Make this year's turkey one for the family to remember by maximising flavour, juciness, tender meat and crispy, golden skin. Whether you want to improve your classic recipe or branch out into new flavour realms, read on to learn about the best brines, marinades, rubs and glazes for your bird.

To make it easy, we've broken the ideas down into sections: brines (wet and dry), marinades, rubs (dry and butter-based) and glazes. Pick your favourite or combine a few to make your ultimate holiday turkey.

A brine is simply a salt water solution (occasionally flavoured with sugar, herbs, spices and condiments) that adds moisture and flavour to meat through the scientific process called osmosis and can increase the moisture content of meat by as much as 10%. Working from the outside inwards, bringing is especially good at helping keep the exterior meat from drying out during the cooking process. 

For a wet brine, the ratio of salt to water should be one quarter cup of salt to four cups of water. The trick is to boil only enough water necessary to dissolve the salt and then top it up with ice cubes and cold water to cool it down, otherwise you'll need to start the process hours and hours ahead of time to make sure the liquid is properly chilled before adding the turkey. Adding raw turkey to warm brine is a food safety hazard and once the turkey is submerged, you’ll need to find storage space in the fridge (or outdoors if it’s cool enough) between 12 hours and two days.

Two things to think about when making a brine are: Due to the size of the grains, table salt is twice as concentrated as kosher salt, so pay attention to which one the recipe calls for. Secondly, brines containing papaya, pineapple, kiwi, figs and ginger have enzymes that make meats more tender. So get fruity! 

A coffee brine will add a tonne of flavour to your turkey, with the bird picking up deep, savoury notes. To prepare, mix water, freshly brewed strong coffee, salt and maple syrup, and pour it over turkey, making sure the whole cavity is filled. You could even add a touch of cocoa powder to complement the robust flavours of coffee and add extra richness.

To make a standout Thanksgiving centrepiece, inspired by aromatic, earthy Chinese flavours, soak turkey overnight in a brine of apple cider, cinnamon and star anise, with soy sauce, light brown sugar, peppercorns, garlic, fresh ginger and shiitake mushrooms. This wonderfully complex bird tastes delicious served with roasted apples and cider jus, garnished with star anise pods and cinnamon sticks.

This woodsman’s brine, flavoured with sugar, cloves, juniper berries, peppercorns, allspice, sage leaves, thyme and bay leaves, produces a succulent bird with piney, aromatic and herbaceous flavours. Use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to crush the whole spices and continue the woodland theme by serving turkey with a chanterelle mushroom gravy.

Dark, silky stout beer and barley malt syrup add a richness to brine that infuses turkey meat with sweet, hoppy flavours. Take inspiration from this malt-beer-brined turkey with malt glaze recipe and barbecue the turkey before glazing with complimentary flavours, for example, molasses (or more barley malt syrup), apple cider vinegar, sage and thyme.

Brine turkey in a boozy apple cider, brown sugar, rosemary, thyme, sage and salt solution overnight for a sweet, juicy, well-flavoured bird on Thanksgiving. Continue the theme of rich flavours with a bourbon-brown sugar glaze and pearl onion, roasted garlic and turkey gravy. Add an additional dose of hard apple cider or Bourbon to the gravy if you dare.

This recipe for orange and rosemary scented Bourbon brine smells so rich and delicious, you’ll be tempted to drink it. Submerge your turkey for eight to 24 hours to get the most from the flavours, then follow up with a coffee butter rub for a decadent and deeply-flavoured bird.

Opt for an elegant turkey with delicate flavours, by soaking it in lemon, rosemary and Earl Grey tea-brine for up to 48 hours, before stuffing the cavity with whole, pierced lemons, rosemary, onion and celery. A barbecue will give the turkey a tasty char and make sure you serve it with Earl Grey tea and lemon gravy.

