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A dozen ways to make a turkey

12 Recipes
A whole turkey on a silver platter sits atop a dining table alongside a filled gravy boat.
(Leslie Grow / For The Times)

One is sure to be just right for you.

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A process rife with decisions, making a Thanksgiving turkey is an endeavor that can take anywhere from two hours to seven days. It starts with what size and what kind of turkey to buy Once you get the bird home, the decision tree expands. To brine or not to brine? Wet brine or dry brine? Stuff it or just “dress” it? Start high and finish low; start low and finish high; or cook it low and slow all the way? Baste it or let it be? Roast in the oven or on the barbie? Grill it? Smoke it? Deep-fry it?

Of course, the answer to each question is, “it depends.” Truth is, each method will elicit the tender, juicy meat every Thanksgiving cook aspires to serve. The real trick is knowing how much time, energy and attention each method requires and how much of each you have and want to put into making your turkey — and being really honest with yourself about that last one.

Never cooked a turkey before or only have a few hours? Try the Easy Thanksgiving Turkey. Want to spend four days brining, air drying, tracking down obscure ingredients, basting and the like? You will love Ray Garcia’s Thanksgiving Turkey. Are you somewhere in between — looking for something different but don’t want to kill yourself doing it? Try the Ultimate Turkey, a Soy-Brined Turkey or perhaps an Herb-Roasted Spatchcocked Turkey.

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Below are a dozen recipes from our food writers and editors over the years. They feature best practices at every level of the game. Whatever your skill set, however much time you want to spend, you’re bound to find one that’s just right for you.

Easy Thanksgiving turkey

Time 2 hours
Yields Serves 8 to 10

Roasted turkey

Time Active work time: 20 minutes Total preparation time: 5 hours 50 minutes
Yields Serves 10 to 12
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Herb-roasted spatchcocked turkey

Time 2 hours
Yields Serves 8 to 12

The ultimate turkey

Time 3 hours
Yields Serves 11 to 15
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Dry-brined turkey

Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Yields Serves 11 to 15

Barbecued turkey

Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Yields Serves 14 to 16

Maple-bourbon smoked turkey

Time 40 minutes
Yields Serves 6 to 8
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Roast brined turkey

Time 3 hours
Yields Serves 10 to 12

Soy-brined turkey

Time 6 hours
Yields Serves 12 (with leftovers)

Citrus-rosemary grilled turkey

Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Yields Serves 10 to 12
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Ray Garcia's Thanksgiving turkey

Time 4 hours
Yields Serves 8 to 12