Baked or fried?

Each Thanksgiving, more and more consumers opt for a holiday turkey cooked on the grill, smoker or fryer, forgoing the usual oven prep. Each option offers a mouth-watering meal packed with juicy flavor and crispy taste, but how to decide?

The benefits of frying a turkey are speed, flavor and cleanup. Frying is much faster than traditional oven baking (a 12-pound turkey could be done in as little as a half-hour)

Fried turkeys tend to be juicer because moisture is sealed in quickly, while the exterior is cooked crispy.

Cleanup is a cinch as well since there is no roasting pan to scrub or old turkey fluids to dispose of.

If frying if the top choice, be sure to thaw the turkey completely and pat it dry.

Cook the bird unstuffed, and brine the turkey for increased flavor and moisture. Have a food thermometer handy to measure the internal temperature of the bird; the temperature should be 165 to 170 degrees F in the breast and 175 to 180 degrees F in the thigh.

If you plan to deep fry, smoke or grill the turkey, check outdoor equipment to make sure it is in working order. Plan an alternative cooking method just in case there is inclement weather on Thanksgiving Day.

Purchase the oil, wood chips or charcoal ahead of time before supplies get scarce.

The benefits of baking a turkey are economics, safety and tradition. You don’t need to buy any additional equipment for baking a turkey since your existing oven will do just fine. Baking a turkey presents almost no fire risk, while frying involves an open flame and potential grease spatter. As for tradition, baking a turkey lends itself to the traditional fixings your guests are accustomed to. To bake a turkey, thaw thoroughly in the refrigerator, a tray of cold water or microwave oven. Remove giblets and cook separately. Preheat oven to a minimum of 325 degrees F and cook turkey in a shallow roasting pan on rack. Most experts recommend cooking stuffing outside the bird for safety reasons, but if you are cooking a stuffed turkey, be sure the stuffing reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. The turkey is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees minimum in all areas. Let turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving and remove any stuffing from body cavities. Tools to have on hand are turkey roaster and rack, food thermometer, kitchen twine, turkey baster, and fat separator for making gravy.