Last Updated on August 19, 2026 by Deliciously Organic Editor
I love making this roasted acorn squash with dates, pumpkin seeds, and goat cheese on a cold night!
I love coaxing the full flavor out of vegetables by roasting them. Throughout the fall and winter, I roast various kinds of squashes, then toss with herbs, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and cheeses. What a simple way to create a complex, nuanced dish!
Every few months I purchase nuts and seeds, soak them in water and sea salt (to reduce enzyme inhibitors), and dehydrate them until they’re crispy. I store them in glass jars and use them in salads, sprinkle them over vegetable dishes or just snack on them. I know it’s only October, but you can start your holiday preparation early with a simple step like this.
Speaking of the holidays, now is the time to order an organic whole turkey! We’ve enjoyed a pastured turkey at our Thanksgiving table for many years and I can’t even describe the wonderful taste. We eat the meat from the turkey for a couple of days and then I use the carcass to make turkey stock. Then I use the stock to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup – a family holiday-season favorite in our house.
In past years, I learned the hard way that these birds go very quickly, so don’t delay! Tendergrass Farms sells a lovely pastured, organic whole turkey and they’ve offered to give one away to a lucky reader. See the widget below to enter. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Roasted Acorn Squash with Dates, Pumpkin Seeds and Goat Cheese
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash, seeds removed, cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons ghee or palm shortening
- 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- 1 cup Medjool dates, pits removed, cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup soaked and dehydrated pumpkin seeds (I use this recipe and omit the maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup goat cheese (omit for Paleo/dairy-free)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and adjust rack to middle position. Place squash on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toss with ghee and sea salt. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove squash from oven and using a pair of tongs, carefully turn each piece of squash over. Sprinkle garlic and dates over squash. Roast for an additional 12 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and goat cheese. Serve.
I’m thinking of brining it and then a slow roasting overnight.
I love your blog.
I am roasting a pastured turkey this year. High heat to begin, then a slower roast.
We like to brine ours overnight then roast for a few hours in the oven.
I will be doing it like I have the last 4 years, brining it with lemons, thyme and more herbs and cooked in broth. SO good and falls off the bone. Thanks for the giveaway!
Mom is preparing a fresh turkey, she does a butter and herb rub, no stuffing.
probably a brine
This looks so delicious! I have to try it!
We’ll be starting out very early in the morning and stuff the bird with homegrown herbs and homemade bread stuffing, and slow roast it all day long!
I plan on slow roasting our turkey throughout the night to save time and give me the morning to prepare the rest of the side dishes!
Hopefully, someone else will be preparing the turkey for me!
Stuffed and roasted!
I love the variations on roasting squash. Mine has always been just roast with a little coconut oil and maybe a bit of thyme. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe!
It would be lovely to win a turkey to go along with it!
I’m brining 2 turkeys and roasting them in La Caja China
I haven’t decided yet!
I would take the turkey to my son;s house and have him prepare it … the advantage of teaching your kids to cook is when they are grown you can go to their house LOL
We like to put a dry brine on the turkey a few days before as it is defrosting in the fridge. We then wash off the dry brine, and can either roast the turkey in the oven like usual, or we are thinking of possibly butterflying the bird and throwing it on the grill this year.
I cook a pastured turkey and start early in the AM with lots of organic seasoning and stuffing, including raw butter packed under the skin for crispness.
Stuffed with herbs/onion, buttered, seasoned, roasted.
Sounds great! After everything is gone, I’m going to make stock. The baked potato soup sounds great!
Stuffed and seasoned.
I may try smoking mine this year. I’m still learning how to use my electric smoker but I think a turkey would be delicious cooked that way.
I’ve never tried dates before – I’ll have to give this a go next week!
Am not sure where I will spending it this year, so it all depends! Love this recipe… hope to make it whether cooking myself or bring it with me!
Cathy B
Would love to win!!! I”m hosting the family this year for the first time.
Going to my in laws so they will cook the turkey.
