We all love holiday traditions—until they start feeling a little too traditional. This year, instead of tossing the same old bird in the oven all afternoon, try a new way to get poultry on your plate. Our two turkey alternatives both start with tried-and-true prep—plus some additional TLC thanks to a chef-approved brine or rub. Or savour a meatless meal with our tips for elevating your Tofurky roast.
Prefab Flavour
Chef Curtis Toth of The Hotel Saskatchewan, Autograph Collection (a CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award Winner) offers two ways to give your bird a boost before you cook it.
Brine
10 L water
750 g kosher salt
750 g brown sugar
80 g pickling spice
25 g fresh thyme
55 g fresh sage
Combine ingredients in clean, appropriately sized container. Immerse turkey and let rest in fridge for 24 hours. | ### Wet Rub* 34 g kosher salt
Wet Rub
34 g kosher salt
8 g black pepper
6 g smoked paprika
2 g ground sage
6 g poultry seasoning
24 g brown sugar
100 mL canola oil
Mix in small bowl, then rub all over turkey, including cavity. Let rest in fridge four to eight hours.
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Grilled Turkey
Extend barbecue season and give your bird some flame-kissed flair
Position a drip pan underneath grill grates.
Prep grill for cooking with medium-high heat (400 F)
Place turkey breast-side up in centre of grill.
Cook with lid closed until turkey reaches 165 F in breast and 180 F in thigh (about 2–3 hours for a 4–7-kg turkey).
Remove from grill and rest for 15 minutes before carving.
TIP
Aid moisture retention by giving your turkey a pre-grill massage. Gently lift skin around the breast and thighs and smear the areas with butter—plain or mixed with your favourite herbs.
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Sous Vide Turkey
Use an immersion circulator for succulent set-it-and-forget-it results
Break down the turkey into legs and thighs, wings, and breast.
Place breast in vacuum-sealable or heavy-duty Ziploc bag with a couple spoons of butter, a few halved shallots and some sprigs of thyme, rosemary and/or sage.
Do the same for legs and wings, keeping them in a single layer.
Submerge legs-and-wings bag in water preheated to 150 F
After about 3 hours, add breast bag to water; continue cooking 4 more hours.
Remove from bags, discarding shallots and herbs.
TIP
To get crisp, golden skin, pat dry your turkey parts, then pan-sear or broil them briefly over high heat—or use a kitchen torch.
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Vegetarian Tofurkey
Enjoy a meatless feast with plenty of fixins’
Line a Dutch oven or baking dish with vegetables like potatoes and carrots, chopped into large chunks, and tossed in olive oil.
Place Tofurky on a dish of parchment paper, then lay on top of veggies.
Cook according to package directions.
Remove from oven and carefully carve roast with a serrated knife.
TIP
Before your Tofurky goes in the oven, brush it with a glaze for added flavour. (Chef Curtis recommends a mixture of honey, truffle oil, thyme and butter.) Reserve some to reapply during the last 15 minutes of cooking.