In their simplest form, dry brines are salt and nothing else. They work in similar way to wet brine, the salt draws the water inside the meat to the surface where it then dissolves in the juices, swells the water mollecules, then is drawn back into the meat (through a process called osmosis). The plumped, salty water mollecules moisten and season the turkey throughout, and some people say it facilitates a crispier skin.

The main benefit of opting for a dry brine over a wet brine is the ease of use: instead of submerging turkey in a giant bucket of liquid brine, you simply pack salt and seasoning onto the skin. Dry brines need at least four hours to take effect and they still have to be brushed off before  cooking. There are fewer dry brine recipes as there is some debate whether herbs and spices are able to permeate the turkey, but we've included a few ideas if you want to experiment. 

For a simple turkey brine with classic flavours, grind bay leaves, peppercorns and allspice in a pestle and mortar until very fine and then toss with salt, sage and brown sugar. You want the spice blend to be as close to powder as possible, before generously packing onto the skin, as well as within the turkey cavity. Chill for eight to 12 hours.

A sweet and smoky dry brine of salt, pepper, sugar, paprika and garlic powder, pairs well with a sweet, spicy and smoky-hued glaze, for example Sriracha, maple and paprika. Let the salted turkey sit uncovered, resting atop rosemary, in a cool place for 12 hours (such as your fridge). The trick with dry brines is to let the turkey breathe as it’s skin will be crispier when roasted.

If you plan to barbecue your Thanksgiving turkey, extend the flavours to the brine with a paprika, savoury, cumin, mustard powder, cayenne, salt and brown sugar mix. Let the brine’s magic work for 12 hours, before washing off and then reapplying the leftover spice mix as a rub. When barbecuing, lightly char the skin for a gorgeous flame-grilled aesthetic and high-flavour crispy bits.

Marinades are seasoned liquids used primarily to flavour food. They're often mildly acidic, which helps tenderize the meat for better flavour absorption. They might contain citrus juice, tomato juice, wine, buttermilk, yogurt or vinegar, along with aromatic ingredients such as onion, garlic, ginger, chilie peppers, herbs and spices, and oil to provide moisture and flavour.

Marinades can be injected directly into meat, or (much more commonly) meat will soak in a marinade for 15 minutes to several days. Marinades containing papaya, pineapple, kiwi, figs and ginger have enzymes that making the meat more tender.

Note: Marinades are not washed off before cooking, although ones with thick ingredients (buttermilk, yoghurt, etc.) should be fully scraped off the meat to prevent unpleasant charring while cooking. 

A marinade usually reserved for chicken, buttermilk and black pepper is also a great choice for turkey. The acidic buttermilk will help tenderize the meat and add a nice tang, while black pepper provides subtle aromatic notes. Place the turkey in a large plastic bag with buttermilk and a teaspoon of black pepper, seal and transfer to the fridge for eight hours.

Sweet and heat is a cracking combination and one which this eight hour Dr Pepper and jalapeño marinade hits on the head. If you year to hit higher Scovilles, you can add Serrano peppers. In this recipe, the turkey is smoked cherry wood pellets, however a BBQ or few dashes of Liquid Smoke will also add irresistible smokiness.

Mexican cuisine is no stranger to cooking turkey so take inspiration with a guajillo, ancho and dried chiles de árbol marinade for Thanksgiving. This recipe sees the meat soaked in pale lager, brown sugar and homemade chilie paste for 12 hours, before marinating in chilie paste for another eight. Leftovers can be shredded for corn tortillas with sour cream, cilantro and lime.

Spice up your turkey repertoire with a harissa, saffron, cumin, fresh ginger, honey and garlic marinade for a bird with warm north African flavours and wonderful colour. Serve with preserved lemon couscous, fresh mint leaves and coriander.

For a turkey with wonderfully complex, sweet, bitter and herbaceous elements, try a marinade of coffee, apple cider vinegar and cane syrup. This is an unusual ‘marinade’ as the turkey infuses away in hot liquid onver the stove for 1 ½ hours. If you prefer a more hands off method, the ingredients will work well as an overnight marinade.

