Think about a classic Thanksgiving meal. What are you actually excited to eat? The stuffing? Your aunt’s sweet potato casserole? Maybe a good roll or two. But what almost never makes anyone’s top picks? The turkey.
Turkey is always just sort of there. People take some because it feels like part of the script, not because they are thrilled about it. As a kid, you hurried through the dry slices your parents insisted on so you could get back to the good stuff. As an adult, you might grab a few bigger pieces, but you know that without a lake of gravy, every bite would feel like work. Maybe you do it to set a good example for your kids, but you are not savoring it.
So why do we keep making the one dish that no one is genuinely excited to eat?
Good food should stand on its own.
A ribeye needs nothing but salt.
Sashimi has literally nothing on it and people still line up for it.
A good vanilla ice cream can be enjoyed completely plain.
Turkey never reaches that level. No matter how well you cook it, you are still reaching for gravy to make it interesting.
And this is not because I haven’t put in the work. I have tried turkey every way I know how:
oven baked with butter and garlic under the skin
smoked, deep fried, spatchcocked
even injected with apple juice and butter.
Every time, the pattern repeats. People ask about the gravy. The meat tastes bland unless it has help. There are leftovers no matter how many guests we have.
Let’s contrast this with brisket. For the last four years, the brisket has been the star of the table. People go back for seconds and thirds. I can slice it and serve it exactly as it is. And not once has anyone said they wished I had made turkey instead.
Thanksgiving should be about feeding the people you care about with food they actually enjoy. So do yourself and your guests a favor this year. Skip the turkey. Make something worth being excited about.