Christmas Recipes: How to Cook a Turkey

There are many ways to cook everyone’s favorite holiday bird. Each family has its own special technique for cooking a turkey, whether it's using an old family recipe, adding a secret ingredient or shopping at a certain store in town that helps make the turkey taste all the better.

In Parsippany, you can find all the ingredients you need to roast your bird—including the turkey itself—at the Arlington Plaza Shop Rite, Pathmark on Route 46 and Super Foodtown on North Beverwyck Road in Lake Hiawatha. Closer to Route 10 and Morris Plains? Consider the Shop Rite at Routes 10 and 202 and the Route 202 Stop & Shop. 

If you're hosting Christmas supper this year, you can try any of the recipes below to add a new kick to your feast. If you're attending someone else’s dinner, hopefully their turkey will taste as good as one of these!

• Italian Christmas Turkey

Imagine a holiday bird redolent with the scents and tastes of l'Italia. This simple recipe from Yummly features classic Italian spices—including garlic, basil, oregano and fresh rosemary—to spice up your Christmas bird with wondrous flavors.

• Greek Traditional Turkey (with Chestnut and Pine Nut Stuffing)

Just the name of this recipe makes my mouth water. An Allrecipes.com user contributes this Greek take on turkey, which combines ground beef and pork with tangerine juice, rice and other ingredients for an in-bird stuffing. This one requires no pre-made brine.

• Indian-Spiced Roast Turkey

This recipe calls for the use of a turkey breast roast, but variations can be worked out fairly easily for a smaller whole bird or even diced meat for a stir-fry or bake. I’ve made chicken dishes with a very similar yogurt marinade to this one and the key is letting the meat soak up the sauce overnight. The flavors are intense and aromatic and will definitely lend themselves to a unique Christmas meal.

• Maple-Syrup-Glazed Roast Turkey with Riesling Gravy

Ah, maple syrup. The very name leaves one feeling comfy and cozy, which is what one wants for the Yuletide season. This recipe, from the great Martha Stewart, features the highly aromatic Riesling wine, which offers fruity apple, peach and pear overtones that mix well with the syrup and ginger. Also included is cornbread sourdough stuffing, which lends a Southern touch to this delicious take on turkey.

If you want to stick with the tried and true this year, try this all-American favorite recipe:

• Good Eats Roast Turkey

The Food Network’s Alton Brown brings us this fairly simple (for a whole turkey) and by-the-book recipe, which uses a brine peppered with allspice berries and candied ginger. It takes about 10 hours of total cooking time, not including defrosting.

TELL US: What is your favorite way to cook a Christmas turkey? Do you use any special ingredients? Share your ideas in the comment section below.