Thanksgiving is all about gathering around the table, sharing good food, and making memories. While a traditional oven-roasted turkey is a holiday favourite, there are plenty of other delicious ways to prepare the centrepiece of your Thanksgiving feast.
From low-and-slow smoking and rotisserie cooking to charcoal grilling, barbecuing, and air frying, each method brings its own flavour and experience to the table. Whether you're looking for crispy skin, juicy meat, or rich, smoky flavour, we’re exploring five ways to cook your Thanksgiving turkey and bring something new to your holiday feast.
Before you get cooking, explore our staff-picked Thanksgiving Turkey Prep & Accessories, Flavour & Brine Kits, and Thermometers to help get your feast underway.
1. Smoking a Turkey
Smoking a turkey is a great way to add rich, smoky flavour to your Thanksgiving feast while keeping the meat tender and juicy. Cooking low and slow allows the smoke to infuse the turkey with flavour, while the gentle heat helps prevent the meat from drying out.
Whether you prefer a classic wood-smoked flavour or want to experiment with different pellets, a pellet grill is a great way to put a unique spin on a traditional Thanksgiving turkey.
One of the biggest benefits of smoking a turkey is the depth of flavour it adds. Depending on the pellets you choose, you can create anything from a mild, sweet smoke to a richer, more robust flavour. The gradual cooking process also helps retain moisture, resulting in tender, flavourful meat.
Stock up on the right pellets, wood chips, charcoal, and more from our Fuel & Smoke collection.
2. Rotisserie Turkey on the Barbecue
Cooking a rotisserie turkey on the barbecue is a great way to achieve a beautifully golden, evenly cooked bird for Thanksgiving.
As the turkey slowly rotates over consistent heat, it bastes itself in its own juices, helping create tender, flavourful meat and deliciously crispy skin. Rotisserie cooking also allows excess fat to drip away, making it a great option for anyone who loves crispy skin without sacrificing moisture.
Plus, taking your turkey outdoors leaves more room in the kitchen for all those Thanksgiving sides.
3. Charcoal-Grilled Turkey
For Thanksgiving cooks who love that classic barbecue flavour, charcoal grilling is a great way to take your turkey outdoors.
Cooking over charcoal gives your Thanksgiving turkey a delicious smoky flavour and beautifully browned skin, while using indirect heat allows the bird to cook slowly and evenly. It’s a great option for anyone looking to bring a little extra fire and flavour to their holiday feast.
Charcoal also gives you the opportunity to experiment with different charcoal and wood flavours while cooking outdoors. And as an added bonus, moving the turkey to the grill frees up valuable oven space for stuffing, casseroles, and all your favourite Thanksgiving sides.
4. Barbecued Turkey
If you’re already firing up the barbecue for Thanksgiving sides, why not put the turkey on there too?
A gas barbecue can work like an outdoor oven, making it a simple option for anyone who wants to cook their Thanksgiving turkey outside without the extra steps that come with charcoal or smoking.
One of the biggest advantages of using a gas barbecue is control. You can easily adjust the burners to help maintain a steady cooking temperature, making it a straightforward way to cook a whole turkey.
Using indirect heat allows hot air to circulate around the bird, while the enclosed grill helps create beautifully golden, crispy skin.
5. Air-Frying a Turkey with Propane
Looking for crispy, golden-brown turkey without the mess of traditional deep frying?
A propane-powered oil-less air fryer, like the Char-Broil Big Easy, offers another way to take Thanksgiving cooking outdoors. Using infrared heat rather than hot oil, it cooks the turkey while helping lock in moisture and create deliciously crispy skin.
It’s a convenient outdoor cooking option that delivers the flavour and texture you want from a fried turkey without the need for gallons of oil.
Looking for the right setup for your Thanksgiving cook? Explore our Thanksgiving Cooking Units for more ways to take the feast outdoors.
Bring Thanksgiving Cooking Outdoors
However you choose to cook your turkey this Thanksgiving, there’s no shortage of ways to bring something new to the table.
From the rich flavour of smoked turkey to the crispy skin of a rotisserie, grilled, or propane air-fried bird, each cooking method offers something a little different. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new flavours, seasonings, and techniques to find your favourite.
Whether you're sticking with a tried-and-true method or trying something completely new, the perfect Thanksgiving turkey is one that brings everyone together around the table.
Ready to take Thanksgiving beyond the oven? Shop our Thanksgiving collection or in-store at Barbecues Galore for turkey prep essentials, seasonings and brines, thermometers, fuel, cooking accessories, and more to get ready for your holiday feast.