Other Ways to Cook a Turkey – Kari’s Top Five

Okay, I have to admit, if I show up at my parents house on Thanksgiving to see my dear mother pulling the turkey out of the microwave, I'm already hoping the sides are going to compensate for the lack of turkey I'll be consuming. But I would be intrigued. And I would definitely want to try it. Remember the point here is to mix it up. Now, there are a couple of things the USDA wants you to keep in mind. First is that most microwaves can only accommodate up to a 12-14 pound turkey. Also, you probably want to stick the turkey in an oven bag because microwaves heat unevenly. Timing wise, the bird will need to cook for 9 to 10 minutes per pound at medium (50%) power. Use a meat thermometer to make sure everything is properly cooked, then let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving. Oh yeah, it's legit.

I have been lucky enough to enjoy many a deep fried turkey at Thanksgiving with my family. What can I say, my family is adventurous. Also my mom knows that the boys will deep fry the turkey and she can focus on other things, like a big parade, while they do the heavy lifting. And yes I do mean lifting. Basically, you need a large pot with hot oil to dip your turkey in. Turkey fryers are available at most home and kitchen stores. It's a good idea to marinate the bird in advance, or use flavor injectors to spice things up. The main advantage of deep frying your turkey is that it only needs to cook for about three and a half minutes per pound. Much quicker than most other routes. For other great tips, check out this article on Yahoo! by Alex Parsons: 10 Tips for Frying a Turkey.

One of the best things to do with any type of meat is stick it on a grill. Why should your Thanksgiving turkey be any different? It doesn't matter if you have a charcoal or gas grill, the Food Network has a great guide for barbecuing a whole bird. You're looking at 11 to 13 minutes per pound to fully cook the bird on a grill. Of course you can choose to grill the turkey in parts, but that makes it like grilling any other day of the year. This is a holiday, go crazy!

Do I really have to sell this one to you? Reason number one to smoke a turkey is flavor. Of course, you either need a smoker or know how to smoke on a grill to pull this one off, but the smokey flavor and smell will have everyone drooling the night before. Yes, this is a slow cooking method, but don't good things come to those who wait? Find a great guide to smoking a whole turkey from Grilling Companion.

My top choice for an alternative way to cook a turkey goes to the old school method. But since I highly doubt too many people have a fireplace that will accommodate a whole turkey or a child/servant who will sit and turn the spit, we'll let technology lend a hand. Obviously you'll need some equipment to roast your turkey on a spit. Some strong rotisseries have a turkey holder and many grills can be set up with a spit and a motor that will evenly turn for you. Either way, patience and making sure the turkey is properly balanced on the spit are the biggest keys. Cooking Louisiana has a full step-by-step guide to help you out. Flavor injectors are another great option for a rotisserie turkey, but no matter how you prep the bird, this is guaranteed to be the best way to have a juicy turkey to serve.