We will be cooking it on a gas Weber BBQ unstuffed. We do this every year and the gravy made from the juices is so smokey and flavorful. We cook it indirect and it gets so nice and brown but stays moist.
I love squash. I am always looking for appetizing recipes. Acorn squash with dates and pumpkins seeds sounds delicious. I am going to make this recipe for Thanksgiving. Yum!
Roasting the turkey with fresh herbs.
I’m not a huge fan of turkey – I will eat it cold as deli meat but don’t care for hot roasted turkey. Instead, I try to make a special roasted chicken (fresh herbs, lemon, onion, garlic, etc.) or some other roast-type meat (pork, beef) and many, many sides.
I brine and roast unstuffed.
I’ve just moved, so I won’t be hosting this year. I’d love to be the guest who brings the turkey, though! I would probably roast – but I’d love to try a fried turkey sometime, too.
Well, this year is going to be a little more complicated than years past because we’re going to be on vacation with my boyfriend’s parents, but we’ve rented a condo with a full kitchen on it, so I’m thinking we’ll try to do what we’ve done before: brine the turkey for 12-24 hours, then cook it until an hour or so before serving time. Let it rest, then cut into that baby.
I really want to bring our own ingredients but I know it will be tough. I’d definitely make an exception for this beaut, even if I had to carry it in my lap! XD
Very simply. I stuff it and rub butter and herbs under the skin, then season it. I then slow roast it overnight and it turns out very tender. Love me some Thanksgiving turkey!
I’ll be roasting a squash of my own in about 30 minutes (pre-heat in progress 🙂 ) YAAAAY for farmers who do organic! I’d LOVE to win that Turkey! Nothing beats fresh, pasture-raised organic meat! and even if I don’t win… GREAT site! 🙂
I’ll probably rub it all over with ghee and herbs, stuff it with onion and celery and slow roast it.
This dish will make an excellent side to our traditionally roasted turkey!
Roasted
I love acorn squash and goat cheese…but I’ve never tried them together! Yummy!
I am going to do the traditional thing and roast it.
We are smoking a turkey and frying a turkey this year!
I have to say, I’m not sure how I will cook a turkey this year. Last year was my first year to make one! Can you believe I’ve lived 36 years and only made one turkey!!! Carrie – if you have a favorite recipe or way to prepare, I would love to see a post of it.
MMMMMM Acorn squash! This sounds perfect for fall.
Probably Ina Garten’s Roasted Turkey Roulade.
Brine for 12 hrs. then rub the skin with olive oil, season, and slow cook in the oven.
I have an acorn squash in a bowl on my table. I know what I’m making with it tonight now. Thank you!
I plan to brine my turkey for the first time this year. I can’t wait!
I like to brine my turkey with sea salt, organic sugar, garlic, thyme and peppercorns.
Beth
Going to grandma’s home and bringing my own Paleo food for Thanksgiving Day. Not sure what I’m all making.
We will likely roast it. Thanks so much for hosting this giveaway!
Roast It In The Oven!
I will be brining it (as long as I remember in time) and then slow roasting it! Yummy! I so look forward to turkey!
I love to season it, stuff it and slow roast it all day long. It is so tender and juicy!
If I win…. 🙂 i’ll roast it in the oven, with a rosemary and olive oil rub.
MmMmm brining then roasting, I think!
Our turkey this year – we’ll have a few. The first turkey feast is coming up this weekend and my sister-in-law is bringing three turkeys to feed my large extended family. I asked her to slather some butter under the skin before baking them. Mmmmm-mmmm-mmmm. Then our family will have our own small celebration in November and I haven’t decided yet how to prepare that turkey. Slow cooker? Most likely.
We’re planning on smoking our turkey in the new smoker.
I would love to try a pasture raised turkey!
Thanks for your posts. I’m looking more and more to wheat free living!….arden
I will be oven roasting my turkey, with fresh rosemary and sage from my garden.
