forgot have to have brussel sprouts!

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  54. Joline

    I have tried all sorts of ways, but this year I will combine a little of what I have learned from turkeys past. I will brine the turkey in a selection of herbs and rock salt overnight. The turkey the next morning — early, long before anybody else is up, which I have to say is my favorite moment Thanksgiving Day (the anticipation!) — will have pats of butter inserted under its skin. Inside the turkey, I will place fresh springs of rosemary and sage grown from my garden, a slice of onion and a half an apple, perhaps a few slices of oranges as well. This year I will use a baste of pomegranate juice, white wine and butter. I will heavily sprinkle the bird with ample amounts of sage, herbs de provence, salt, pepper and any other swell ingredients I have likely found at my local Williams-Sonoma. I usually soak a piece of cheesecloth in the baste and place that on top of the turkey. Then I will place it in the oven, have a sip of the white wine I have saved from the baste and move on with the rest of the cooking and baking and sharing of the day. I cannot wait.

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  55. julie allaben

    I massage the turkey with olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt, ground pepper and bake in a turkey sized baking bag. Very moist and delicious!

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  56. Gretchen Schweers

    My favorite way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey is to brine it the night before, than fill the cavity with a head of garlic (or two) and three lemons poked 3-4 times with a fork. I also add some rosemary and time to the cavity. It’s delicious!

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  57. Yvonne Y.

    I like to rub the turkey with salt, pepper, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Then stuff the inside with onions, celery, carrots, and garlic as much as I can. Wrap it in an oven bag, add 2 cups or so of water, and place in the oven. Makes for a very delicious turkey, and great left over broth for gravy or later for soups.

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  58. Jessica Palmer

    I inject the bird with a creole butter mix and then rub creole seasoning under the skin of the bird and onto the breast and then deep fry in Peanut Oil. Makes for a perfectly golden brown juicy turkey EVERY time!

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  59. Beth Taccogna

    I am a purest when it comes to cooking Turkey. Just an apple and fresh herbs in the cavity! Last year because we had so many people come over, I cooked three turkeys and three different stuffings. Smaller crowd this year. I’d love to share one of your turkey’s with the crowd.

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  61. Lisa Koss

    I like to cook my Turkey the good old fashioned way in an oven roaster, seasoned well and rubbed up with real butter. Mmmm…can’t wait. Simple, easy and yummy.

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  62. AnaMaria Seeley

    Simple but delicious: Just salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil over the top to make the skin golden and crispy. Celery and an onion in the cavity. With the dripping, I make gravy with rosemary and white wine, it’s a winner every year.

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  63. Katya

    First time ever roasting turkey this year – will be brining it a day before, it will be stuffed (still deciding on a specific stuffing, but I know there will be mushrooms in it) and then hope for the oven to do its magic. :)

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  64. Rebecca Lewis

    My first time hosting Thanksgiving was last year, and I brined it the night before. The skin was wonderfully crispy, but the meat was slightly dry. This year, I am equipped with a brand new meat thermometer, so I know it will be perfect.

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  65. David Tommerdahl

    This year the bird will soak in a Bourbon-Maple syrup brine for 24 hours, then finish on the pellet smoker grill using apple pellets. Can’t wait for that ;)

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  66. Tracy Roudebush

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is using the buttermilk brine recipe, then after brining, placing an apple, onion, and orange or lemon inside the cavity. Then rub with oil or butter and place in a roasting bag. Makes a beautiful turkey and the roasting bag makes it nearly error proof…with proper resting time (opening the bag during and switching to foil tent) you get a crispy skin.

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  67. Lou Chomas

    I like to roast my Thanksgiving turkey simply with salt, pepper, olive oil and garlic rubbed on the skin and the inside of the bird. It always turns out delicious and moist.

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  68. Joanna Gold

    A stard brine for 12 hrs. Then before roasting baist the bird with a melted butter, lemon juice and thyme combo. About 3 cups of stock in the bottom of pan and enjoy ( in about 3 hours :)

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  69. Julie S

    I love brining the turkey (adding red pepper flakes into the mix) and then roasting with pancetta covering the entire turkey! Everything tastes better with pancetta/bacon…yummers!

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  70. Dorthy Harris

    I rub butter over the turkey, sprinkle poultry seasoning inside, put it in a turkey-size cooking bag, and cook it according to directions. The cooking bag makes it VERY simple.

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  71. Lori C.

    Last year we inherited an indoor turkey fryer. I had never had fried turkey until then. It is delicious.

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  73. Marissa

    Keep it simple–roasted, no stuffing, lightly seasoned! Get fancy with the sides!

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  74. Stacia Harper

    My grandma always has the moistess turkey and delicious one ever! We inject the bird the night before with a variety of spices and oils. We put a rub on the turkey, and let it set. We fry it in a turkey fryer in peanut oil. It is the most tender turkey ever. Nothing worse than a dry turkey on Thanksgiving.

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  75. Michele Kaufmann

    My favorite way is a slow roasted recipe from Paul Prudhomme. You stuff a sauteed mixture of spices and garlic cloves under the skin and slow roast. It’s absolutely wonderful but take quite a bit longer and can only be done with a 10-12 pound bird. I have also spatchcocked it and cooked on top of the stuffing that way with good results. This takes less time and can be done with any size bird.

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  76. MARY BOLT

    MY PREFERENCE IS TO LET SOMEONE ELSE DO THE TURKEY.IF I DO IT I LIKE TO ROAST UNSTUFFED,BASTED WITH BUTTER & JUICES…SOMETIME I FILL THE CAVITY WITH ONION,CELERY AND COUPLE LEMONS ( SQUEEZED ) SEASONING TO TASTE.

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  77. Matthew Gray

    I brine my turkey in cider, rosemary, juniper, brown sugar, sea salt and bay. Then roast it lying on apples, onion and sage.

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  78. cyndie peterson

    I make my own basting sauce (adapted from an old Bon Appetit recipe) with my own garden herbs: marjoram, thyme, lemon, butter, maple syrup and apple cider and simmered on the stove the night before. I use a fresh, natural turkey, and put the sauce under the skin and on top. Then I stuff it with a mix of bread cubes, onion, celery, apples, pecans and seasonings. It is so good!

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  79. Dawna

    My favorite way to cook my turkey is to use an oven bag, lots of butter/oil, with pepper, salt, and sweet onions. I roast it slow most of the day, always comes out golden, and moist! Yummy!

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  81. Kathleen Heneage

    We feel that Thanksgiving is a time for family both immediate and extended as well as the traditions that we can enjoy in remembrance of those no longer here. We start by brining our turkey 24 hours in advance. In the meantime, we select organic vegetables and get those chopped for the dressing. Our daughters are responsible for plumping the raisins and currants that are a mandatory part of my late mother-in-laws holiday dressing recipe. We always use our Nesco roaster for the turkey because that is how my mother handled it. We will add a little herbed butter under the skin to give him the golden tan of perfection. We havent bought our turkey yet because we too like the fresh bird and its intensive flavor. We pray each year that there will be a big bird available when we’re ready to start because we always roast the largest to get ready for the wonderful recipes awaiting the leftovers! Happy Thanksgiving!!

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  82. Sarah Agee

    My husband cook’s our turkey on the BBQ pit. Which is nice because it frees up the oven for other things. Plus the turkey always turns out amazing.

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  83. Karamama M

    I use butter and salt and pepper on the skin and bake it in the oven. Crispy skin on a turkey is a MUST! YUM!

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  84. Amanda Iwanowski

    First, we brine it for two days and then soak it in a buttermilk marinade for one. Then, we inject it with a butter, beer, and herb mixture, stuff it with aromatics (eg, garlic, onions, herbs, and citrus), rub the skin down with olive oil and herbs, and then place the breast side down in the roasting pan. We place it in the oven at 500 degrees for 20 minutes. Then, we turn the heat down to 350 degrees and cook for the remaining 2/3rds of the cooking time. For the last 1/3rd of the cooking time, we flip the bird breast side up, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, and allow to cook until the thermometer reads 155 degrees. From there, we take the bird out, wrap it in tin foil and towels, and place in an insulated cooler, since we have a tiny oven in our apartment and can’t cook the turkey and everything else all at once! This also allows for the turkey to coast up to the proper temperature before carving. One day, I WILL have a double oven and won’t have to keep doing the cooler trick, lol!

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  85. Linda G

    I love cooking Thanksgiving Dinner and do it every year. I rub a butter/herb mix under the skin over the turkey breast and add a little apple/chestnut stuffing. One year I cooked the turkey upside down and had the moistest breast meat ever, but turning it over while it was hot was quite a challenge.

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  86. Bonnie

    I love to stuff fresh sage, sliced garlic, and butter under the skin, then stuff the cavity with more fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, a quartered onion, more garlic cloves, a carrot, and celery. Then rub the bird all over with olive oil, salt, pepper, a tiny bit of cayenne, and a little bit of dried herbs. I also cover the bird for at least the first half of the cooking time. Keeps it moist, imo, and there’s still plenty of cooking time left for browning. Yum!

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  88. Mary

    It’s a family tradition to cook it in a bag…it takes half the time and is always juicy & delicious!

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  89. Nicole Vaught

    With frest turkey, I prefer to minimally season it so you really get to taste the bird itself. Then I roast it low and slow in the oven with homade sausage stuffing. Always a family favorite.

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  92. laura

    After i rub olive oil on the outside of the bird I season with salt pepper parsley garlic and onion powder. My husband makes a homemade gluten free stuffing made with GF bread seasoning and butter…and in he goes!

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  94. Jennifer

    Chestnuts in the stuffing is key!

    Brined.roasted with a little foil on top.
    The last hour or so the foil is removed to let it get golden brown

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  95. Patrick

    I tried cooking the turkey Sous Vide last week as a “run through” for Thanksgiving. It was amazingly moist and tender!

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  96. Christine Rotonda

    Bourban basted turkey is awesome. Just add 1/2 cup bourbon to the seasoned turkey and baste every 45-60mins during cooking.

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  97. Jen Reiter-Smith

    I put holes in the skin and stuff garlic in. Then I cut onions, fruit and fresh herbs and I put it in the turkey. I put butter all on the skin and I then I put the turkey in the oven to cook.

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  98. Sheryl Brown

    One in the oven and one on the Weber Q!! Both brined, the one in the oven stuffed with cornbread-chestnut dressing. Lots’ of leftovers, one smoky-flavored, one traditional.

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  99. Kristi

    The best turkey I’ve had is a fresh turkey with uncured bacon slide in under the skin…simple salt and pepper on the outside of the skin. Fabulous! You must give it a try!

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  100. Lenore Hoffman

    Hi, my favorite way to cook a turkey is to use a cooking bag. I have done this for many years and it always comes out real moist, not dry. Everyone seems to really like it. All you have to do is clean the turkey, flour the inside of the bag, put in some celery and onion (and whatever else you want to add) put the turkey in, close it up and then poke a few holes so it can breathe. It also cooks faster this way. Tastes great.

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  101. Tonette M. Fiaschi

    I have done turkeys many different ways. I have been using the Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Guides since 1999. The best turkey my sister and I made was out of the 2001 (I think) guide and the trick was turning the turkey after the first 30 minutes and then basting it every 15 minutes. It was delicious and my sister still talks about the bird that year!

