It's hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is almost here. Man, this year has flown by. Earlier this week we had our annual Thanksgiving luncheon, it was an absolute feast. We had deep-fried turkey and all the trimmings, plus we had some leftovers for sandwiches and soup the rest of the week, perfect. I love this time of year and Thanksgiving is one of my all-time favorite holidays. Being a big fan of turkey doesn't hurt either of course.

HOW DO YOU COOK YOUR TURKEY? SCROLL DOWN AND TAKE THE POLL

For the past 20 plus years, I've deep-fried my turkeys and have never looked back. For me, it's the fastest, juiciest, best, and most delicious way to cook a turkey hands down. I do enjoy eating all types of turkey from smoked to roasted, but fried is my absolute favorite. So if I'm in charge of cooking the turkey, which I always am, it's gonna be fried. What about you what's your favorite way to cook a turkey? Take the quick poll below: 

A really close second to fried turkey for me is smoked. I've had some incredible smoked turkey before and it's almost as good as fried. You wouldn't think it was possible, but depending on how it's done it can be almost as juicy as fried turkey, almost. I've also grilled turkey before and it turned out great. It wasn't as good as fried, but it was still pretty good. It does take a lot of time, patience, and attention to do it right though.

Deep-fried turkey is the absolute best. It's the quickest and juiciest way to cook a turkey

Deep frying a turkey
Gustavo Perales
loading...

Baked and roasted isn't bad either, a little dry but it's still good. I've never tried using a crockpot or Instant Pot to cook a turkey, I'll have to try that one out and see how it tastes. I bet it's pretty good especially if you smoother it with gravy. I've even microwaved a turkey before. It was a smaller bird around 12 pounds. It looked God awful but tasted good. When it was finally fully cooked to 180 degrees it looked like a meteorite.

Doing it the old-fashioned way by baking or roasting the turkey is still a great option

Thanksgiving Turkey
Shawn Campbell
loading...

There's a ton of different ways you can cook your turkey this Thanksgiving, or really anytime you're in the mood. That's the thing about turkey, whole birds aren't normally available except around Thanksgiving and Christmas. So if you want to cook one in mid-April you're out of luck, unless you have one in the deep freeze you bought during the holiday season. Sure you can always find sandwich sliced, breast, TV dinners, and other kinds of turkey, but it's not the same as cooking a whole bird. Not even close.

Another popular option is to smoke or grill your turkey. It takes time, but it's worth it!

Turkey Legs
JRLPhotographer
loading...

Oklahoma's Weirdest Thanksgiving Foods

There is no shortage of weird Thanksgiving traditions around the Sooner State. Even my own family celebrates in our own unique way. Half of us hate turkey, and the others hate ham. Mom hates to spend days cooking for a 20-minute meal, and we all get tired of the leftovers. Instead, we have either a taco fiesta or a Chef Boyardee pizza kit party. Nobody complains.

We're not the only family with a weird Thanksgiving tradition, just take a look at these shockingly common Oklahoma TG dishes. It's amazing what the cooks come up with. The list is heavy on gelatin and jello molds, if anything it'd be worth trying at least one this year. They range from mild to wild, best of luck to you.

Gallery Credit: Kelso

10 Oklahoma Hallmark holiday hometowns you can visit

Looking for someplace special to spend the holidays? The Sooner State has you covered with some of the best towns and cities to get into the Christmas spirit. If you've ever wanted to visit a place that feels like it came out of a Hallmark movie you're in luck. Check out these ten Oklahoma Hallmark holiday hometowns to experience the small-town charm and friendliness of some of Oklahoma's best-known holiday destinations. Each has its own unique traditions and holiday events that will surely get you into the spirit of the season. From amazing lights and displays to performances and festive family fun you'll find in the Sooner State.

Gallery Credit: Don "Critter" Brown

Gifts For The Ones You Don't Love

There's no cap to the amount of thoughtfulness that will go into the presents you give your loved ones... but what about the people you don't like, but you're obligated to gift them something too? Here's a quick rundown of some truly awful presents.

Top 10 Best Christmas Towns In Oklahoma

While Christmas may not always feel like Christmas in Oklahoma, we put on that holiday spirit all over the Sooner State. Here are the top destinations to find a little holiday cheer.

Gallery Credit: Kelso

More From 1073 Popcrush