We’ll be going to my DIL this year and the turkey will be provided by my daughter, who is a fabulous cook! So looking forward to Thanksgiving!!!
Hi Carrie!
Actually I have no plans, yet, for Thanksgiving. However, I look forward to making your cauliflower stuffed squash again. It was a hit!! My fingers are crossed for the turkey. MmMmm…!!
Best wishes for an extraordinary day!
We will be smoking in the smoker–just had some left overs yesterday-from last year and OMG so good!
Slow roast in the oven and enjoy with wonderful family.
We just found an awesome local turkey farm near us and they raise them humanely as we like! I’ve also found new taste buds for turkey liver and heart. Can’t wait!
Great recipes and information, thanks!
My family is coming and it will be my first time to roast. I hope to brine it because I’ve never experienced that!
Traditional slow roast seasoned with paprika, garlic, onion, salt & pepper
We usually smoke it in our Big Green Egg, so we’ll probably do that again. YAY!
It will be stuffed and roasted with butter and herbs. My dad will disown me if it isn’t stuffed:)
I tried brining my turkey last year and it turned out good. Will probably try that again.
im going to try brining for the firsdt time! im very excited
Hi. I am so sorry if this is redundant. I tried to post two other times but got an error message!
I have never cooked a pastured turkey. If i win, I will roast it in the oven with butter and rosemary and bathe it in chardonnay. Makes a very yummy, moist turkey!! My second time ever (first for parents and inlaws)… My dad has always done the turkey so im a bit scared… Breaking a 40 year tradition and getting to cook for my family!
Would love to try their turkey
This will be the first time I am without my family. I have 3 children and 3 grandchildren, my husband took a job across the country and we moved. It will be hard, but I am looking forward to spending quality time with my husband and getting to know each other again. Plus I will get to try out all my new recipes on just him!
We’re not sure yet!
Probably will be eating Thanksgiving dinner a day late… but better late than never!
What a yummy recipe and FUN giveaway! We love pastured turkey. I usually brine it and roast it with just some simple herbs, onion and garlic cloves. YUM! Happy Fall!
Yummy! We like to brine our turkey and roast it with herbs. 🙂 Thanks Carrie!
I’d brine it then slowly roast it in the oven. Mmm!
Last year we splatch-cocked it (not making that up) and it was amazing. We’ll probably do the same this year, but maybe roast it on our Big Green Egg.
Please add my name to the list!
I would love to make a honey glazed turkey, or cajun is a favorite too 😀
I am not sure yet:)
Most likely, I’ll roast the turkey in the oven. Depending on the size of the bird, I have considered trying to grill it to free up the oven.
We’ll be celebrating with kids and grands and roasting our turkey! Thanks for the opportunity to win! Blessings!
I’d love to try brining it this year; it would be a first. Then roasting it to give the house that extra special scent that means Thanksgiving!
I’m not sure how we will do our turkey this year. Sometimes we use a wild turkey and my husband fries small chunks, other times we bake our turkey.
Hi !! Would absolutely love to try this turkey lurkey !!!! My family enjoys organic…both daughters are following suit (so nice to eat this way beginning young!) ~ YUMMY ~ ! ! ! !
First, yummy recipe in this post! Second, I won’t be preparing a turkey this year (unless I win this one!) because I haven’t wanted to spend the $$ on an organic turkey yet. I will, however, probably be brining and roasting a whole, organic chicken for my own Thanksgiving meal, though. I always take my own food to eat at family gatherings so that I don’t have to compromise my diet. 🙂
This recipe (along with the soup recipe) looks so delicious! I’ll be doing a simple roasting if we have turkey this year. Thanks to both you and Tendergrass Farms for such a wonderful giveaway!
Roasted
I haven’t even started planning yet!
I will be roasting my turkey with lemon and bacon ! Yummo
Plan to bless those in need of a thanksgiving meal in my community. Invite a friend over for thanksgiving dinner who doesn’t have family.
Slow-roasted turkey with a dried cranberry and quinoa stuffing.
