Cooking a juicy, golden turkey for a crowd is no small task. To get this main on the table you’ll find yourself wondering everything from what kind of turkey you should buy (and what size bird you need) to how much time you’ll need to plan for thawing and how long to leave the turkey in the oven. And that’s not even taking into consideration special techniques you may want to use—like brining, glazing or spatchcocking. It’s enough to make anyone's head spin. But, before you throw in the metaphorical kitchen towel, consider this: we’ve got all the turkey tips and recipes you need to make your meal a success. (We can even show you how to know when your turkey is done and how to carve a turkey step-by-step for an impressive tableside display). Best of all, there are lots of turkey recipes to choose from so you’re sure to find one that’s just right for your celebration. One of our favorites? Molly’s grilled bird, which she bastes with a mixture of pan juices and honey. That ensures plenty of sweet-and-smoky flavor—and keeps the turkey from drying out.

Who needs butter? A slather of mayonnaise on your turkey pulls double duty by standing in as a flavorful rub as well as adding moisture and fat to often dry meat. And what's particularly great is that it browns the skin beautifully without the constant basting that most birds need.

Alton brines this bird overnight in a mixture of broth, salt, sugar, peppercorns, allspice and ginger.

Balsamic glaze is back, and this year we're finishing our holiday turkey with the beloved tangy condiment. Inspired by the Italian influence, we stuffed the bird with plenty of aromatics--sage, thyme, rosemary, and a whole head of garlic--then basted it throughout with a buttery, flavorful broth. Brushing on the rich balsamic glaze at the end imparts a beautiful color and delicious sweet-tart finish.

Ina's pan gravy starts out with butter, onions and flour, and then she adds turkey drippings and chicken stock, plus Cognac, wine and a little heavy cream for richness.

Paprika comes in a few different varieties. This recipe uses a blend of two (sweet and hot) for the perfect balance of flavor.

Hosting a holiday meal is easy when you can make the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table (the turkey!) in advance.

Bake the flavors of Thanksgiving right into the bird with this cranberry-orange glaze with garlic and chipotle.

This succulent whole roast turkey is inspired by perennial favorite, tandoori chicken. Flavorful and juicy, it’s bound to be a showstopper at Thanksgiving, or any dinner. The turkey is marinated overnight in a tangy spiced yogurt sauce that takes just 10 minutes to make, then roasted like a traditional holiday bird.

Trisha's family recipe calls for cooking the turkey in a covered roasting pan with 2 cups of boiling water. This results in a juicy, tender bird — no basting needed.

Roasted in a rich sauce made from tomatoes, barberries and Persian golden prunes, this spiced turkey breast is bursting with flavor in every bite. It makes a delicious addition to a Thanksgiving spread and is ideal for a smaller crowd at the table. Golden prunes are slightly sour and are commonly paired with poultry and lamb in Persian cuisine. Here they lend a welcome brightness to the sweet-tart sauce. They are typically served with the pits intact so be sure to let your guests know before they dig in.

This turkey is extra juicy and gorgeously browned, thanks to the blanket of butter.

Ree takes her brined bird out of the oven halfway through its cooking time to spread butter on it before it finishes cooking. This ensures that it ends up with that deep, golden-brown color.

You can’t go wrong with Ina’s perfect turkey, flavored simply with lemon and thyme.

A turkey breast cooks up quicker than a whole bird. Ina roasts hers rubbed with a classic mixture of fresh herbs and garlic.

Alton makes turkey gravy in the roasting pan while the turkey rests.

The name says it all. This is the simplest turkey you'll ever make, courtesy of Food Network Magazine. Take it easy!

Rub a turkey with a unique blend of dry mustard, dried orange peel, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and more for a Thanksgiving roast that be talked about for years to come!

This juicy, mouthwatering turkey with beautifully bronzed and crunchy skin is inspired by the flavors and some of the techniques used to make porchetta, Italy’s famous roast pork. We spatchcock the turkey and rub it with a mixture of spices, salt and baking powder. The salt acts as a dry brine and the baking powder raises the pH levels of the skin, which aids the breakdown of proteins and creates crispiness. As soon as the turkey comes out of the oven, we pour very hot ghee over top (as is sometimes done with olive oil when making porchetta), which deep-fries the skin. The result is the ultimate crispy turkey — perfect for Thanksgiving and any holiday or festive meal.

For his ultimate turkey, Tyler fills his bird with cornbread stuffing, bastes it in maple syrup and then covers it in bacon.

Anne's secret to moist, succulent turkey is a flavorful brine. Then she crusts the turkey in herbs and serves with a creamy gravy.

Sunny uses apple cider, peaches and rosemary for a savory-sweet turkey glaze that's fresh yet rustic.

Spice up your Thanksgiving with Bobby's flavorful, Throwdown-worthy turkey.

Get Alton's secret for cooking perfect stuffing — inside your turkey.

"Spatchcock" is a funny word, but it's a seriously smart way to cook a large bird: It roasts faster, and if you make it on the grill, you free up space in your oven to cook sides.

With thousands of reviews and a 5-star rating, Alton's classic turkey is the go-to, foolproof recipe that every cook can use.

This Southern-spiced bird gets rubbed down the day before with smoky paprika, cayenne, thyme and other flavors before getting fried up — it’s crispy, juicy and packed with flavor.