Tip: You can simulate the hickory flavour with a few dashes of Liquid Smoke if you don’t have a BBQ on hand.

Meat rubs include a mix of salt, herbs, spices, other flavourings, sauces and butter, smothered over turkey before roasting. They’re the simplest and most direct route to flavouring turkey as they’re applied straight onto the meat, and they’re less messy than brines and marinades, where the excess has to be disposed. The best picks for your bird are either dry rubs, which are simply herbs and seasoning, or butter rubs, which are butters infused with flavour. Check out these delicious ideas...

Dry rubs are applied to turkey skin just before cooking, they flavour the flesh and draw meat juice to the surface, where it browns and creates intense flavour. Butter rubs are smeared under the skin, as well as rubbed over it, to keep the meat moist and turn the skin crisp and golden. Butter rubs can be extremely simple to make and have huge payoffs in texture and flavour.

To make a wonderfully fragrant turkey, try a toasted fennel seed, paprika and celery salt rub. The spice rub can be made up to one month in advance, and the bird comes out of the oven covered in tasty caramelised bits, with a subtly smoky aniseed aroma. It’s essential that the turkey juices are reserved to make the gravy. If you’re carving the turkey at the table, neatly garnish with fresh herbs.

Take inspiration from British chef Michel Roux with this maple, bread and four pepper rub for a colourful, beautifully presented turkey with great depth to the flavour. Pink peppercorns provide sweet notes, white peppercorns lend earthy tones, black peppercorns add robust aromatic notes and green peppercorns provide a mild, fresh flavour. Maple syrup gives the bird a sticky, sweet crust and bread crumbs make extra crispy bits.

If you’re looking for turkey with impact, try this honey, maple and mustard rub, with the piquant flavours of whole grain mustard, onion salt and garlic powder. Honey and thyme add herbal notes and paprika and maple syrup add warmth, sweetness and smokiness. Before the rub, prepare your turkey by smothering butter all over and under the skin for the perfect crispy finish.

For an autumnal turkey that will fill the house with comforting smells, take inspiration from this roast chicken recipe where the poultry is rubbed in salt, rosemary, sugar, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon, and stuffed with minced garlic and onion slices. Just remember, you’ll need to double the recipe for a turkey.

Take inspiration from one of the barbecue capitals of the world with this mix of dark brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, chilli and ginger – perfect for a Thanksgiving turkey. This Kansas City steak rub is just the ticket and will make just a tasty a turkey as it does a steak.  

This unusual dry rub uses dried out cranberries, but it’s flavours are oh so festive. Slick the turkey in a little oil and orange zest, then rub over blitzed cranberries, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and garlic.

Top tip: You need the cranberries to be bone dry otherwise the mixture will turn to cranberry paste, so stick them in the oven or a dehydrator. This rub will work on all sorts of other food, such as sweet potato fries or roasted salmon.

This festive cranberry, rosemary, clementine and black pepper butter rub is a great compliment to turkey, plus it gives the bird a particularly beautiful finish. Rub as much butter as you can underneath the skin – the cranberries and clementine pieces hold the skin away from the flesh so it becomes extra crispy – and the melted butter bastes the bird on its journey out.

Not a butter rub, but mascarpone mixed with garlic, lemon zest, rosemary and parsley, stuffed under and rubbed over turkey infuses it with fresh, zingy and herbaceous flavours and creates succulent flesh. Roast with onion slices and lemon halves within the cavity to take the moisture content and flavours to another level.

This easy barbecue rub is simply brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, chilli powder and butter but creates a turkey with amazing sweet and smoky flavours, and a crisp crust from the caramelised sugar. After roasting with this rub once, you’ll want to smother it on all your poultry.

Take inspiration from this ranch-flavoured butter recipe and smother your turkey in a creamy, tangy, garlicky blend. It’s possibly the easiest butter rub to make and it pairs perfectly with traditional Thanksgiving sides such as mashed potato and stuffing, without competing with other flavours at the table.

