Life

7 Tantalizing Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes, Including One That Uses Bacon

by Kelly Anne Bonner

Even if you love going traditional with your Thanksgiving turkey every year (because you know grandma will say something if you don't), it's worth it to switch it up every once and a while. Not only could you breathe new life into the holiday by doing so, but there are some pretty tantalizing Thanksgiving turkey recipes out there that are really changing the game when it comes to this signature holiday dish. Some throw in a few genius ingredients you would never have thought to add to your roast or use cooking techniques that create a mind-blowing effect on the final product. Either way, they'll show you how easy it is to rework this classic into something new and exciting this year.

If you're thinking of going in a slightly different direction with your turkey, this Thanksgiving is the time to do it. There's seriously no better motivation to break from tradition than these innovative recipes, as they'll have you viewing the main dish of your Thanksgiving dinner in a whole new light. So turn over that old recipe card and take a look at a few new ways to prepare turkey. By the time you're done, you'll be wondering why you didn't try this sooner.

1Citrus Dry-Brined Turkey

Try a lovely, bright twist on the dish with A Cozy Kitchen's citrus dry-brined turkey. It turns out a little winter fruit is just the thing your roast needed.

2Roast Turkey with Pears and Sage

Get innovative this year with Adventures in Cooking's recipe for roast turkey with pears and sage. These two additions add the perfect delicious holiday twist.

3Lemongrass Braised Turkey

Go in a completely new direction with a little Asian influence. i am a food blog's lemongrass braised turkey creates a completely fresh take on the dish with just one single ingredient.

4Buffalo Roasted Turkey

Foodie Crush's buffalo roasted turkey melds Thanksgiving and football season into one recipe so beautiful, it makes us want to cry.

5Roasted Turkey with Bacon and Herbs

I promised there would be bacon, and there is, with Jelly Toast Blog's roasted turkey with bacon and herbs — bringing a little bit of everything we love into the traditional dish.

6Smoked Turkey

You may love the sliced sandwich version, but have you tried the real-deal stuff? We must warn you that Brooklyn Supper's smoked turkey may ruin those store-bought packs forever.

7Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey

If you don't want to get too crazy with it, here's a good starter recipe. Half Baked Harvest's herb and butter roasted turkey is a modern, upscale take on the traditional version.

Images: Half Baked Harvest (2); A Cozy Kitchen; Adventures in Cooking; I Am a Food Blog; Foodie Crush; Jelly Toast Blog; Brooklyn Supper