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  102. Amy Daniel

    I cooked my first turkey last year at Thanksgiving, and now I’m permanently hooked on the recipe I used. I started with a orange juice/salt brine the night before. Then I added parsley, paprika, onion, garlic, grapefruit slices, lemon slices, rosemary and thyme. The citrus fruit adds a wonderful flavor and keeps the turkey moist. Of course, I was crazy about basting, and ended up with a fabulous first turkey. I plan on repeating it all this year.

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  103. Kathy Bopp

    Usually, my favorite way is to roast it in the oven and keep my fingers crossed! This year the husband is going to fire up the smoker in the yard at 6 a.m. with some wood from the apple tree, and smoke the turkey all day. We are so looking forward to it! And, I’m looking forward to having the oven free for other things.

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  104. Kris

    Love reading all about turkeys and the wonderful way these are raised. I look forward to enjoying turkey at Thanksgiving and periodically, all through the year….you just can’t beat the ‘craving’ of a wonderfully roasted turkey :)

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  105. Mary Wang-Boucher

    Overnight salt brine, then sage, parsely and garlic butter under and over the skin, and then baked with a cheesecloth soaked in butter and white wine. This year, we’re going to add smoked bacon to the outside, just under the cheesecloth.

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  106. Isabel

    I brine my turkey for one day. Brine is made with room temp. water, sea salt, brown sugar, lemon and orange peel, black pepper corn and fresh thyme, sage and some rosemary. After taking it out of the brine, we rub it with a compound butter made with the three herbs, salt and pepper. It goes under and on top of the skin. We roast it, and half way through, we add red potatoes, carrots, garlic and onion that have been covered in olive oil and salt. When it”s done, we leave it to rest, covered for a couple of minutes. Then we carve and mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

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  107. Lucy Russo

    Rub with lots of butter and season with salt pepper, and tarragon. Put in bag and place in roasting pan and place in oven.

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  110. Jackie

    This is e first year I will be making a turkey for my family, parents and my brother’s family. Not sure how I’m going to cook it yet but I’m certain a Willie Bird Fresh Organic Turkey will make whatever I decide to do taste even better!

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  111. Liane raymann

    We cook our turkey with poultry herbs from William Sonoma and white wine basted through a cheese cloth. So moist and flavorable

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  112. Michael G. Halpern

    I’ve eaten turkey made with just about every preparation known to man and my two favorite methods of cooking are deep pit and deep frying. Both ways of preparing the bird tend to leave it the most succulent. Generous seasoning inside and out creates an entree with wonderful aromas and taste.

    Have a Very Happy Thanksgiving…Michael

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  113. Connie Brock

    Lots of sage…garlic…herbs….butter…nutmeg…pepper…and stuffing…cant wait <3

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  114. Lisa Destefano

    We have had turkey every imaginable way over the last 25 yrs but by far the best way was the year we managed to roast it vertically on a modified bundt pan that my mom somehow stabilized on a cookie sheet! it was a lot of basting but worth the time and effort!!

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  115. Tanya

    Love the Turkey with the Turkey paste and the last 30 min. Bast with apple cider.

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  116. Howard Hoffman

    That’s easy. My favorite way to cook a turkey is to sit on the couch and watch the game while someone who knows what they are doing cooks it. ;-)

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  117. Ana

    I brine the turkey and then stuff it with garlic, thyme, a whole lemon and salt and pepper. The rest is history

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  118. Marcia Kardatzke

    I cook my turkey, stuffed with onions and celery, rubbed with EVOO and sprinkled with sea salt, in a big brown and bag. cup of water thrown in and cook low and slow till the meat falls off the bone. not the pretty turkey of photos of OMG the flavor is to die for.. and tons of juice for gravy.Make sure the turkey sits on a bed of celery and onions too. even the white meat is tender and moist..and the gravy has the best flavor..

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  119. Jodi Kusak

    We use the Williams-Sonoma dry rub Brine and day of we smoke our turkey outside on our smoker. It takes a little longer than an oven, but the jaw dropping flavor blows our guests away every time. Slow cooked turkey getting infused with great smokey flavor in addition to the benefit of using Brine. Great outer skin with a super moist meat. By far the best turkey we have ever had!

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  120. Kelly M

    I love to add thick cut bacon slices to the top of the turkey while it cooks. The fat from the bacon keeps the turkey moist and gives a great smoky flavor. The best part….the crunchy bacon when you take it out of the oven.

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  121. Hallie

    This will be my first Thanksgiving enjoying turkey with my family after giving up meat eight years ago… and I am determined to cook my own turkey. As such, I have been searching for a “happy bird” to prepare and am thrilled to have found Willie and this contest! I am hoping to give your Cider-Brined Turkey recipe a shot, because frankly it looks amazing… and with the proper reinforcements (my parents, who taught me everything I know in the kitchen) there to guide me, I think that it could make Thanksgiving a really great day for all of us. Thanks for the consideration!

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  122. ida

    This year I am going to try to cook my turkey using a cooking bag. Every year i make an outrageous turkey , i season it just right, and i cook it at the right temperature, but it always seems to come out dry, im hoping that the turkey that comes from William Sonoma and my cooking bag that i will try out for the first time , my turkey will come out moist and delicious.. :)

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  123. Jeanine Chan-Lambert

    I love to brine the turkey over night with candied ginger and peppercorns in the brine, then just bake the next day with a little brushed oil on the skin and putting an apple, cinnamon stick, and onion in the cavity. So delicious and moist!!

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  124. jody

    I always start with your amazing pan and rack. The handles are my favorite feature because that bird gets HOT! I rub the breast with olive oil, salt and pepper. Sometimes I infuse butter under the skin, but not these last few years! I roast at 450 for 2hrs before I begin the basting. I baste and baste and roast and roast. I never win anything – it would be terrific to finally get a turkey!

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  125. Helen M.

    The way my Mother used to roast hers – Rub butter/margarine all over the outside and lay strips of bacon across the breast of the turkey. This helped to give the bird a nice even brown, crusty skin and kept the meat moist. She always stuffed the bird as most did in those days. I make lots of stuffing (from scratch) and stuff about 1/3 in the bird, which gives flavor to the meat, and bake the rest in a casserole dish. We don’t eat the stuffing that was inside of the bird – this is thrown away…

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  126. Jason

    Fried Turkey is my favorite! It seals in all of the natural juices and it cooks really fast!

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  127. Helen M.

    The way my Mother used to roast hers – Rub butter/margarine all over the outside and lay strips of bacon across the breast of the turkey. This helped to give the bird a nice even brown, crusty skin and kept the meat moist. She always stuffed the bird as most did in those days. I make lots of stuffing (from scratch) and stuff about 1/3 in the bird, which gives flavor to the meat, and bake the rest in a casserole dish. We don’t eat the stuffing that was inside of the bird – this is thrown away…

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  128. Carly Garrison

    I enjoy cooking a turkey in the oven with whatever I can find on hand as seasoning (onions, salt, paprika, thyme, etc.) and basting juice/sauce (cooking sherry, basalmic, water, etc). My turkeys are never the same year to year but they’re always yummy!

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  129. Christopher Sorel

    I love a unfrozen turkey that was not brined. I do a apple cider with spices brine then smoke it.

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  130. Sea Campbell

    I’ve brined and roasted mine the last few years, always turns out great. Pretty much word-for-word from Alton Brown’s thanksgiving episodes.

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  131. Paul

    We always roast the turkey (and a duck too, but that’s because we’re Chinese)….and we do so by brining it overnight, without stuffing in the cavity, rubbed with butter, seasoned with salt and pepper…a cut up lemon and some apple on the inside. BUT, this year we are thinking of doing some turkey sous vide….researching as we “speak”

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  132. Alice M. Nielsen

    My favorite way is to season it with plenty of herbs, stuff, and roast slowly. My husband loves to use his oil less deep fryer. Either way, delicious!

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  133. Marcy Prager

    I prepare my turkey this way:

    I put in one tablespoon of Virgin Olive Oil under the skin of each side of the turkey to keep it moist. I also rub the inside of the turkey with olive oil. I stuff the turkey and lace it up. Next I place the turkey in a fairly high roaster on a “leakable tray” that fits inside the pan so the turkey won’t get stuck to the pan. I pour in apple juice, about three cups, then season the turkey with herbs de province. I place a heavy-duty piece of foil with poked holes in it for steam, cook it one hour at 400, then lower the temperature to 350 the rest of the cooking time. The secret is basting the turkey faithfully every 1/2 hour. The turkey is moist and the apple juice, (I often add more as the turkey is cooking), mixes with the natural juices of the turkey. Delicious!

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  134. Sandy Flatt

    We brine our turkey every year. Sometimes with the Williams Sonoma Turkey Brine and sometimes we make it from scratch. Then we smoke it in the smoker. YUM!!

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  136. Carrie M.

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to make an herbed-cream cheese and rub it underneath the skin, and rub the skin with butter! It makes for a really juicy, moist bird and a beautiful golden color!

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  138. Becky Sobel

    I usually make a 12-15lb bird; stuffed,season & coat the bird with melted butter
    fresh is much less stressful~no worries about thawing. Big enough for my family to have sandwiches & one more go around with leftovers on day two.

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  139. Tami Ellett

    Our favorite way to cook a whole turkey is to slowly smoke it. So moist and full of flavor. This year we will try to brine the turkey first and see if that makes difference.

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  140. Celeste

    Roasted…honey-butter between the skin and flesh, then cut up citrus, garlic bulb, and fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme in the cavity. DEEELICIOUS!

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  141. Cristi

    This will be my first year cooking the turkey. We’ve always gone to my mother’s house but she is in poor health. I’ll be cooking the dressing on the side and will be roasting the turkey.

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  142. Kayla

    I like to roast a turkey that has been smeared with an herb butter compote. To stay true to our Southern roots, we have cornbread dressing on the side instead of stuffing.

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  143. Jessica

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is roast it in the oven. No stuffing. I like to put onions, potatoes, garlic, and a lemon inside the bird. And season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and butter between the meat and the skin!

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  144. monica carbajosa

    I roast my turkey and make my stuffing seperate. This year I am going to try a new recipe that my mother in law gave me! It was her mother’s recipe.
    I follow on twitter and facebook :)

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  145. Emil Watson

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to brine, then roast. The brine ensures an amazing bird every time!

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  146. Kathy Murray

    I would love to have one of those Willie Bird free rangeturkeys. I would roast it in a traditional manner, stuffed with a fruit/bread/pecan stuffing, covering the breast with cheesecloth and basting it during roasting. It would be flavorful and moist. Can almost taste it now!

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  147. Linda Levy

    I cook my turkey very simply. I put a little onion and carrots and garlic in the roaster with my turkey and a little bit of water. I use my mother’s covered roaster pan which is the pan we used when I was a child. After several hours, I baste the turkey with its own juices. It is simple, but delicious. I always feel that my mother is with me when I cook in her pan and I have never overcooked a turkey. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

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  148. GJ

    Make a spicy turkey, stuffed with habanero and jalapeño peppers and rubbed with cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes.