I’m going to try this recipe with my acorn squash tonight. Thanks!
Simply roasting the turkey and maybe using a spicy marinade this year!
I’m a guest this year but will be making turkey, just the breast, roasted with herbs – for leftovers!
The hubster is in charge of the Turkey. He uses herbs de Provence and brines it overnight. Sooooooo good!
I have brined an organic turkey and they come out so very tender and moist. your acorn squash recipe looks delicious. Will try it out this week! Thanks!
Wonderful giveaway,good luck to everyone!!!! I will be roasting my turkey this year as I have done for the past 25 years.The organic turkey sounds delicious!!
Slathering it in butter, sprinkling on salt and herbs, and shutting the oven door for a few hours! Easy, peasy, good.
Since my mom was just diagnosed with cancer, I will be taking on the family Thanksgiving dinner all by myself. I will be roasting a fresh turkey low and slow. I will be smothering it with a butter herb mixture.
This sounds wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Would love to try this with the turkey!!
I plan to roast my Turkey and I am going to try your cornbread and sausage stuffing. P.S. I pre-ordered your book and can’t wait for it to come out.
Thanks for sharing a turkey with this giveaway!! Can’t wait to hear who will be blessed with this turkey! 🙂
Our turkey will be baked in the oven…old fashioned style. 🙂 I LOVE the way the house smells while its cooking.
Our Thanksgiving is a big family reunion so we usually need two turkeys! Lately we have been deep frying our turkeys outside – it doesn’t take too long and it frees the oven up for other dishes. I have been wanting to try Tendergrass turkeys for a couple of years now. Thank you for this opportunity!
My super technical style of preparing thanksgiving this year is making my mom do the turkey, my brother does the gravy, other brother takes care of the apps, friend brings dessert and I do the sides!
I plan to roast my turkey with stuffing and garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, and salad from the garden! I would love to try a Tendergrass turkey so thanks for the info about them!
I plan on preparing my turkey by filling the cavity with apples and oranges for a subtle tangy flavor, along with rosemary and thyme. Then I plan to place it in a roasting pan along with a standard mirepoix, and covering the turkey skin with a rosemary and thyme butter mixture! Finally, off to roasting it goes! While roasting, I plan to periodically scoop the juices developed in the pan and cover the turkey with them! Use this recipe every year and it comes out wonderfully!
We roast ours in a tabletop electric roaster so we can leave the oven available to prepare the side dishes. 🙂
We will be having Thanksgiving in my daughter’s new house, it’s her first & was a blessing from the Lord!! I will be cooking the turkey. I usually season it the night before and then roast it in the oven. Would love to be able to try one of these organic turkeys.
My favorite way to enjoy turkey is by brining it prior to cooking. So moist! I’d also like for my husband to smoke a turkey in his smoker sometime!
Family, turkey,mashed potatoes and squash….ahhhhhhh …. Thanksgiving!!!!!
love your blog.
I love the recipe and pictures – anything to make staple vegetables more appreciated and approachable is simply awesome. Show me a good picture of good food and I want to eat it. 🙂
Stuffed and roasted
always do mine in a paper bag!
Slow-roasted with an XVOO & herb-garlic rub. Simple but delicious!
brine! the plan is to grind. yum!
I love roasted squash! You are right, it really does bring out the flavor.
I cook mine in a slow roaster with my own homegrown herbs…delicious!
I could do this.
I will do a brine soak then slow roasting. Always moist and flavorful that way.
We do the traditional way…stuff our bird full of celery, onion, and herbs..some white wine and seasonings and roast him. 🙂 I am so excited for your new cookbook…mine has been preordered. I love your blog and thanks so much for sharing your story.
I’m not sure yet! I need to work my way through October first. 🙂 But Thanksgiving is so yummy!
Love this blog! I will be helping my mom in the kitchen this year. We are slow roasting it with truffle oil and butter, and of course, all of the good savory spices!
We are smoking a wild turkey this year for Thanksgiving.
