Turkey For Christmas / Thanks Giving Day.

Whole grilled chicken with mushrooms and potatoes close-up in a baking dish. horizontal

One of our most loved and favored Christmas / thanks giving day meal is a juicy roast / grilled turkey.

Whether you’re roasting or deep frying, there are so many variations on Christmas / thanks giving turkey. But before you stick it in the oven (or your cooking method of choice), read on to see how to season a turkey.

When it comes to adding a burst of flavor, you can brine and baste or give the bird a good rub down with butter. But there are also other ways to gussy up the main dish (and, sometimes, it’s just as simple as salt and pepper!). Of course, I highly suggest using fresh herbs, citrus, brown sugar, or maple syrup— the options are endless.

How Do You Season Turkey Breast?

Just like with a whole bird, a turkey can be brined or dry-brined before cooking. If you’re looking for a quicker solution, simply rub the turkey breast with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a fresh herb butter—it’s perfect for Christmas. When shopping, look for bone-in and skin-on turkey breast. It’ll have the best flavor!

How Do You Add Flavor To A Turkey?

The possibilities are endless: You can add flavor to a turkey via marinade, flavor injector, rubs, compound butters, basting, and glazing—take your pick!

Marinating a big bird the traditional way can be tricky—you’d need quite a bit of liquid to submerge it. Instead, slather your turkey with a paste-like marinade and refrigerate it for a few hours. You can use flavorful solution deep into the flesh of the turkey—just make sure the liquid is pureed or finely ground enough for seamless injections. If using an injector, you don’t need to plan on any additional time for the liquid to permeate the turkey flesh.

One can also use a spice rub or compound butter can be applied directly to the turkey. Rub a spice blend all over the skin and sprinkle it in the cavity. A compound butter can be tucked underneath the skin or spread on top.

Another (super simple!) way to add flavor to a turkey is to add aromatics to the cavity of a Pan. Try fresh herbs, citrus halves, onions, shallots or garlic—they’ll lightly infuse the meat and pan drippings with flavor. And flavorful drippings lead to flavorful gravy!

You can also baste the turkey with its own pan juices or brush on a glaze for a golden finish. Just be sure to give the turkey time to cook a few minutes longer after the final application—this allows for the liquid to cook off and the skin to become crispy.

Simple Steps Could Include;