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  149. Kathy

    On the grill in a big aluminum pan. You need to send the most annoying person at the house outside to check the flame and heat every 15 mins. This is especially fun if it’s raining or snowing. The turkey is incredibly moist with a great flavor, and your preparation time is practically stress-free with that person out of the way!

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  150. Janet Wilson

    My favorite idea about cooking a turkey is that I always cook a large bird to make sure we have leftovers for ourselves and to send home with the kids. With a big crowd I will add a turkey breast to the oven as well. Mom used to cook her birds in a brown grocery bag and I have done the same. Butter the turkey generously, put some carrot and celery pieces inside the cavity if you like. I butter the inside of the bag a little also. Always juicy and browned!
    If you get one with vegetable protein added that usually means pumped up with soy! It’s an allergy issue in our house and the fake butter taste added is just that.

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  152. Jim Kroupa

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to order one, pay for it, pick it up, then have my husband cook it perfectly! ;-)

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  153. Shari Benson

    I like to cook my turkey with local wine found here in Massachusetts! A nice spicy red always adds great flavor and adds to the tenderness!

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  154. Cindy

    I brine the turkey first, add rosemary under the Turkey’s skin, season it, and roast (without stuffing)

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  156. Debbie Schott

    Usually stuff with bread stuffing and baste with butter, pretty basic…but recently saw something that sounded so yummy, going to try it this year: zest and squeeze lemon, orange and limes – use zest to mix with butter for basting and put “remains” inside the bird along with the green part of leeks. The rest of the leeks and the juice of the citrus are used in the side dishes.

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  157. Christine

    Lots of butter and seasoning– both under the skin and on top. To change up the flavor, I’ll zest citrus or chop up some fresh herbs depending on the menu.

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  158. Vicki Fowler

    I like mine on the rotisserie. My husband throws a couple of onions and apples in the cavity and puts some wine in the pan on the bottom. MMMMmMMmM… Perfect AND it’s one less thing going on in the kitchen.

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  159. Loria Lowd

    My favorite way to prepare our thanksgiving turkey is to brine it overnight with Williams-Sonoma brining mix, butter rubbed, cover w/cheese cloth and basted every 30 mins. Stuffed w/grandmas Irish potato stuffing.

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  160. MariaNina Montalbano

    Best way is to grease the bird with crisco and start the bird upside down in a 375 degree oven. Tent the bird with some aluminum foil – that cuts down on the cooking time. after about 30 to 45 minutes, turn it right side up and turn the heat down to 325 degrees. that way the breast is juicy and the skin crisps. average 20 minutes to the pound. Put onions, garlic and celery in the cavity for aromatics. Baste the bird every 20 to 30 minutes. I only use fresh birds because the frozen ones are usually injected with substances we’re allergic to. I plan to make all my sides gluten-free and dairy-free so my family can eat the traditional foods. Stuffing gets made outside the bird because I’m the only one who really enjoys it and it cuts down on the cooking time for the bird which helps keep the bird moist.

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  162. Matt

    I brine them and then do a sage, jalapeño and orange rub before roasting. It’s just about perfect!

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  163. Kyle Nelson

    My little brother and I have taken over Thanksgiving duties for the past 3 years now and we brine and roast the bird (following Alton Brown’s recipe). This year we’re continuing the tradition of roasting a bird, but we’re going to deep fry one as well. Can’t wait!

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  164. Olivia

    I am a BIG fan of brining my turkey before roasting. I’ve used the Williams-Senoma brine before, or I do a really basic brine with peppercorns, basil and brown sugar. Then I use a garlic and rosemary/tyme butter under the skin and for basting initially. Yum!

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  166. Michelle

    I’ve been making my turkey roasted with a variety of spices that include paprika! And lots of butter :)

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  167. marie

    My favorite way to cook turkey is at Mamas with my whole family around. This year Mama is gone so I will roast my bird like Mama did and just remember those great times we had. She said to tie legs up tight so they don’t over cook.

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  168. Angie

    I bake a traditional turkey, and set aside onions, peppers, garlic and store those. The day after Thanksgiving, I shred the left over meat, sauté the stored ingredients and I make Turkey Tacos! That is our favorite way to have turkey!

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  169. Tina Chalfant

    I like to roast it in a bag with lots of fresh herbs rubbed all over it.

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  170. Amy V.

    My favorite way is to roast a brined turkey with salt and pepper and stuffing! I’m trying the Williams-Sonoma turkey herb mix this year.

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  171. Megan

    We switched to fresh a few years ago and will never go back… It just tastes too good. It is tender juicy and oh so thanksgiving !

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  172. Rhonda

    Here’s our family’s way of cooking the traditional fresh Thanksgiving turkey:

    Basic ingredients are a generous amount of gratitude, the spice of life, and all the warmth of the wonderful people who add to our lives. Mix well with laughter and giggles. Add in joy and generosity. Wrap all with love, and repeat steps and ingredients as needed to continue the tradition for generations to come!

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  174. Michelle

    I brine my turkey for a full 18 hours in salt, season-all, onion and garlic. Then pat it down, sprinkle liberally with Poultry Seasoning, cook on 350 BREAST side down for 2 hours, then Breast side up for 2 hours in a Brown-n-serve bag!

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  175. Debbie Smith

    When it comes to turkeys, I like to keep it simple, fresh turkey, herb butter rubbed between skin and meat, in a roasting pan over carrots, celery and onions. The kitchen couldn’t smell better!!!

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  176. Anthony Zinzi

    I love to brine my turkey in Apple Cider, coat the skin in olive oil, season and spice it, then roast it over a bed of aromatics. Delicious.

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  178. Ann Caulum

    My favorite way to roast a turkey is with chestnut stuffing in the neck and oyster stuffing in the main cavity. The chestnut stuffing comes from my Dad’s Mom and the oyster stuffing comes from my Mom’s Mom.

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  179. Merilee Cameron

    I’ve never actually cooked a Thanksgiving turkey. This year will be my first! I’ve always thought a wet brined turkey would be delicious.

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  180. Angel Cooper

    My favorite way to cook my turkey is to start by putting it into a brine of water, salt, brown sugar, pepper corns and other herbs. On Thanksgiving morning, the turkey is drained, rinsed and dried. Into the roaster it goes and the inside is sprinkled with fresh cracked black pepper, salt and the inside is stuffed with onion halves and celery stalks (no stuffing) . Outside, the turkey is brushed with melted butter and then another light sprinkle of salt and pepper . I cover it with butter soaked cheese cloth and in to the oven. I baste the turkey frequently and when the cheese cloth coves off, the skin is a beautiful mahogany color. YUM!

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  181. Patti

    Brined and roasted slowly with no stuffing. Started upside down and then turned right side up partway through.

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  182. Mary C.

    I like to deep fry the turkey. Its juicy, but can be dangerous with all of the hot oil.

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  183. Geri DeVilbiss

    My favorite is to season and bar -b-que on the big green egg, not only is the flavor amazing, it frees up my oven.

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  184. Wen yi Condren

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to brine the turkey with Williams Sonoma brine mix for 16 hours. And cook with the Sous Vide. The turkey come out good every time.

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  185. Amanda Gauntt

    I love turkey that is fried and baked slow in the oven served with sausage and apple stuffing on the side. Delicious I love this time of year and the fabulous food to go with it. I hope I’m a lucky turkey winner lol. I would make you proud and serve all my friends and family!!

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  186. Lisa

    I absolutely love the apple spice brine done with buttermilk. It makes such a moist, flavorful, delicious bird. Then the stuffing recipe with the granny smith apples in it -to amazing!

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  188. ShanelP

    Use the Williams-Sonoma brine mix and brine a fresh turkey overnight. Dry then rub with butter and roast in the oven. No need for more spices, the brine does the trick.

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  189. Denise Behrman

    My favorite turkey is fresh, not frozen. I make ahead an herb butter with Italian herbs, or herbs de provence with crushed garlic and butter, simmer then pour into ice cube trays. The night before Thanksgiving I prepare the turkey by cutting small pieces of the herb butter and pushing them under neath the skin of the turkey and on the outside, stuff with home-made stuffing and stick in the oven at 250 degrees at about 11:00 p.m. and cook all night. In the morning I check the temp. to make sure it’s at least a good 170 degrees on the breast and take turkey pan out and put a foil over the turkey and a beach towel and let it rest, while I prepare other dishes, then, it’s done and ready to eat.

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  190. Cindy Glorioso

    I am conflicted as to which way but most of the time I roast the turkey. First I brine it overnight. Then stufffresh herbs like sage,parsley,garlic chives thyme salt and pepper under the skin. Then I season it and place on a rack over a bed of chopped onions,celery and carrots. then I pour water up to the level of the top of the vege’s. Sometimes I need to baste but most of the time I have a very delicious moist turkey….bring on the leftovers.

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  191. Cindy

    I brine it first (the brine varies, but in the past has included things like cranberries, wine or champagne, apple juice, oranges, molasses, lemons, brown sugar, herbs, etc.). Then I rub a lemon-herb butter under the skin AND over the skin, stuff it with my mother’s recipe stuffing (we like tradition at our house!), and roast it to golden perfection! I serve it with rosemary and portobello gravy.

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  193. Barbara Barnes

    I brine my turkey using salt, brown sugar and mulling spices for 24 hours, then season with a spice rub (home made, using 12 different spices and brown sugar), then smoke with applewood for 10 or so hours til done. The brining keeps the turkey moist and adds flavor, which is kicked up nicely by the spice rub and smoke.

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  194. Susan Moll

    We usually fix two turkeys,one deep fried and one roasted in the oven. My husband does the deep fried one with an injection marinade and I put onion and celery inside and out of the roasted one along with salt and pepper. Slow cooking and lots of basting and a little rub of olive oil on the outside and we have birds a plenty for the crowd we usually feed.

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  195. Sayuri

    OVEN KALUA TURKEY
    1 twelve to fourteen pound turkey
    16 large ti leaves
    1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
    3 tablespoons Hawaiian salt
    2 teaspoons liquid smoke
    Rinse and drain turkey. Line a large baking pan with foil. Wash ti leaves in a sink of cold water with a few drops of dish soap then rinse. Remove fibrous part of the veins. Line baking pan with ti leaves radiating from center. Place two additional ti leaves across the middle of the pan. Place turkey on the ti leaves. Rub butter, salt, then liquid smoke on inside and outside of turkey. Place 4-6 ti leaves over the turkey. Fold leaves around the turkey.Crimp foil around turkey and cover pan tightly with additional foil. Roast in electric oven at 325 degrees F for 3-4 hours until meat thermometer reads 175-180 degrees. Shred turkey and add in pan liquid to moisten meat. Makes 8-10 servings.

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  196. Katy Rullman

    Just roasted brown and crispy on the outside, with plenty of herby stuffing goodness in the middle!

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  198. corey hansen-joseph

    I love Williams-Sonoma recipes, we are having your brussel sprouts with bacon at our dinner. AS FOR HOW I LIKE MY TURKEY – We use a brined turkey, slow roasted with cornbread stuffing and basted many, many times. Yum yum!!