Will brine first then stuff with apples, carrots and onions. I then will roast it breast side down. Delicious!
Roasting that turkey – and then it’s turkey soup!
We love Turkey!
I’ve never made the Thanksgiving turkey before, but if I win this I will look for one of Carrie’s great recipes and I’m sure it will be awesome:)
Would love to brine and smoke this turkey !
Roasting it…with lots, and lots of yummy stuffing!
It would be great if I could bring an organic turkey to my parents. Then my mother still enjoys cooking for the whole family. Last, we would enjoy lots of wild rice soup from the homemade stock. Cozy and delish!
I love organic turkey
I use butter or maybe this year ghee, both under and over the skin, particularly under the skin of the breast. I mix it with spices first and use my hands. The challenge this year is to do a gluten free, corn free stuffing…
My husband and I are smoking our turkey in the Traeger!
I like to steam/roast my turkey. A nice tight foil tent makes for moist birds 🙂
I just want to thank you, Carrie; for all of the work and research you do for all of us. Your web site is amazing and I not only believe but know, through all your hard work/efforts that you have helped so many of us. Just posting this because oftentimes good recognition goes un-noticed or undocumented. Again…thanks and also thank you for all the wonderful things you offer up for us to win.
Ahh! Thank you so much. You totally made my day! 🙂
Love this site and all the great advice, updates, and recipes!!
This recipe sounds yummy; I think I’d like to try feta in place of the goat cheese for my family. Thanks for the wonderful turkey giveaway, too!
Okay ladies, what does brine mean? I also saw someone post about a turkey with no stuffing?! A dream come true!!! I always thought stuffing was the reason the turkey would dry out faster which causes one to have to baste more. I love following the recipes and blogs! Thank you for your inspiration Carrie, I am going through a lot of change in the way I eat, and this helps a bunch!!
Oops! I forgot to put in my previous post how I’ll be preparing our Thanksgiving turkey this year. We always make two: one roasted in the oven and one brined and barbecued–yum to both!
Lots of great ideas in the comments here–hard to decide how to cook it! But I know that there will be some sweet potatoes to go alongside.
I plan on roasting my turkey in an oven browning bag. I am disabled and cannot roast in such a way that the oven gets dirty as I cannot clean it. I hope to have help getting the bird in and then out of the oven. Bon apetit!
I will be roasting this turkey that I am going to win with lots of fresh herbs, onions, garlic and ghee. Yum!
Finances are tighter this year- to win an organic turkey would help so much!!
We are grilling our turkey this year. It will be our first time ever cooking a turkey!
I am not sure how I will be cooking it. I normally roast them. This year will be different with gluten free stuffing as well. Thank you for offering this give away!
We will be roasting our brined turkey
We stuff it with herbs & slow roast it!
I’ll be preparing it like my mom always did when I was growing up – stuffed full of onion, apple, celery, herbs and butter and roasted low and slow in the oven. My house is going to smell amazing!
I am just hoping to not burn it or have it resemble the turkey in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation!
Have hosted Thanksgiving only once before and brining overnight seemed to work well. Unfortunately I’m at the beginning of my Hashi’s journey and feel overwhelmed by the energy it will take to pull it all off!
I have lots of recipes that you can make ahead of time! Check out my grain-free pecan and pumpkin pies (the dough can be made weeks ahead and frozen and the fillings can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to bake). My sweet potato casserole can also be made a day ahead. I also have recipes for green beans and other veg. If you do a little each day the few days prior, you can pull it off without it feeling like a huge task. I hope that helps! 🙂
Still undecided if I’ll use a dry rub or brine tues year.
Plan to do a versus of Alton Brown’s brine. Yum.
I love fall flavors!
This year, like every year for the past 28 years, we will be bbq’ing our turkey on a Weber kettle at the beach. It is a family affair, I cook the turkey and everyone else brings sides, appetizers, and desserts.
San Onofre Surf Beach, San Clemente, CA.
See you on the beach!