This decadent black truffle butter rub rub requires just two ingredients but guarantees moist, full-flavoured, aromatic turkey. The rich flavours of black truffle would be nicely complimented by serving turkey with a comforting Cognac gravy. The best part, it's the most economical way to indulge in pure luxury on the table! 

A great recipe to try if you like bold, spicy flavours, this Caribbean-inspired turkey rubbed in rich rum butter, is marinated first in tamarind, allspice berries, orange, nutmeg, bay and thyme. It’s perfect served with chorizo stuffing and spicy cornbread.

This maple, apple cider and rosemary butter rub is full of sweet, smoky, fruity and floral flavours. Treat this bird to a lick of maple syrup and apple cider for a spectacularly glossy finish and serve with a side of tangy, homemade cherry compote.

A glaze is a glossy, often sweet, sticky or crispy coating painted onto the turkey part of the way through roasting. Its ingredients often consist of butter, sugar, fruit juice, alcohol, vinegar or oil. 

A glaze is a lovely way to finish a turkey as it adds shine, colour and flavour. It needs to contain an ingredient with high sugar content and flavours which compliment the brine, marinade or rub.  A glaze can be applied using a cooking brush every 15-20 minutes during the last one and a half hours of roasting or barbecuing for a thick shine.

To make a festive glaze with flavours reminiscent of mulled cider, infuse apple cider with cinnamon sticks and reduce with butter, brown sugar and a few sprigs of thyme. For something with more gravity, add star anise, cider vinegar and dijon mustard to the mix – try this combination with sliced apples, thyme and bay leaves, a cinnamon stick and star anise baked inside the turkey cavity. There’s nothing stopping you combining cider glaze with lager gravy either.

A bourbon-based glaze infuses turkey with a nutty, caramel, vanilla-like flavour and gives it a high gloss finish. A basic bourbon and brown sugar glaze needs little more than brown sugar, bourbon, soy sauce, butter and paprika, but adding a splash more bourbon in the gravy will really make the flavours sing. Try adding fresh orange zest to the glaze for a hint of citrus or maple syrup for more sweet, caramel notes.

Maple syrup is a natural born glaze and once it’s boiled down, turns turkey a burnished bronze colour and gives it a thick gleam. Add fresh lemon peel, coriander seeds, marjoram and black pepper and serve with dijon gravy for a delicately aromatic and woodsy flavour with a twang. But you could use maple, orange juice and red currant jelly for something more festive, or smoky paprika, maple and fiery Sriracha for a bit of oomph. Martha Stewart boils the maple syrup down giving the turkey a crunchy, almost toffee-like shell.

Jelly is a good choice for a glaze because the sugar caramelises when cooked giving the turkey a slick, lacquered shell. Sweet pepper jelly provides a sweet and sour element to the turkey and goes well with cranberry sauce and chipotle or a smoky spice rub, for example paprika, cayenne pepper, chilli powder and garlic. These flavour combinations are also great if you plan to smoke your turkey.

Molasses-based glazes make turkey a wonderful mahogany shade and give it a full-bodied, sophisticated flavour. Boil apple cider with molasses for a mature tasting molasses and apple cider glaze or add fresh cranberries, ginger and dijon mustard for fruity-notes and more tang. For something fruity and sweet with a kick, try pomegranate molasses with horseradish, mustard and tonnes of black pepper. For a Peking-style turkey, boil orange juice, soy sauce, molasses, vinegar, and 5-spice powder and serve with orange and ginger gravy. Molasses also goes well with port wine and garlic, but maybe leave the teriyaki out.

Rum and cola is a party favourite and goes surprisingly well with Thanksgiving turkey. Take inspiration from this lemony, rum and Coca Cola ham or try something sweet and spicy by combining cola with cayenne pepper, smoked paprika and caramelised brown sugar. Dr Pepper fans might prefer this rich, Asian-inspired glaze, while ginger ale fans will love a festive ginger ale, star anise, honey, mustard, cloves and tangerine concoction.