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  199. Cate

    My absolute Favorite way to cook a turkey is to lather it with a compound butter of garlic, sage & cirtus, and roast it in the oven with out stuffing inside. I like to cook the stuffing on the side so it gets crispy! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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  200. Erik perez

    this is the first time I host / cook thanksgiving dinner at my place and would be amazing to have an organic turkey!! Hope I win :)

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  201. Caron

    Usually we go to my mother’s for Thanksgiving dinner, but this year she’ll be out of town. I’ve never cooked a turkey before. The fact is, I’m vegan, and it’s been more than 27 years since I’ve even eaten it… but my daughter and my boyfriend want a traditional dinner, so I’ll be researching cooking methods all week. I hope it’s as easy as the tofurkey (which will be in the oven right next to it!) Friends and family are all welcome to join us :)

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  202. Tamra Storey Venerable

    My grandmother taught me that slow and low and lots of butter make my Turkey something special and although she is gone now, the memories of watching her cook Holiday meals lives on. Her turkey gravy I could never really match until my mother and I became addicted to Williams Sonoma Turkey Gravy base, guess the secrets out yall!

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  203. Chris

    I brine it, coat it with herbed compound butter and oven roast to perfection.

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  205. Linh Tran

    My favorite way to make my turkey is seasong with salt and pepper. I stuff the turkey with onions, celery, orange, lime, butter, rosemary, sage, and thyme. To make sure the turkey stay moist, I stick cubes of butter under the skin and rub the butter all over as well. I can’t wait to make the turkey next week.

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  206. Zarrod beck

    I like to season it well, then marinate in the fridge for two days using a mild lemon pepper salt, fresh garlic, and cajun seasoning. Then deep fry it until done. While the other turkeys come out looking good, this one actually taste awesome

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  207. Ann-Marie Desiderio

    I stuff it full of sliced onions and garlic cloves and rub the top with a few seasonings which includes a lot of rosemary.

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  208. Barbara W.

    Tradition rules in our household: our turkey is filled with a bread, sage, and onion stuffing, butter basted and roasted!

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  209. Elisegramaglia@gmail.com

    filled with stuffed coated with olive oil and rosemary. collared greens in the base of the pan with salt and garlic roast with turkey and make an extra great side dish.

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  210. Tara Hernandez

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to stuff the turkey with veggies, rub a blend of seasoning on the inside and outside of the turkey and use an oven bag to cook it in.

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  211. Vicky Campbell

    I rub the turkey with olive oil, salt and pepper it, and then roast in my roaster oven at 350 until leg moves easily and turkey is golden. I don’t put stuffing in the bird. I like it separate.

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  212. Steve

    First I brine the turkey in a simple solution that contains water, kosher salt, worchetershire sauce, brown sugar and garlic. After the brine is done, I stuff the cavity with lemon, onion and garlic. I then put a butter mixture with garlic, lemon zest and parsley under the skin and on top of the skin. Finally, I cover the breast with several slices of thick bacon. It comes out juicy and flavorful every time!

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  213. Hope Kerrigan

    Like my mama did…

    I season it inside and outside with salt and pepper and then rub the outside skin with butter. Next, I tie the legs together with dental floss and then loosely cover the breasts with foil (removing for the last hour of cooking). I put a little bit of water in the roasting pan and cook it at 325 degrees for appropriate number of minutes for its size. Oh, and NO stuffing the bird. That’s it!! But, I would LOVE to win your organic turkey and if I do… I’ll cook it any way you tell me to!!

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  214. Jeff Hernandez

    I like to keep it simple, but like to take the flavors to the next level. I first clean the bird and season generously with salt and pepper in the bird’s cavity and outside of good old tom! Then since I prefer not to cook the bird with stuffing; I stuff the bird with aromatics quartered onions, halved garlic heads, thyme, rosemary, sage, lemons. Then I peel and slice and additional two onions and toss in olive oil and place around bird in a roasting pan (this will enhance the flavor of your drippings for incredible gravy!). Then to top it off I brush the bird with an aromatic herb butter right before it goes into a 350 degree oven. And baste every 30 minutes until succulent and golden brown.

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  217. Bridget S

    We inject the turkey with Cajun marinade and fry it! It comes out delicious- we always have to make two and there are hardly ever any leftovers!

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  219. Luke

    This year I’m going with the WS Herb-Butter Roast Turkey recipe. Hope it’s a winner!

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  220. Bev Cole

    My favorite way to roast my turkey is to smother it with butter, salt and pepper. Stuff it with sage, onions and thyme. Put it in the oven for a couple of hours and be thankful.

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  221. Patti Corsaletti

    I like to stuff my bird w/ cranberry , sausage cornbread stuffing and cover it with butter under and over the skin for a nice coloring. slow and easy all day . I sprinkle it with a little bell seasoning too. Basting it on & off till done. I hope I win , I haven’t bought my bird yet:)

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  222. Charissa

    I love to roast the turkey without the stuffing in a white wine/stock basting bath (just half an inch at the bottom of the pan under the rack) and then massage into the bird a butter/herb mixture under the skin!

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  223. Melissa

    Roasting…I would love to do a wet brine, but may not have time with two little babies!

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  224. julie allaben

    I massage my turkey lovingly with olive oil, kosher salt and cracked pepper. I bake it in a turkey size browning bag until until golden. I make southern cornbread dressing to go along with and the giblet gravy.

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  225. Wendy Prescott

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to grind fresh Sage, Thyme and Rosemary into a paste, adding butter and rubbing it UNDER the skin all over the turkey. Season inside and out with sea salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Stuff the cavity with cut up onions, apples, lemons and pears, and pour some apple cider in the bottom of the pan to mix with the juices for basting later. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil on skin.
    #2 Or you can use Boursin cheese under the skin as well.

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  226. Regina

    I have a big family and typically get a 26 lb fresh turkey and 8 lb breast. Both are slathered with melted butter, then covered with cheese cloth drenched in wine & butter (a W-S recipe from way back when). Salt & pepper. Oranges, onions and garlic in cavity. Lots of basting. Yum.

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  228. Jon Andes

    Always brined with Williams Sonoma dry brine, then roasted and finished off with the Williams Sonoma cider bourbon glaze. Getting hungry just thinking abt it!

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  229. sofie k

    To be honest with you, i’ve never roasted a turkey before…so im on a hunt for good and easy recipe or im sticking to my plan B: get turkey dinner in a box! :D

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  230. Debbie Dorich

    I have been using WS Turkey Brine for the last few years. It makes the turkey, no matter what kind…fresh, frozen etc, so moist and so good. I stuff it and make extra stuffing in a pan.

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  231. Kristina

    Our family roasts the bird, stuffed with a ground beef / bread stuffing that my grandmother made. I’d like to try the Martha Stewart 101 turkey recipe and make an oyster stuffing.

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  232. Michelle

    We smoked a turkey recently after brining it and it was delicious! My favorite way though is roasting with stuffing.

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  233. Helen Sampson

    In our family we usually take turns hosting (and cooking the bird). But ever since my brother-in-law got a “Turkey deep fryer”, I’d rather have it that way than the traditional baked turkey. Quicker, just as moist (sometimes more so), and someone else handling it (especially since I’m such a klutz) :^)

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  234. Richard Sullender

    My favorite way is to smoke it on my bbq. I have a large bbq so I can offset the heat with some hickory chips on the coals. Last year it came out so juicy and tender.

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  235. Rhonda

    I will be roasting my turkey, I love to stuff the insides with carrots, onion, celery and bay leaves—I love the smell that fills the house and I baste it every 1/2 hr. with butter—very moist and tasty

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  236. Melissa

    My favorite way is to just turn it over to my mom. She seasons it with salt, pepper, a few herbs, and a little butter or oil and cooks it until it is perfect.

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  237. Portia Asher

    I’ve been cooking turkeys for 60 years..high heat (425) for about and hour and then down to 325 until done..never bad..

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  238. Mary

    I’m going to try brining my turkey this year. It will be stuffed with a savory sage stuffing. I hope it turns out great. It would be better with a Williams Sonoma Turkey!

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  239. Gabriela

    I cook my turkey at high temperature (close to 500 degrees) it keeps the bird super moist and it only takes about 2 hours to cook a 15 to 18 pound turkey! I have made it this way for 5 year now and every year is super delicious, no basting, brine etc. I just make a quick marinade made of dried pasilla peppers and let the bird marinate the night before, not only the turkey has a great flavor but is super juicy as well.

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  240. Kelly Johnson

    The more you coat the turkey with spices & herbs the better! I’ll be honest & let you know that I live in Michigan & my family is celebrating Thanksgiving in Colorado. If I win the Willie Bird Fresh Organic Turkey, I would donate it to our local soup kitchen or homeless shelter.

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  241. Rachel

    I roast my turkey with a herb butter rub under the skin to keep the breast meat from drying out.

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  242. betsy k

    I LOVE Thanksgiving turkey – slow roasted in the oven with the stuffing inside! Intoxicates the house with deliciousness!! Never had a fresh bird – would love the taste the difference!

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  243. Christine Paige

    I love to put 1/2 lemons, onions cut up in large chunks and a stick of butter in the cavity of the turkey. I then like to spread butter on the skin and sprinkle with a favorite seasoned salt, ummmmm, Yummy!

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  244. Portia A

    I’ve been cooking turkeys about 60 years..high heat for about an hour and then down to 325..delicious..

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  245. Lisa Beaver

    My favorite way to cook and eat turkey is Deep Fried. That method seems to really lock in the flavor and juices. This year I have a recipe to Brine the turkey that I have planning on using!

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  247. Maura Cramer

    I love to brine my turkey, it’s great. Then just stuff and roast.

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  248. Judith King

    I buy two turkeys – one to roast and one to smoke. I like to serve them with all the fixing and good friends and family all around – it is also my birthday which makes Thanksgiving my favorite holiday and always, always with a good Turkey :O)

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  249. Kim Santucci

    Brining first then a 500 degree oven for 1/2 hour then cover and roast at 325 till done. Makes for a beautiful golden crispy skin and juicy meat.

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  252. Lynda

    Brine the the night before. Apple, onions, celery, and spices in the cavity. Butter on the skin. yum.

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  253. Jo Dennison

    I like to take a cheese cloth and soak it in oil (toasted sesame oil is the best) and just lay that over the bird to baste while it is cooking. I like to stuff the bird with cranberries, apples, orange zest and nuts added to the bread stuffing. I make a tinfoil tent and let it roast.

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  254. Donna

    My absolute fav is to brine the bird – lots of good brine recipes out there – then stuff it full of onions apples celery and carrots for a bit more flavor, place some whole sage leaves under the skin (looks very nice as well as adds flavor) and roast it until it’s crispy brown and juicy!

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  255. Amy Roberts

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to apply herb butter under the skin, then roast.

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  256. MaggieC

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to stand right next to my grandmother, doing whatever she tells me to do :-) There is no better Thanksgiving, no matter what you cook or eat, than one where you get to see your whole family.