First Thanksgiving dinner at my house, so the bird will be roasted with the traditional family recipes on the side. Can’t give up Grandma’s stuffing.
We brine, then smoke our turkey. YUM!
Roasting the birdie!
I love the fall with squash season upon on us. I will have to try out your recipes. Looks amazing.
Wow.. I haven’t even thought of it yet! Roast for sure.. maybe with a little spicy kick
I um, er……. well, someone else will probably cook it. I’ll help eat it and then clean up.
Carrie, I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate all of your hard work. I can tell it’s a labor of love and I “share” you and your blog with everyone I can! God bless you and your family.
I usually cook one on my oil-less fryer and smoke one.
Roasting in the oven. Would love to have an organic, pastured turkey!
would love it!
I am using Food52’s Zuni dry brine method 🙂
Stuffing it and roasting it breast down!
Hi…thanks for the giveaway, however, the link does not seem to be working. Can you please let me know how I can enter?
I’m going to try brining for the first time!
I like to stuff mine with onions, garlic and citrus, rub with grassed butter and sprinkle with pepper and sea salt then roast. Would love to try a brine sometime, but I always go with what is comfortable.
Oh, crap! Is it time for Thanksgiving already? I have NO idea!
We are roasting the turkey and hoping to do some sort of stuffing with organic apples and veggies!
I’ll be roasting my turkey as I do every year. I’ve never had an organic turkey so of course I would love to win this! I’m going to try using chestnuts in my stuffing this year!
We usually smoke a whole turkey, and for the last 2 years we have used pastured turkeys — they are amazing!! I am definitely trying this acorn squash dish as well – it looks delicious!
We’ll be cooking ours in the backyard “sauna”.
Roasting it with apples, onions, and sage.
Just roasting in the traditional way in the oven, after smearing it with a stick of real butter and sprinkling it with salt and pepper!
Your recipes are great.
I love this post because I love each and every ingredient. Added bonus: the giveaway! Thanks, Carrie! 🙂
Last year I hosted two Thanksgivings, and for both turkeys, I slathered them in butter and wrapped them in bacon and baked them. I received many thumbs up! I hope to prepare the turkeys the same way this year!
Roasted without stuffing. Prefer sage dressing separately.
I will just pre-pare it the old fashion way – bake it in the oven with butter on top!
We will be preparing our turkey like we did last year, cooking in the oven using butter, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, salt an pepper. And of course, all the fixings on the side!
I love to stuff my turkey and roast it! I’ve had a fresh turkey before and it’s so good!! Thank you Carrie for this contest also! Good luck to all that enter.
I have no idea how we’ll prepare this year’s turkey yet…probably in a brine!
I’m roasting it in the oven:) Turkeys intimidate me!
We will be brining!
My mom always prepares our turkey and is delicious eith lots of herbs and white whine is tender and juicy Fingers crossed that if I win this organic pasture turkey I will make it this year for her and my family 🙂
The way my grandma made it…stuffed with onion, raisins, celery and apples.
I am just going to bake it with some pre-mixed turkey rub seasoning. I cook the stuffing on the side.
Still a very intimidating process for me… but yes, the lot falls to me this year so I will be up early trying to get it right. Turkey day depends on it. 🙂
We will be brining our turkey!!
I love Thanksgiving, plain and simple! Last year was my first try at doing dinner. My husband just came back from deployment and hated the idea of traveling. I think it came out just like my parents dinner that I’ve grown accustomed to, so I was excited!! ( just a quick dry off of the skin, and rub of oil, salt and pepper)
This year, I might change up the veggies. A roasted root veggie medley, green beans, and my warm apple slaw sounds like they’ll hit the spot.
Definitely brining and slow roasting. Thanks for helping us make better choices!!
I would cook the turkey with salt, butter, and lots of herbs. And then I would make stock out of those healthy bones!
We will be hosting this year and would love to feed our family a nice, healthy, nourishing meal instead of a chemical filled snooze fest!
