This week, I’m sharing lists of my favorite Ina Thanksgiving Day recipes beginning with a ranking her Roast Turkey recipes.
Ina knows her way around a roast turkey, which makes perfect sense since she’s the Queen of Roast Chicken. As she often says, roasting a turkey is just like roasting a chicken – it just takes a little longer.
You can’t go wrong with any of her seven recipes (each one earned a 5/5 rating), but each brings something unique to the Thanksgiving table.
As a dark meat fan all my life, Ina’s taught me if you prepare the breast right it can be just as good. Her phenomenal Turkey Roulade has graced four Thanksgiving tables since first making it in 2017.
But the greatest turkey lesson I learned is dry brining! Salting the bird a couple of days before cooking creates supremely moist, flavorful meat and ultra-crispy skin. Full ranking is below
1. Roasted Turkey Roulade
Back to Basics, page 109 (Recipe)
RATING: 5/5 | FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.8/5
Growing up, I always preferred dark meat because white turkey meat seemed dry and flavorless – but, of course, Ina converted me! Her turkey breast roulade delivers the most flavorful, tender, and moist meat, filled with an incredible cranberry, sausage, and fig stuffing. Perfect for smaller gatherings, this recipe has earned a permanent place in my Thanksgiving rotation. I’ve made it at four separate Thanksgiving dinners, sometimes alongside a traditional whole turkey.
2. Make-Ahead Roast Turkey
Make It Ahead, page 101 (Recipe)
RATING: 5/5 | FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.5
My first experience with dry brining transformed my turkey cooking forever. The process is simple: sprinkle your turkey with herbs and salt several days before cooking and let it rest in the refrigerator. As it sits, the skin becomes dry and translucent while the salt penetrates and flavors the meat. The result? Supremely moist meat with ultra-crispy skin. The recipe includes my go-to onion and sage gravy, which I now make every Thanksgiving. For convenient entertaining, you can carve the turkey up to an hour ahead, place it on a heatproof platter with gravy, and briefly reheat it just before serving.
3. Accidental Turkey
Foolproof, page 120 (Recipe)
RATING: 5/5 | FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.7
This classic recipe stands out thanks to its dry-brining method, earning its high ranking on my list. The simple but effective brine combines salt, rosemary, and lemon, creating perfectly seasoned meat.
4. Perfect Roast Turkey
Barefoot Contessa Parties, page 182 (Recipe)
RATING: 5/5 | FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.8
For this version, Ina applies her signature perfect roast chicken technique to turkey, cooking it on a bed of carrots, potatoes, and fennel. This straightforward approach creates both a beautifully roasted turkey and a delicious side dish in one pan.
5. Roast Turkey with Truffle Butter
How Easy Is That, page 128 (Recipe)
RATING: 5/5 | FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.8
I love truffle butter on anything so this was the first Ina roast turkey recipe I tried. It’s a straightforward recipe with truffle butter rubbed under the skin to give it a little something special. It was moist and delicious, but when I made it, I was hoping the truffle flavor would come through a little more than it did.
6. Tuscan Turkey Roulade
Modern Comfort Food, page 107 (Recipe)
RATING: 5/5 | FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.6
The final Ina roast turkey recipe I made – we had it at last year’s Friendsgiving! It was tasty but just didn’t compare to how fabulous her original roulade is.
7. Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
How Easy Is That, page 127 (Recipe)
RATING: 5/5 | FOOD NETWORK RATING: 4.9
Great for small gatherings, my only complaint is you don’t get any dark meat or the goodies they come rolled in one of her roulades.
More “Best of Ina” lists here.
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