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  257. Maria Lorenzo

    I prefer fresh turkeys better than the frozen one. I got the idea on a TV show — roasting a turkey cut in half to lessen cooking time. Since we are a small family, I thought I can save the other half for a next get together. I just follow and combine 2 or 3 recipes for roasting (brined, rubbed with butter, kosher salt and laid on fresh thyme, rosemary and sage) , cut in half, but the 2 halves cooked in a covered roasting pan (for 1.5 hours at 375degrees) then for another hour to brown the skin. I keep the other half in the freezer with some of the drippings and thaw it in the ref for a 2days before the next holiday –Christmas or New Years dinner. It tastes the same and even better after re-heat in the oven. By roasting the turkey in halves, we don’t deal with leftovers for a whole week after Thanksgiving. Plus I save on time the next holiday as our “leftover half” looks like freshly made, and I can prepare other dishes to go with the turkey.

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  258. Joan F.

    I always make the traditional roast turkey for Thanksgiving–stuffed for those who like it, and dressing on the side, for those who prefer it that way. I’ve always wanted to attempt to brine my Thanksgiving bird, but I’m too chicken to try!

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  260. jen

    we have a lot to be thankful for as our first son was born 7 months ago! I love to cook a traditional oven-roasted turkey, unstuffed. My son already loves sweet potatoes and butternut squash, and I’m excited for him to taste many of the other thanksgiving favorites, turkey included.

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  261. Maureen

    The one and only way we’ve cooked our turkey for the past several years is on the grill! And by grill I mean a charcoal grill, not gas. The turkey always comes out moist and juicy and a beautiful golden brown!

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  263. Alison

    Only garlic and citrus stuffed inside, butter on the outside (maybe herbed), and high heat at the beginning. With a remote thermometer!

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  264. cc

    Brining w/a combo applecider vinegar salt ginger tri pepper corn bath, slow roast chest side down stuffed w/ N.E. style oyster stuffing w/ cranberries and pinenuts

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  265. David Findley

    Every year we buy at least a 20 pound fresh, natural turkey stuff it with seasoned bread, pinapple chucks, water chestnuts and plenty of sage, then we slow roast of the Weber for several hours. The result is a slightly smokey, very Californian Thanksgiving feast.

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  266. Anita

    Our favorite turkey method is a dry savory herb & spice rub inside and out on turkey, overnight in fridge to marinate, then indirect lump wood slow cook in the grill outside.
    Sooooo good.

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  267. Missy W

    My family has to have it brined (WS Brine) and then we do Garbage Can Turkey…..roasted in a garbage can over charcol and basted with Buck Wheat honey…..sooooooo yummy!

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  268. Julie Wagner

    We never had a real turkey until I discovered the brine method. Mammaw would get up at the break of daylight, put the bird in the oven and then it would be ready sometime around mid day…needless to say it took quite a bit of gravy to get the turkey down. I have my own family now and our Thanksgiving turkey is always brined with the Williams-Sonoma Turkey Brine, I add a few apples, cinnamon sticks and rosemary to the cavity and roast away. Just a couple of hours and a perfect, tender juicy turkey!!

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  270. Bob & Cathy

    Put as much of a whole loaf of crusty italian or artesian bread in the turkey cavity and then fill it with chicken broth until all is absorbed. Roast the turkey according to instructions for roasting a stuffed turkey.

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  271. Anita

    For Thanksgiving, I often buy a smoked turkey breast and thoroughly heat it in the oven. I cook most of the sides and dessert, so this is easier on me; and it slices beautifully. Occasionally, I have ordered a smoked turkey and just picked it up. I confess that I have never cooked a whole turkey, fresh or frozen. Shame on me!

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  272. Lauren

    I’m making Thanksgiving dinner with my mom this year. We are roasting our turkey, and stuffing the cavity with garlic, aromatics, celery and carrots to give it a fresh scent. We make stuffing separately :) We’ll roast the turkey on high heat for the first 30 minutes to brown the skin, then turn it down and baste to keep the turkey moist and browning. Can’t wait!

    Thanks for the chance to win a Willie bird – we’ve been looking at these birds for years, but they were always a bit beyond the budget.

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  273. ANNE MORGAN

    I am brineing my turkey with WS brine and a PW turkey. Also using all the recipes that are on your web site. I am trying to vary my dishes and the recipes are sooooo easy! If it were not for WS I could not get through the holidays. last Chrstmas I bought my whole dinner from WS. After brineing,
    Thank you WS for helping me fake throught he holidays!!! GOBBLE, GOBBLE!!!

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  274. sandra Sawyer

    I like to use a fresh turkey then inject it before baking or deep frying.

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  275. Leonard

    Rub with olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground peppper and season generously with WS organic turkey herbs. Roast using packaging instructions!

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  277. Kd

    I’m from the South-and we have three turkeys at my family Thanksgiving-One that is Smoked in a Big Green Egg, one that is made in the oven and my favorite-fried turkey. All you need is oil and turkey fryer-and it is heavenly.

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  278. Jennifer Brown

    I’m trying a bourbon-maple glaze this year in the beekman boys cookbook! I can’t wait!

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  279. Erin S

    I have always made the turkey but this is our first time hosting, having just rehabbed our first home! I always brine it overnight with juniper berries, pine needles, bay leaves and peppercorns. It gives it a wild and woodsy taste. Then I stuff the cavity loosely with apples and onions for juice and sweetness. Finally, I rub butter, garlic and herbs under the skin, sprinkle the outside with cracked pepper and paprika, and roast it! It’s always juicy and flavorful!

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  280. Rebecca Terpack

    I love to roast the turkey, then turn on convection roast to brown the skin for the last 20 mins.

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  281. Rachel

    I’m usually an innovator when it comes to cooking, but for my holiday turkey, I like to keep it simple. Long, slow roasting with a salt-and-pepper rub and a bit of herbed butter under the skin. Tasty.

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  282. Mariam GAlvez

    Roasting Turket is very easy
    Sasoning with:
    Bitter Orange Juice
    Garlic – Onions
    Italian Herbs and Oregano
    Plastic bags at refrigerator by 4 Hrs.
    Then, to the ovenGlazing with butter to get color.
    Server with: Jazmine Rice – White Beans
    Salads: Avocado and Tomatoes with olive oil and rosmery on top. Touch of watercress.Toasted Bread
    Drinks – Peach Tea – fruit ponche
    Dessert : Keylime pie.

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  283. Garren

    I like to get up early on Thanksgiving day and slowly cook the turkey with lots of rosemary and butter. I usually prepare an herb butter with herbs from Williams Sonoma. Looking foward to the holiday.

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  284. Deb

    We roast our turkey, basting with butter. It is stuffed with herbs and our home smells divine!

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  285. Rebecca Wilson

    Butter! Salt, Pepper and I fill the cavity differently every year. Leaning towards savory this year, did citrus last year. And I always cook it in a turkey bag – tons of juice for gravy!

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  287. Kathe Newcomb

    I would love to try a free range turkey. It sounds delicious! I would use a stuffing. Since both myself and my son have been recently unemployed, we were only planning a roast chicken for Thanksgiving.

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  288. Vanessa Nguyen

    I roast turkey every year for my family and my boyfriend’s family. My favorite way to prepare a turkey is with a soy sauce based brine and soy sauce/orange marinade!

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  289. sandi Buse

    I love to roast my turkey with an orange in the body cavity along with some fresh thyme and basil. I do my stuffing seperately from the bird.

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  290. Mona

    Brined and roasted with the cavity filled with garlic, onion, and fresh herbs.

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  292. Janis BosenkO

    I brine the bird then cook it in my Weber and add wood chips to smoke it a bit. Yum!

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  293. Amanda

    I like to stuff the turkey with bread stuffing and put some herb butter under the skin. Cover it in foil for all but the last 30 minutes to get a nice crunchy skin!

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  294. Terri

    I have morphed my recipe over the last couple of years – the most necessary ingredient is cheese cloth! I line the cavity of the bird with cheesecloth; stuff in stuffing, (using an old family recipe that includes adding butter, celery & onions (mom’s method)) then tie the legs and wings off with the pieces of the cheesecloth that are sticking out. I then slather the outside of the bird wtih olive oil and lay over fresh herbs – thyme, rosemary, sage, salt (sparingly) and pepper. Under the roaster rack in the pan, under the bird, I put garlic cloves and onions and drop in a stick of butter. Then I lay a cheesecloth over the bird and tent it with aluminum foil. Put the package in the oven and forget about it until the timer says its time to pull off the foil. The cheesecloth does the basting for me (secret I learned from a friend who is a former chef). When the turkey themometer says it is ready, I pull it out and let it rest, covered. When time to carve – we carve in the kitchen and present the meat on a platter – the stuffing comes out in one pull, all steamy and juicy. Then use the drippings to make the gravy. I can smell and taste it now!

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  295. Michele Schonback

    My favorite way to cook my holiday turkey is the recipe I have been using for years, my Nana”s. Buy a fresh turkey always,I use old fashoined bread stuffing withonions and salary that have been cut into small pieces and saute well.I than mix in cooked pork sausage meat for even more flavor add some sage seasoning salt pepper mix well together with soaked bread.Put into turkey cavity bake at 350 degress at 20 minutes per pound, I baste often with turkey’s natural juices.The last hour I cover with aluminum foil because the turkey is nice and brown from the basting. I let sit for 20 minutes before carving. Voila the best turkey you have every tasted!!!

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  296. Brent

    Last year we used a apple brined turkey and put it on the Big Green Egg with apple smoking chips. It was fantastic!

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  297. Laura Wolfrom

    Last year I roasted an organic bird, splatchcock style. It cooked in about two hours. I rubbed it with light garlic and herb (kosher salt and cracked pepper) olive oil, and placed it on top of some carrots, celery, onions and apples. I poured a cup of white wine over the veggies. It was a tremendous looking bird going into the oven, and beautiful when it was done. I have never had a less stressful Thanksgiving meal. The juices made for an incredible pan sauce for the stuffing that I cooked separately.

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  298. Susan Franson

    Brined , stuffed and roasted. I’ve been eating it that way for over 30 years, and no one can convince me otherwise!

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  299. Terri

    We tried brining the turkey a few years ago and never went back! I brine it the day before, then let it dry overnight in the fridge before stuffing and roasting the next day.

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  300. Laura Nelson

    I love turkey almost any way it is prepared, but one of my favorite ways to roast it is unstuffed, foiled wrapped, rubbed in herbs and butter, and roasted very hot, at 450 degrees. It comes out moist, delicious and brown, just as it should!

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  301. Maggie T.

    I roast it with lemon, orange, onion, sage, oregano, rosemary stuffed inside..just rub olive oil on top with some salt and pepper..simple and delicious!

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  302. Rachel

    My favorite way is to brine it..(makes it so juicy) and serve with a good homemade cornbread, onion, celery, sage and sausage stuffing…made with an obscene amount of melted butter….mmm! I grew up with stuffing “in the bird” but my husband convinced me to bake it alongside in a casserole dish,,,and I never went back!

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  303. Karin Magnuson

    It all depends upon the cook!! I’m recently liking a combo of brining and a cheesecloth butter bath.

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  304. Scott H.

    I like to brine it before cooking it. Then, I’ll cook it for 30-45 min. on it’s breast, followed by 15 min. each side, finishing it off on it’s back to crisp up the skin. This keeps the breast meat moist while the dark meat can complete cooking.