If I win the turkey, it will be generously rubbed with butter and herbs, stuffed with more herbs, onions and lemons, and roasted in the oven.
Hi! Love your blog! Recently signed my mom up for your newsletter and she is enjoying it so much! Love watching her print recipes off and finding deliciously organic things to make 😉
Xoxo,
Maggie
We’ll be roasting our turkey in the oven this season!
I absolutely love your website and am SO stoked to get my hands on your new cookbook which I have been patiently waiting for! Thanks for the heads-up on Tendergrass Farms. Will check them
out NOW!
Traditionally! I brine the turkey and slow-roast it for succulence. Although my potter friend offered to cook it in his kiln!
I plan to roast my turkey in the oven with lemon and herbs from my garden.
Definitely want to try something new with my turkey this year. I have always helped with the prep on thanksgiving but this could be the first year I make it alone!
I will rub it with seasoned butter, both under and on the skin, stuff it, and roast it.
As a tradition, my husband and I brine and smoke the legs and wings of a turkey, freeze the remaining meat in mince or chunk or whole breast form, and then make stock from the bones! This will be the first year we have guests (his parents), so we’ll need to break down two whole turkeys! Should be interesting… would love to try an organic bird. Cheers.
I usually roast mine, would like to try a brine.
I have not prepared a turkey for Thanksgiving in years. I normally go to my sister’s house who I have always requested an organic turkey but it doesn’t happen. So winning the organic turkey would be a nice surprise and let her taste the difference!!
We like to brine ours overnight.
I use the “Turkey While you Sleep” method and I have the oven available to finish our meal the next morning.
We would enjoy a pastured turkey!
I appreciate all the info on your blog – lots of good information!
The last year or two we have paid extra to ensure we had an organic, all-natural heirloom turkey and it was more than delicious. Hoping to do the same this year with my mom’s recipe.
If we make a turkey, it will be brined before roasting, although my husband really wants to smoke one 🙂
Last year we brined the turkey then cooked it on the grill. I plan to do the same this year!
Can’t wait for Thanksgiving!! We will slow roast our turkey covered in butter, herbs & spices, stuffed with celery & onion!
And… about the turkey… we roast ours, always, seasoned in the cavities but not stuffed tight [salt, sage, rosemary, only a little thyme, then fresh parsley, celery and onion chunks]… high heat for the first hour [425] then down [375 or 350] til done. We cook as large a turkey as we can get because we love it SO so much. When the meal is done we remove all the turkey meat left and then start a stock pot with the carcass… best best soup stock ever.
I’m hosting Thanksgiving at my home this year (my first time!). I’m trying to teach my family members, and my in-laws about whole foods. I’m so excited to be in charge of the food this year, and being able to share delicious, healthy food with them. A pastured turkey would be such an awesome addition to my meal!
We like to smoke it on our grill.
I’ll be brining my turkey. Brined three chickens a few weeks ago that were amazing. I’ve also salted my turkeys which is every bit as wonderful. Can’t wait….turkey then soup then something really creative!!!
We have a smoker this year so we will be smoking our own Turkey instead of having it smoked! But we are celebrating on the 16th because that is when all of us can get together. One new granddaughter – that makes 2!
Definitely going to slow roast our turkey and season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs!
Found out about you and your book via a Hypothyroid group on Facebook, and I’m fascinated! Thank you!
I am planning on roasting my turkey low and slow. I cooked it that way last year and it was so absolutely delicious! It took quite a few hours longer, but was so worth it!
Thank you for this opportunity to win a turkey!
Brining and slow roasting
What a great giveaway! I love turkey; everyone talks about how tired they get of the leftovers, but honestly… I’m not sure I ever have. 🙂
I’m feeling lucky today! Come on gobble, gobble I’ve got some sage and olive oil for you.
We usually do Chicken but will consider turkey with these ideas!
