Be honest: Is turkey your favorite part of Thanksgiving? No matter if you answered yes or no, chances are you'll be cooking up a bird this holiday, as it's arguably the most-important element of your Thanksgiving dinner table. As the centerpiece of the feast, a winning bird will bring balance to the seemingly never-ending buffet of veggie side dishes (and provide the leftovers for must-have turkey sandwiches), whether you fry it, roast it, stuff it or brine it. Check out some of Food Network's best-ever turkey recipes below, each chock-full of good-to-know tips from your favorite chefs.

Perfect Roast Turkey: The tried-and-true staples are beloved for a reason, and Ina Garten's top-rated turkey is no exception to that rule. Ina stuffs the bird with fresh thyme and a halved lemon to gently flavor the bird from the inside out.

Black Pepper-Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey: True to his penchant for bright, bold flavors, Bobby Flay dresses up his turkey with a sweet-tangy glaze. The key here is to wait until the last 15 minutes of cooking to add the glaze; any sooner and the sugars in the glaze could burn.

Foolproof Turkey Breast: With a 5-star rating, you can trust that Guy Fieri's "foolproof" recipe lives up to its name. Keep this how-to in mind if you're cooking for a group that prefers white meat over dark, as Guy starts with a full bird, but cuts off the legs and wings to reserve them for stock, and then roasts only the brined turkey breasts.

No-Baste, No-Bother Roasted Turkey: The trick to Trisha Yearwood's hands-off recipe is to start roasting it in a boiling water bath in a high-temperature oven. After only 60 minutes, Trisha turns off the oven but keeps the bird inside with the door closed to keep the meat cooking for a few more hours.

Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy: Anne Burrell's party-ready turkey starts with an herb-garlic brine, which Anne lets the bird bathe in for a few days before cooking, infusing not just flavor but also moisture. The night before roasting it, she lets the turkey chill uncovered in the refrigerator to guarantee a crispy skin later.

Skillet Turkey with Roasted Vegetables: If you've ever struggled to achieve a golden, crispy skin on your bird, try opting for a boneless breast this year and searing it in a skillet. This quick-fix recipe starts on the stove, then moves to the oven to finish cooking.

Memphis Fried Turkey: Featured in Food Network Magazine, this spice-rubbed bird turns out dark golden brown on the outside with juicy meat inside.

Turkey Roulade with Swiss Chard: Though the turkey is indeed rolled up with a filling inside, this isn't your traditional bread stuffing. In this Food Network Magazine recipe, a turkey breast half is pounded thin, then rolled over a rice-Swiss chard mixture laced with lemon zest and Gruyère.