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  305. Stephanie

    I love cooking turkey on our big green egg! Can’t wait til Thursday!

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  307. Janice Billie

    I brine the turkey the day before in a apple cider based brine. On Thankgiving morning I rub it with seasoned butter, stuff the cavity with onions and oranges and roast at 325 degrees. Yummy, yummy!

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  309. Denise

    Usually, I lay the cleaned seasoned and buttered/ stuffed bird directly ontop of about 2 inches of butter patted uncooked Stuffing and bake about 3 1/2 hours, baste and then cover and bake another 2-3 hours basting every hour with newly melted butter. Cooking Uncover another 45 min. or so, then let it rest on the counter top about 45 minutes. Turns out moist every time.

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  310. Olive

    I make a rice & sausage stuffing. Since my family is Italian, we start with lasagna and then move on to the turkey stuffed w/ rice, herbs, and Italian sausage. It’s served with all of the usual veggies, but it has a unique flavor that is very Italian. :)

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  313. Kali

    Always slow roasted, sometimes stuffed, sometimes not. I love the oven bags–always comes out moist. I like to inject it with flavor too!

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  314. Angela Hawkins

    So far my favorite way to cook a turkey has been to rub garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper between the skin and the meat of the turkey while roasting it breast side down so the juices can drip down into the white meat.

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  315. victoria paskett

    Love turkey, we like to deep fry ours in peanut oil! Delicious!

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  317. Heather

    I also plan to roast a turkey simply, using a butter and olive oil combination and fresh rosemary, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, sage and lemon in the cavity. I prefer to roast my turkey without stuffing and bake the stuffing separately. Happy Thanksgiving!!

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  318. Tracy Farr

    This year we will be basting the bird with an apple cider baste and smoking it over applewood on our Traeger.Yeah,the pressure is off me and on my husband,who is in charge of the smoker! :-)

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  320. Peg Meyers

    Favorite method for me is to fill the cavity with garlic-fresh rosemary and sage-citrus (lemons and/or oranges) and rub under the skin with garlic butter – pepper and salt the skin, then roast – stuffing cooked on the side

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  322. LINDA BERGESON

    We stuff the turkey with apples, pears, lemons, etc., wrap it with several layers of tin foil. We dig a pit in our backyard; fire it up the night before, put the turkey in about 5:00 p.m.; cover the pit with dirt and pull it out Thanksgiving morning about 11:00. Can’t carve it as it literally falls off the bones. Best turkey you will ever taste.

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  323. Donna

    I oven roast my turkey with traditional sage stuffing. I put some herb butter under the skin and cover with foil until it is nearly done. Uncover it to help the skin brown and walllll…..lllaaaa. Delicious!!!

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  324. Ashley Eklund

    Brined and roasted, without stuffing. The bird always turns out moist and succulent. I just rub it with a bit of butter before throwing it in the oven, making sure to flip it so all sides get even heat, and voila! Delicious t-day dinner and awesome leftovers for sandwiches/turkey pot pie!

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  326. Yun Kelly

    My favorite way to roast a turkey is brined, herbed, buttered, stuffed and shared with family. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  327. Bobbie

    I can’t believe I almost missed entering this one! My 1st experience with preparing a turkey was not a pleasant one! Trying to impress in-laws..rule #1 READ directions before Thanksgiving day! Would love to taste this one!

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  328. Lena

    I like to slide pats of salted butter under the skin and stuff the cavity with herbs and spices! Thanksgiving- hurry up, I’m starving!

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  330. Jean Falconburg

    I start with a salt rub and follow with a savory brine the evening before. I put the turkey on super early on a lower temp so the delicious holiday aroma fills the kitchen. I make a homemade dressing and some goes into the bird and some baked separately.

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  331. Susan Powen

    best way to cook a turkey is with the Williams-Sonoma brine. My family asks for it every year!

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  332. Mary Robertson

    I always brine my bird with lemons, oranges and rosemary infused salt water. Then I stuff it and roast with fresh herbs. Super YUM!

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  333. Colleen hogue

    We cook ours in an electric roaster. Buttered inside and out,salt and pepper very tender and delicious!

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  335. Nisha Branch

    I’m torn between deep fried and classic bakes (like my dad has done for years). Stuffing is a must; baked with the turkey…can’t do that with deep fried. =/ I guess I’ll go with the classic baked (bacon strips on top…bacon makes everything better), as there’s nothing like a classically baked Thanksgiving turkey, tradition, and spending time with family. :)

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  336. Nicole v

    If I were cooking it myself I would do paleo stuffing with lots of butter, herbs and spices!

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  337. Lauretta

    I’ve never cooked my own turkey and will be 3000+ away from my family during Thanksgiving. I’d love to recreate a home-style Thanksgiving with my fellow students who are unable to go home over break! I recently discovered how amazing stuffing is so I’d roast it with a delicious chestnut stuffing!

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  338. Shari

    I am a traditionalist when it comes to cooking the Turkey. I stuff it, rub it lovingly with butter and season with salt and pepper and some paprika. Roast it in the oven and enjoy a delicious bird!

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  339. Ruth Smith

    I prefer to cook my turkey in my Miracle Maid cookware. The bird is soooooo tender that it will come right off of the carcass when I am removing it from the pan if I am not careful. Thank you for the opportunity to try my first fresh turkey!

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  341. jessica hillinger

    brine it and season it and grill it on the grill! skin gets nice and crispy and the brine makes the meat delicious!

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  342. Diane Britton

    While my favorite way to cook turkey is the classic spice rubbed, roasted bird. However, the best (and uniquely prepared) turkey I’ve ever eaten was a phyllo-wrapped small turkey with an orange (Grand Marnier laced) glaze, stuffed with green apple, walnut, and orange zest dressing. Delicious! I’ve tried to replicate it, but haven’t had much luck. I keep trying, though.

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  343. Patricia Drolet

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is in a paper grocery bag. My mother in law taught me to oil the bag thoroughly and place in a roasting pan. Clean, dry, salkt & pepper, poultry seasoning and a 1/4 cup of bourbon. Put in turkey breast side up, roll up bag and roast according to weight directions on turkey (stuffed or unstuffed). It comes out moist, golden brown and you do not have to baste it at all!!!

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  344. Mariea Sasser

    I like to cook my Turkey in the Oven. I don’t like alot of spices on it. Usually just some salt and pepper. I put it in a Roasting Pan, and cook until done, of course I take the foil off the turkey to brown it! Low and Slow. It really doesn’t dry out! And well, with just the minimum spices ( s&p), you can taste the actual bird, and not alot of hoopla! Anyway, that’s the way I like my bird.

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  346. Meg

    We grill our Thanksgiving turkey! Frees up the oven for other baking and meat is tender and juicy.

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  347. George Ann Olson

    Follow the instructions for the dry brine on the turkey. Prepare 4 strips of aluminum foil large enought to wrap around the turkey and seal. Stuff the turkey with one stick of butter and ice. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in large aluminum foil pan. Place on grill @ medium high heat. After 2 hours open aluminum foil and re-stuff with butter and ice. Take any broth you need for dressing at this time. Re-seal the aluminum foil and cook another 2 hours. Open aluminum foil about 30 minutes before last hour is completed and let turkey brown. This gives you the most moist turkey ever and keeps your oven free for other items.

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  348. Debbie Rea

    My favorite way is pretty easy: I stuff it and roast it inside a cooking bag. My key to perfect turkey–no matter how I’m cooking it–is using a remote digital thermometer that beeps the minute it’s done. Even the white meat comes out moist every time if you take it out of the oven as soon as it’s done.

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  349. Mary E.

    As a young bride, my mother cooked her turkey exactly the way the recipe said – Breast side down on rack in oven. There were no instructions to put the rack in a PAN, so she cooked it on the oven rack itself. Needless to say, she had a HUGE mess. I like to combine butter, salt, pepper, and ground rosemary and stuff this under the bird’s skin. Then I throw a halved onion and celery stalk into the cavity, spit it on a rotisserie, then roast in the rotisserie oven.

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  350. Claudia Holub

    I make turkey with a bread stuffing, apples, onions, celery and good quality butter, seasoned with poultry seasoning or my own mix….usually use homemade bread or a good quality white bread or a mix of white and whole wheat. I baste the turkey with a good butter and that is it. Usually cook at 325 and it comes out delicious!

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  351. Krystin Reilly

    I spray the outside with Olive Oil and add salt/pepper & paprika (the spray holds the seasoning in place on the skin). I prefer leaving the stuffing outside of the bird to reduce the cooking time. Inside the turkey I place lemon quarters, fresh sage, thyme, celery leaves & garlic. I truss the bird and place on a wire rack inside of the roasting pan so it’s not sitting in it’s own liquid. In the roasting pan I use celery, carrots, onions, garlic, chicken stock and white wine w/more of the fresh herbs used inside the bird (makes a great gravy). My husband will be working this year to allow for some of his co-workers to spend time with their children (ours is 22 and spending it with his dad in VA). I’ll be providing holiday dinner for his mom and some of her senior citizen friends without families. They normally have holiday dinners at the senior center, but this year the Center’s budget was cut and they can only have one holiday dinner this year, which will be Christmas. It feels right to share the time with them, and I’d especially love to share a wonderful dinner with people who would so joyously appreciate a “slurge” like this. Thank you!!!

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  355. Nancy Kloppenborg

    Start with a fresh 14# turkey, wash it, salt and pepper outside and cavity liberally. Leave it uncovered in refrigerator for 24 hours. Do not stuff. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Make a stock days ahead with turkey wings, legs and necks. Can freeze for 6 weeks. Place turkey breast-side up on rack in roasting pan. Pour about 1 1/2 c.-2 c. stock in pan. Put turkey in oven, lower to 350 degrees. Thigh internal temperature should read 170 degrees.

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  356. David Finkelstein

    The best turkey I ever made was brined overnight in the brine mixture I bought from Williams Sonoma. I put it in a five gallon paint bucket from Home Depot and put it on my deck overnight because it wouldn’t fit into my refrigerator. It was the most tender and moist turkey I’ve ever had.

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  358. Anne Connor

    Its all in the rub!! Massage in a great herb seasoning, and make sure to tuck a few cubes of butter underneath the skin. I’m drooling just thinking about it!!

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  360. Valerie Jenkins

    I roast ‘em low and slow, basted in butter, unstuffed except for a sliced lemon. I like my southern cornbread dressing on the side, please. Am having a crowd–can use that large turkey this year!

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  361. Elisabeth Lein

    I like to stuff it with dried cranberry and sausage stuffing. The bird gets a good rub down with butter, salt and pepper; then basted with melted butter every half hour or so. Mmmm, can’t wait! This year we have too many people coming to just cook one turkey so we will be frying a second (since I can’t fit 2 birds in the oven!)

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  362. Linda kiel

    Guess what …this turkey is being cooked JUST like they taught us at the Williams Sonoma technique classes…picture perfect !