I will be hosting at my home this year, Lord willing, and usually roast the turkey ahead of time! Works great to reduce the last-minute stress…serve the deboned turkey meat by keeping it warm in a crockpot and drizzled with the turkey juices. Would LOVE to win a pastured turkey!!
I have lots of sqush. That’s for the ideas. Look forward to trying them out.
I’ll be brining it overnight, and then roasting it in a convection oven on high heat – got my fingers crossed for a brown and juicy bird this year!
I’ve dry brined whole chickens before, and I think I’ll try it with the turkey this year.
The first 15 on very high heat then low and slow! Would love to have a try at roasting a “healthy bird”!
I’m hosting my whole family this year in my brand new house. I’d love a pastured turkey! Yum!!
I would love to win this turkey! My brother, sister -n- law and my nephews and niece are coming from out of state and we are hosting Thanksgiving. We have been switching to organic as much as possible and this would be a fantastic meal for all of us!
Really would enjoy trying out a “healthy turkey” and all the leftovers!!
Will cook on a very high heat for a short time and then low and slow.
We might be moving the day after Thanksgiving so there might not be a turkey:/
I usually use a butter & herb rub under the skin and inside the turkey. I might use my pork rind/sausage/apple stuffing again this year….but I think my 16yo daughter has other ideas, so I might just let her do the stuffing!
I plan on slow-roasting my turkey, and then making bone broth with the left-overs! Thanks so much for the giveaway and for all your help and hard work. You have no idea how much of an impact you’ve had on me in the way I think about things in the kitchen.
I do not know yet. I ordered one from the farm we get raw milk from. The best tasting Thanksgiving turkey I have ever had was prepared with a sous vide slow cooker. I’m not sure though that using that method is good since it involves cooking in a vacuum sealed bag!
I’m going to roast it full of citrus!! My favorite way to have poultry!
Thanks for this awesome giveaway, we’ve always wanted to try organic turkey for Thanksgiving!
I love to brine my turkey overnight and then smoke it. It turns out so flavorful and tender.
Bake with lots of butter, salt, and Toni’s!!! I do use a Reynold’s Baking Bag. I also roast my turkey breast down!
I honestly haven’t even thought about Thanksgiving yet….I’m still catching up with Halloween costumes for my kids….but probably will do a nice roast Turkey with lots of veggies.
Roast with dressing
Looks delicious!
We roast our turkey with plenty of my mom’s 60 year old recipe for dressing on the side.
We’ve had organic birds the past 2 Thanksgiving’s and we have noticed such a difference. I’ve heard great things about Tendergrass Farms, so this would be a treat. We brine our turkey, then roast it slow.
Stuffed and roasted – We warm the stuffing further to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. I think the stuffing this year will be homemade herb-ed croutons. herbs via of our organic garden 🙂
So many yummy ways to choose from, but I think roasted with garlic and herbs from our garden!
This year I am going to try a dry brine. And then do a garlic herb butter under the skin.
on the weber grill!!
I will be roasting a fresh Amish country turkey in the oven this year!
I’d love to try brining. We’ve never done that. But the adult kids are voting for Cajun fried.
Brining is the best! Nothing makes for a juicier bird and better leftovers. 🙂
I will be eating what is prepared by others since I will be traveling.
I always brine my turkey and it comes out so juicy and tender. It is the secret to a perfect meal and works with chicken as well.
We’ll be getting a local turkey from a neighboring farm and doing a long roast.
I just made this with a butternut squash. It was sooooo good! Might be on the T’giving menu. Thank you!!
I love potato soup and I am very anxious to try your loaded baked potato soup recipe.
I just had a comment too that I want to ad about your website: The pics included in your recipes are just
perfect. They actually makes my mouth water and craving for what ingredients imaging the completion so intense that I can just about taste what I am seeing. You’ve done a terrific service in helping us newcomers to organics and grain free by sharing your knowledge and recipes along with the pics that I for one am returning daily to try many of your recipes. Thanks again. . Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season. Louise PS. I have forwarded your website to my many family and friends also looking to go organic and grain and/or gluten free!