I'LL JUST SAY IT: I HATE ROAST TURKEY. CAN'T WE HAVE SOMETHING ELSE?

There's no law that says dinner has to be centered around a whole turkey! Give yourself permission to buck tradition with these alternative showstopping birds

- HANA ASBRINK, RACHEL GURJAR, ZAYNAB ISSA, AND KENDRA VACULIN

In 1981, with six experts on call, Butterball launched the Turkey Talk Line, a need-advice now hotline for holiday woes. They went on to answer 11,000 questions that season. It’s since become a Thanksgiving tradition: Each November, thousands of home cooks call, text, and shout at Alexa because their bird is undercooked, overcooked, still frozen, bland as can be, too big to fit in the oven, or literally caught on fire because a cousin’s boyfriend wanted to deep-fry it in the backyard. Why do we still put up with this in 2022? There are other birds in the sea, and—we’ll say it—most of them are less stressful and more flavorful. Consider these recipes your greenlight to not roast a 14-pound honker though if you really want to, head to page 66 for our favorite method). From pomegranate-shellacked duck to vinegary Cornish game hens, these dishes are so blissfully doable that you won’t need to call anyone for advice. Pour yourself a glass of wine instead. 

Pomegranate-and-HoneyGlazed Duck With Rice 

4 SERVINGS A whole roast duck is a glorious sight—not to mention it’s as easy to roast as a chicken. This one gets dry brined for 12-plus hours, then roasted and lacquered with a tangy glaze that makes extra to serve as a dipping sauce. Pekin is also known as Long Island) duck is the most common variety, and its size makes it great for roasting. Many purveyors stock these birds frozen, so pick them up a few days before cooking so they have time to defrost.

DUCK 

¼ cup Diamond Crystal or 2 Tbsp. plus

2 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more 

1 Tbsp. sugar 

1 Tbsp. finely chopped thyme, plus sprigs for serving

4–6 small oranges, divided