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  363. Jean Prosio

    We discovered fried turkey from a friend a few years ago and it is worth the mess! (and it frees up the oven for all the sides! :) )

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  364. Athena Emmanouilidis

    I stuff and roast the turkey,very simply.I make stuffing out of ground beef,rice,tomato sauce and onion.It is the best stuffing I have ever eaten! I then stuff and roast the turkey with an aluminun foil tent over the breast.I make sure to baste every so often.Voile’ ! It comes out juicy and delicious!

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  365. Sheri Gaskill

    I would love to win! I will brine it overnight. Then cover breast, over and under with a special herb butter. Then add some thin lemon slices under skin Ina beautiful with a combo of fresh whole green herbs. Stuff some onion, garlic, lemon,celery and seasoning! Cook to correct temp! Yum

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  366. Adrienne

    I’m really interested in cooking my turkey this year by rubbing it down with mayonaise to get a nice golden bird! Apparently, it’s a chef secret.

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  368. Casi Wilson

    I love these turkeys! Delicious no matter the seasoning you choose, roasted perfect white meat! (The dark is for everyone else!)

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  369. Mary

    This is the first year that I will be cooking a turkey alone. I am going to try to mimic my moms recipe and stuff herbs and butter under the skin so it gets crispy and flavorful! No stuffing inside the bird though, just a few onions and a lemon so the gravy is delicious! Here’s hoping I pull it off!

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  371. Barb Lutman

    Roasted with lots of wonderful citrus and an apple and onion tucked inside with herbage too. Slathered with butter for a beautiful golden tan skin. Yummy.

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  375. Barbara Burns

    Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! Turkey is delicious would love to try this brand!

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  377. Lonna Kahn

    I buy a fresh turkey, often just a breast depending on who is eating with my spouse and me, put an onion, a carrot, a parsnip, a celery stalk under the rack or the breast, rub the skin with olive oil, and roast in an open roaster on a rack at 325 degrees (oven) for 25 minutes per pound of weight, and then turn up the oven to 375 degrees for the final 20-30 minutes until as brown as I like it. Then I let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Stuffing is a separate side dish.

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  378. Shirley Karasawa

    We get a Willie Bird every year and last year we used the Williams Sonoma brine for the first time and it was amazing! Planning to do the same this year too, it was the best turkey ever!

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  379. Summer Cooper

    I’m going to roast the bird breast side down and then flip for the last hour. Hopefully that will keep ours moist and delish. If it works, it will be my fave way to roast. :)

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  380. TERRY VALTIERRA

    Usually cook in Reynolds cooking bag, last year deep fried it. Haven’t decided which way to do it this year. But will try brining.

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  382. Cathy

    I like to cook turkey with butter, butter and more butter…and a little bacon fat too!

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  383. Tracy

    I love turkey with or without stuffing. I would love to have one of your to impress the family with. I want to do a grain or a rice this year instead of a plain old bread or cornbread stuffing. Got my mouth watering just typing about it. I found the recipe seciton and narowed it down to either the Apple, Shallot and Herb Dressing or the Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cranberries and Pecans. Hard choice. I guess I could use the eeny, meeny, miny, moe method.

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  385. Amelia Hart

    I haven’t made my own yet, but my mom use to put a butter/flour mixture all over the bird and we all loved it that way :)

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  387. Eloise Costea

    I like to stuff butter, seasonings and herbs in the skin of the turkey. It makes makes the meat moist without having to really eat the skin if you didn’t want to. I also add whole herbs and an orange and apple in the cavity and have the herbs and apple stick out a bit for decoration. This turkey is a big hit at our table and leftovers are always sent home!

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  388. Cheryl Llewellyn

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is in the roasting bag. It comes out perfect and very moist every time. Before I put it in the bag I add peeled cloves of garlic and quarter 5 to 6 onions and put some inside and then put the remaining ones in the bottom of the bag. To help with a crispier crust and to save calories I spray the outside of the turkey with butter flavor Pam (or any non-stick cooking spray) sprinkle it with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and granulated garlic. I use a electronic thermometer and when it is about 5 degrees from the standard of 170 degrees (I believe) I take it out of the over, cover it with foil and allow it rest for about a 1/2 hour. The resting part is key.

    I love all the ideas people are giving. Might have to try something new.

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  389. Laurel C

    We cook out turkey in an outdoor smoker…..it cooks it sooooo quickly and efficiently, and the smoke gives the turkey a distinctive flavor. Yum!

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  390. Cynthia Flores

    I just love your blog…and I would really, really want to win this bird!!!! I’ve cooked one before and I will look like a hero if I win this!!!!

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  392. Kelli Casteel

    I brine my turkey. Prior to roasting it, I stuff onions, garlic and herbs into the bird. Then I give it a nice rub down with herbed butter. Delicious everytime!

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  393. The Runaway Spoon

    I gave up on factory farmed, frozen grocery turkeys a long time ago. The Thanksgiving meal is important to me and my family, so the food has got to be the best quality, lovingly prepared.

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  394. Suzanne

    My favorite way is a traditional roasted turkey with wild rice stuffing. I melt butter with a bottle of dry white wine to baste while baking. I cover the bird with cheese cloth to keep it from browning too fast. I also use the organic turkey herbs from Williams-Sonama to season the stuffing and turkey- it is the BEST herb mix.

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  395. Doha Ab

    I love to brine the turkey overnight so when I oven roast it on Thanksgiving day, it’s the juiciest and most flavorful bird!

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  396. becky b

    I’m a die-hard briner. Honey, salt, herbs, water – brine it. If I had a large deep fry option or smoker, I’d change it up here and again – but I mostly stick to the brining and roasting. This also makes an easy excuse for the weird relatives that think it’s good (and safe) to stuff the turkey! I just do the stuffing in casserole dishes.

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  397. Luci Wood

    My favorite way to roast a turkey is to first wet brine it, then stuff with fresh herbs and citrus.

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  398. Lori Heagle

    This year will be the third time my family hosts Thanksgiving dinner. We have learned that cooking the turkey in an oven bag is ideal. We stuff it with my 83 year old mother-in-laws’ delicious recipe and everything cooks up perfectly moist! I would love to cook an organic turkey this year as we have been very conscious about buying locally and organic whenever possible. Thank you for your consideration. The Heagle Family

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  400. Helene Cummings

    Brining… ever since i learned about it, that’s the only i cook the turkey. My husband and i do this the night before… it’s become the tradition.

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  401. Jenna

    This year, I will be cooking my first Thanksgiving Turkey in my NYC apartment (in a miniature half-sized oven!) I guess by default, my favorite way to cook it is in a NYC-sized oven, perfectly enough so that my family flying in from Erie, PA will have a delicious meal to enjoy!

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  402. Ada Mae Olmo

    One word – MAYO rub! But not just any mayo, has to be home made with lots of herbs and lemon zest! This trick guarantees a moist bird with the yummiest crispy skin

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  403. Christine C

    I brine it in WS brine (this year will be the apple & spices). Inject with duck fat (shhh..that’s a secret!), salt and pepper inside and out. Stuff with a cider-steeped apple, a half onion, a cinnamon stick, fresh rosemary sprigs and sage leaves. Then rub on the suntan lotion…a mixture of softened butter and what little bit of duck fat I have left.

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  405. Amy Kennedy

    I always brine my turkey for a day prior to roasting. Then roast, basting when I think of it! The brining really makes a difference, resulting in a flavorful, moist delight.

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  406. Eryn

    I love to roast our turkey breast down, with a sausage & chestnut corn bread stuffing. I can’t believe it’s time to start thawing the store bought turkeys already, where did the year go?

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  407. Jan

    Guess I am old fashioned. I imagine all the wonderful family members around the table – both dead and alive. They are all smiling because the free-range turkey I bring to the table looks like the turkey in your picture above – warm, golden and steaming from the oven with a hint of fresh sage. I have already made the gravy from the bird juices – it’s rich and luscious and ready to cover the smashed potatoes and turkey. The bird was stuffed using my mother’s recipe. Thanksgiving is a precious time when we gather to give thanks for our blessings and bounty. Thanks WS for all the cool things you do too. jh

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  408. Terrie Schmidt

    Spatchcocked of course! I always feed a crowd and it produces a crispy skin and as well as provides a fast way of cooking the bird. Gravy with a little help from W/S, and some dessert from recipes from your website and I’m good to go. :)

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  411. Kem Webb

    Every year I think I will try something new but when the time arrives I just can’t imagine not sticking with my old fashion method of slathering that bird up with butter, salt and pepper and oven roasting it to perfection. Is it turkey day yet???

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  412. Angela Laster

    Roasting in the oven….Traditional way. However, this year, we are using a Charbroil “The Big Easy” infrared oil-less cooker. Can’t wait to taste it!!

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  413. Diane Thomas

    We have a large crowd and roast several turkey breasts and smoke the others. The oven puts a beautiful golden brown hue on the smoked breasts during the last few minutes. Be sure to rub some butter under the skin! Deeeeelish!

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  414. Robin

    I love to use my herb garden. I finely chop fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley, a clove of garlic, a shallot and blend into a stick of unsalted room temp butter, along with a teaspoon of fresh orange zest, salt and pepper. I carefully rub under the skin of the breast, then pat down bird with my messy hands. Put a quartered orange, apple and onionin the cavity, as well as a couple of chopped onions in the pan (great gravy). Slow roast, 325 degrees for 15 minutes per pound. Use a bottle of dry white wine with the drippings for great gravy!

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  415. Jerry

    My favorite way to cook Thanksgiving turkey is to deep fry it. Quicker cook time, juicier meat, and crisper skin are my “public” reasons for the oil and fire. Privately though my reasons are much more selfish. My kids always want to bring any number of toys, books, or other accoutrements with them on any family trip. Some of which will inevitably be left behind necessitating a return retrieval trip a couple of days later. Packing my turkey-cooking equipment into the car takes up enough space that there isn’t enough room for them to bring their stuff.

    I have managed to convince my wife’s family, and all of their children, that the process of deep frying the turkey is so dangerous that everyone needs to stay inside. You know, for their own safety. Also I need to be out there with the cooker the entire time to keep an eye on the process. In reality I am sitting quietly in a chair, reading a book, and enjoying a quiet autumn afternoon.

    I have also managed to convince everyone that I am some kind of bird cooking genius because I am able to produce a pretty darn good bird with very little effort.

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  416. janice haugen

    I prefer to cut the turkey up into its parts and then braise the legs and thighs with root veggies and wild mushrooms in a slow oven for a couple of hours.. When tender, the boned and seared breasts join them and they all cook for another half hour or so. Tender, moist, flavorful and some awesome tasting veggies all in one pan.

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  417. Grace Lin

    I brine my turkey for one day, rub it with olive oil, stick some herb under the skin, no stuffing, cook it on high heat for the first 30 minutes, tent it, cook it at medium high temperature until almost done, open the foil, let it brown and little and done.

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  419. Michele Smith

    I do traditional turkey but cook it in an oven bag to keep it moist and juicy. She would help to win a turkey!

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  420. K.E. McMahon

    My Mom’s tried and true method, A spcied rub on the inside and olive oil on the outside. Lightly stuffed and roasted…never more than 4 hours even for a big bird…Always 20+ pounds and prefers a natural unbasted bird….

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  421. Colene

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to let someone else do it! I will make EVERYTHING else. But I can’t cook a turkey to save my life! So my family needs your help. Thanks William for all the good ideas!

