Anyone who's hosted Thanksgiving Day knows that the holidays are always stressful. Between running out of oven space, and constantly having to check on your turkey, it's a hectic afternoon to say the least. We don't believe it should be like that. Holidays are about family, food, togetherness, and of course…stretchy pants. This year our top tips will help you to delegate your day and prepare early. Read it and weep—oops eat!

Buy the right sized turkey

We get a ton of questions specifically asking, "how big of a turkey should I buy this Thanksgiving?" This widely depends on how many people will be in attendance. We imagine large Thanksgiving gatherings will be few and far between this year. With that being said, an 8-12 lbs. turkey will feed about 5-8 people. A 12-16 lbs. turkey will feed anywhere from 8-11 people and so on. A bonus tip: if you've got young professionals in attendance, ask them to bring their own containers for leftovers. Just add an extra half-pound of turkey per person!

Thaw early

Thanksgiving Day always seems to sneak upon us. Don't forget to thaw your bird properly. Give yourself ample time this year by letting your refrigerator do the heavy lifting. Thawing your turkey in the refrigerator may take longer, but it's less busywork. Account for about six hours per pound (in original wrapping.)

If you're looking for a quicker method, opt for the cold-water method. You'll still need about 30 minutes per pound and a large enough container to submerge your frozen turkey in. (A large bucket or even a clean sink will work.) This method is a little more tedious, requiring you to change the water out every half hour. Both methods will get the job done!

Smoke it

We've had some pretty bad turkey in our days. Horror stories of overcooked, dried—Clark Griswold Christmas dinner scene type of screw-ups. Make this year's turkey the easiest and tastiest yet. All you need is a pellet grill—it's that simple! Much like your home oven, just set your grill to 325°F and cook until your internal temperature is a poultry-approved 165°F. You and yours will enjoy subtle notes of wood-fire goodness infused in your turkey—no heavy lifting needed.

Spatchcock it

Growing in popularity year over year, spatchcocking your turkey yields the crispiest skin—not to mention a shorter overall cook time (by almost half the time!) Head to our Book of Turkey and follow the diagram on how to spatchcock a turkey. Because you're breaking the backbone, this method allows your turkey to lay flat in the grill, giving you more vertical space for other Thanksgiving dishes.

If you're huffing and puffing over the stuffing don't sweat it, we've got you covered. You've probably realized that you can't stuff a spatchcocked turkey. However, you can still spread your stuffing on a baking sheet and place directly below your turkey. The purpose is twofold. The pan catches all those delicious juices and drippings, adding in some major flavor. Plus, it makes the greasy clean-up a heck of a lot easier too.

Dry brine

There are a couple ways to add even more flavor to your turkey. Wet and dry brining are both great methods. Wet brining entails submerging the entire turkey in a bath of water and spices for as long as 24 hours. If you just don't have space, a good dry brine will do the trick. Rub your favorite salt, pepper, and seasoning mix directly onto the skin and let it rest for a day or so (about 2-3 hours per pound.) Between the savory seasonings and added smoked flavor, we're confident you'll never go back to the old way again.

There you have it. The ins and outs of years and years of cooking turkeys. For a more comprehensive exploration of cooking the turkey this Thanksgiving, head over to Camp Chef's Book of Turkey.

To win a Camp Chef SmokePro SG 24 WiFi Pellet Grill of your own, take this quiz! Be sure to enter your information to officially enter the contest.

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