The many colors and flavors of Thanksgiving dinner are wrapped up in an elegant little roast that will wow your guests.

Deep-fry your turkey in half the time roasting takes. Amp up the bird with this unexpected, totally addictive sweet and spicy glaze.

A kosher brined turkey is rubbed with butter mixed with ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, scallions and garlic for a simple (and delicious) twist on a Thanksgiving classic.

This flavor-packed fried bird slathered in spicy Buffalo sauce may ruffle Grandma's feathers, but is guaranteed to win Friendsgiving.

Want to get a turkey breast on the table in less than an hour, without heating up the house? Cook it in an air fryer. Guaranteed golden, crispy skin and no brining required.

Chicken and waffles gets supersized with this spin on a classic fried turkey. Skipping the oven for hot oil keeps the meat moist and juicy. Basting the bird with glaze three times while it rests guarantees the salty-sweet flavor comes through.

Smoking a turkey imparts wonderful flavor but can lead to a few pitfalls. It can leave the skin tough and leathery, so we addressed that by making a buttery broth that you baste with once the turkey gets a little color on it. The seasoned rub helps to impart even more flavor, as do the aromatics that are stuffed into the cavity. You’ll get a juicy, tender turkey that’s a twist on the classic roast bird.

Jeff’s deep-fried turkey does require a bit of extra prep, but the juicy end result is so worth it. Before frying, he recommends placing the turkey in the fryer, filling it with water until the turkey is just submerged and mark the outside of the fryer where the water line is. That way, you’ll have the perfect vessel-to-turkey ratio to keep the skin nice and crisp.

Tyler makes extra-flavorful gravy by roasting a turkey wing with vegetables and herbs. He removes the wing, then adds flour to the turkey fat and juices, and simmers it with stock.

Giant fried turkey legs are a fun and eye-catching way to bring the holidays to your dinner table.

In our quest for a delicious gluten-free gravy that everyone around the table would love, we tested all the starches--cornstarch, arrowroot, potato flour, you name it. Sweet rice flour was the winner -- it provides the best texture, doesn't impact the gravy flavor, and reheats beautifully back to that silky sauce we all crave.

Have a flavor-packed turkey on the table in less than an hour by cooking two boneless turkey breasts instead of a whole turkey.

Guy’s turkey is brined for juicy, flavorful perfection.

Yes, turkey is the star on Thanksgiving, but a bacon-weave layer over the top makes it extra special for the holiday. Even better, the bacon bastes the meat as it cooks, keeping it from drying out.

To protect the breast meat from overbrowning, Alex suggests dipping a large cheesecloth in melted butter and placing it on the turkey breast before roasting.

Five pounds of turkey breast, roasted and ready in under an hour — complete with gravy! And did we mention it's tender and juicy?

Jeff knows that you only need a handful of ingredients (like herbs, citrus zest, butter and salt) to cook the perfect holiday bird.

Alex's secret to an extra-juicy and flavorful turkey is the perfect turkey brine.

Giada stuffs turkey breast with cheese, olives, capers and breadcrumbs, then braises the dish in a rich tomato sauce.

Alton safely fries his turkey in the backyard, but his first important step takes place in the kitchen. He places the bird into the pot that he'll fry it in and adds water just until it barely covers the top of the turkey and is at least 4 to 5 inches below the top of the pot. This test determines the amount of oil needed for frying and prevents overflowing.

Sliced turkey breast is perfect if you're only cooking for a small group and don't want to manage a whole bird.

"Everyone has a turkey disaster story, but this one actually had a happy ending," Ina Garten says.

After you brine and butter your turkey, refrigerate it uncovered overnight. Not covering it will help the skin to dry out and become brown and crispy when baked.

For Thanksgiving Live!, Giada broke down her turkey into pieces before roasting to cut down on the cooking time.

Rachael showed the Thanksgiving Live! audience the secret to her flavorful bird: a soak in brine made with apple cider.

A simple way to roast a flavorful, golden bird? Rub a turkey all over with butter mixed with tarragon, lemon and shallot.

Try this fruity turkey with a sweet pineapple-apple glaze.

Make a flavor-packed, Southern-spiced turkey this year by seasoning it with thyme, paprika and cayenne.

Spatchcocking your turkey will cut your roasting time in half.

This beautiful, unexpected twist on turkey is an amazing showstopper. And making it is easy with the roulade step-by-step from Food Network Magazine.

Can't decide if you want to brine? Try this dry-brine method to get the same flavorful bird without all the liquid.

Want to make a sweet-and-smoky Thanksgiving turkey but you don’t have a smoker? No problem! Bobby’s recipe works perfectly on a charcoal grill, too.

Lemon, lime and orange flavor this turkey for an unexpected, fresh twist.

This butterflied turkey from Food Network Magazine is beautiful, flavorful and cooks up quicker than a normal turkey.

For a pretty presentation, Aida puts sage leaves under this turkey's skin and roasts it along with apples and onions.

We removed the hassle of constant basting from the Thanksgiving equation by popping the turkey on a rotisserie. As it rotates, it bastes itself to juicy, smoky perfection, plus the stuffing underneath catches all the flavorful drippings.

A chipotle spice rub lends a fiery kick to Valerie’s grilled turkey breast.

Alex soaks a piece of cheesecloth in melted butter and covers the turkey breast with it to keep the meat tender and moist.