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  422. Rosalie Lazzarotto

    Stuffed with sourdough bread sausage apple and chestnut dressing. Massage shortening over all because it doesn’t burn yet it turns a golden color with no fuss. Just salt and pepper in and out. Roasted in oven at 300-325 degrees (28-30lb turkey roasts longer but at lower temp).
    Take it out of oven at 160degrees and let set for 45-60 mins while you use oven for side dishes…Voila!

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  423. Colmar

    My favorite way of cooking the turkey is to brine in our families special brining mix and then cooking it on the grill!! So delicious!!!

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  424. Ann Marie Budness

    I like using the William. Sonoma brine mix. Then use the WS gravy. People think I make the NEST turkey they have ever had. I would love to try a Willie bird

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  425. Julie

    I will brine my turkey, then rub some olive oil all over it, with some spike seasoning, fresh parsley, sage and thyme, then finally a squeeze of fresh lemon and a few dabs of butter, lemon in the carcass with same herbs, roast covered, basting every 30 minutes, at 325′ at 20 minutes per lb.

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  426. Christina Neumann

    I cook the bird at 500 degrees for 30 minutes and then turn the oven down to 375 for 2 more hours.
    I would love one of your turkeys.

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  427. Janis White

    I roast my turkey with cornbread stuffing outside the bird. This will be the first year I’ve done my turkey in my new oven; have been without an oven before now and used a large electric roaster – I prefer a REAL oven!

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  429. Mary Kemp

    I always stuff my turkey with my homemade cornbread dressing, then roast it in a 325 oven for about 20 minutes per lb.

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  431. Kathe Newcomb

    We would use a pork and bread stuffing with poultry seasoning. Also brush with butter and roast in the oven. (Continually basting) mmmmm

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  433. Linda McGovern

    I usually roast it with sage dressing. This year for the first time, I will be trying the WS brine.

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  434. Katie

    I can’t pick favorite way to cook until we try smoking the turkey this year…lots of good ideas in the comments. I’ll have to send the hubby over to the Sonoma store to check out the brine mix!

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  435. Julie

    The best turkey I ever had was brined first. Hoping to replicate that this year!

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  436. eve

    Favorite way to cook turkey is with butter stuffed under the skin, sage inside the turkey, leave legs untied and unstuffed, season with salt and pepper…cook and enjoy! Happy
    Thanksgiving everyone!

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  437. Bill P

    I brine them (2 birds) for about 12 hours in a salt/spices/honey mixture and then roast them for 3-4 hours. We try one a little sweeter and one with a garlic/spice rub over and under the skin. Our “family” has grown to about 16 people because everyone likes my moist and tender bird with crispy skin. It’s a lot of work but worth it.

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  438. Peggy Maneri

    Like to smoke, and deep fry… but you can’t beat roasting because you get to savor to smell all day!

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  439. Cindy Ellingson

    I love Thanksgiving! I love the food, family and cooking. My favorite way to roast a turkey is to season and stuff the cavity with lemons, herbs and onion and garlic. Then I put butter under the skin and rub olive oil all over the skin, with lots of salt and fresh pepper, sometimes other seasonings as well. Set on a rack and put lots of veggies down below to make for great drippings and gravy. I always cook the dressing on the side because it takes way too long inside the cavity and overcooks the breast meat. I would love to try on the the Willie Birds! Happy Thanksgiving!

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  440. Gloria

    A fresh, organic turkey is a completely different animal than a frozen self-basting bird! Would love to win one!

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  442. Mindy

    I love to brine my turkeys overnight, aside from insuring a moist final product it’s a great way to introduce extra flavor to the meat. I make a simple brine with kosher salt, brown sugar ground ginger, and season it with my choice of fruit like apple (which I add when dissolving the salt and sugar so it breaks down a bit) as well as some fresh herbs. This year I’m doing, apple, thyme and rosemary. I like to stuff the cavity with aromatics when roasting rather than stuffing to further enhance flavor, to go with the brine I’ll be stuffing the turkey with celery, onion, apple, thyme & rosemary. I then melt butter with mustard powder, white wine, garlic and salt and pepper which I brush onto the turkey. I cover and roast until about 153 degrees and then uncover and let brown while it finishes cooking.

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  443. Audrey Clifford

    I always brine my organic turkey with Williams sonoma brine. I fill the cavity with, apple, onion, cinnamon stick and rub the bird down with butter. I roast at 500 degrees for 45 minutes lower the heat to 325 and roast according to weight. Rest, carve and eat. Enjoy!

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  444. monica smith

    I’m usually a guest on Thanksgiving and haven’t had to cook a turkey. This year will be my first. I’ve explored a number of ways to prepare it and have settled on roasting it in the oven. There are so many ways, so I’m considering just herbs and a whole lot of love (and luck).

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  445. Diane Pike

    brined and rubbed with poultry seasoning made from home grown herbs mixed with olive oil

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  446. Candace Winter

    I roast the turkey with stuffing inside and to keep the turkey moist, i completely cover the bird with bacon! Makes for a great tasting skin! Also, the gravy i make from the pan drippings is out of this world!

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  447. Sharon

    A few years ago, I went to one of Williams Sonoma’s technique classes on how to cook a turkey, and I’ve been preparing turkeys that way ever since. The Turkey Brine adds a lot of flavor and helps the turkey stay moist! Yum, yum!

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  448. Jeff Gilreath

    Never cooked a turkey….going to try The Big Easy. My favorite turkey is deep fried, so we are hoping this year is going to be just as good, without the oil.

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  449. Wilma

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is slow roasted in the oven with a cheesecloth over it that has been soaked in butter and herbs. Delicious!

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  450. Shelley

    I make my turkey using the recipe Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Citrus by Giada from Food Network every year. It is fantastic!

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  452. Mary Clisch

    I like to roast the turkey in a shallow roaster with carrots and onions. I would love to brine a turkey though!

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  453. Ginny Wexler

    We love to brine our turkeys and then cook them outside on our Weber kettle grill.

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  455. bridget dicker

    i brine the turkey overnight in a maple/herb brine. i stuff it with herbs, carrots, onions, celery, apples, and butter. i baste and baste and baste and it is fabulous.

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  456. Pamela Melville

    My preferred method is roasting in the oven with herb butter placed underneath the skin and all over. I add the pan drippings to corn bread stuffing that is baked separately.

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  457. Jacqui Foster

    Every year we cook a turkey on the barbeque with Olive Oil and Rosemary…It’s always fabulous!

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  458. JANET PADILLA

    i always cook my turkey indian style, soaking all night in yogurt , garam masala, lemon juice, salt , ginger, and a few other secrets. it’s ALWAYS so so tender and delicious and the gravy from it is to die for!!! can’t give this up at thanksgiving, everyone loves it. PLS GIVE ME THE FREE ORGANIC TURKEY, it’ll be like heaven when i’m done with it. :-)

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  459. Susan Meyers

    I’ve been brining for the last four years and every year the turkey turns out moist and delicious. Then I roast it just like my mom taught me! The best!

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  461. Stephanie Hooper

    I enjoy brining my bird in a saltwater and wine mix. The next day it receives a coat of butter & pepper between the meat & skin then covered in wine soaked cheesecloth. He is then filled with stuffing and basted with wine & butter during his his roasting.

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  462. April Brandi

    This year I’ll be brining a turkey for the 1st time. After reading all the glowing comments about brining on the Williams-Sonoma website, I had to give it a try. Wish my luck! Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

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  464. Bob Thomas

    My favorite way to prepare my turkey is to smoke it on my “Big Green Egg”.

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  466. debra weinfeld

    I roast my turkey with black truffle butter under the birds skin. Yummy

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  467. Robin

    Smoked in a smoker using Applewood chips and a liquid bowl filled with apple cider with oranges and apples cut up in the juice. Very tender. great taste.

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  468. annsquared

    To be perfectly honest my mother was not raised in the US and therefore did not grow up herself w the whole turkey dinner thing. As a result growing up we didn’t do the traditional dinners like most families. Instead my mother prepared Peking duck and other assorted Asian delectables like egg rolls and lo mein. On the rare occasion we had turkey my mother would just heat up a turkey loaf :) although I don’t think I’ll be running out to buy a turkey loaf anytime soon they do remind me of my thanksgivings as a kid! I have personally never cooked a turkey either but followed w my mothers traditions!!

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  470. Christine Phelan

    I love fresh turkey!!!
    I am going to try roasting in a brown bag for the first time. Can’t wait!

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  471. Therese Pido

    I love WS turkey brine and the gravy base! We did follow your procedure last year, brining it and used buttermilk. Seasoned it with your turkey herbs,it was awesome!! And to think it was the first time my husband and I made it,and mind you we are not experts in the kitchen whatsoever. The video helped us a lot. I would love to try that Willie Bird. Hope you’ll pick me!

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  473. Kelly Reeves

    After becoming vegan a few years ago, thanksgiving has become more about giving thanks than eating a ton of food. As lover of all things culinary however, I love to try new recipes that my non-vegan family members will love. This year we are saving time by roasting turkey breasts with a herb, butter rub. Sage, thyme, parsley and garlic are finely diced and rubbed underneath and on top of the skin to make it beautifully golden. I can’t wait to spend more time with my family than in the kitchen!

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  474. cheryl Baker McGill

    we go for different seasoning combos each year, hard to resist all the great recipies; We are persistant with brining and roasting. I may try spatchcoking(sp?) the turkey this year. Our turkeys are local Hutterite raised.

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  475. Margaret James

    I’m thinking about putting the turkey in a brine this year but more of a rub and amish butter I get from our local market that comes to town every summer.

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  476. Margaret James

    Ealier I forgot some how to mention I usually use a rub and Amish butter .

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  477. Andrew

    The best way to cool a turkey is in the oven with a herb butter spread all over

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  478. Darwin

    All about tradition…spice brined and roasted. The stuffing is made separately, sage, lots and lots of sage.

    I know brining isn’t traditional, but no matter what I try, no matter what what kind of “love” I add, it never tastes as good as Mom’s. This year I’ll be fixing the traditional dinner for my Mom and in-laws, it will all be good, the best is being with the family,

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  479. Sonia Moronta

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to slow roast it without stuffing it. I like to place sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and tarragon in the cavity and rub herbs on the skin before I place it in the oven.

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  480. Elizabeth Birk

    My favorite way to cook a turkey is to brine it with Williams & Sonoma turkey brine apples and spices the night before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day, I prepare homemade stuffing with bacon and parsley and then stuff the turkey, roast it for about 4 1/2 hrs.- 5 hrs. and then we gather together to enjoy family and friends for a very special dinner.

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  481. Vickie Stortroen

    I loved reading about these lovely range free turkeys, I did buy a small Butterball fresh turkey, I seasoned it with salt and pepper and rubbed it with butter, then in the cavity I stuffed it with celery apple slices and onion, Then in my roasting pan, I made a rack with carrots and celery, and roasted it upside down, at 325 the whole 4 hours. It was 13 lbs. I intended to turn it over shortly before it was done but it looked too complicated. It truly was not that flavorful , but my gravy made up for it.

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