How to: Fry your turkey outdoors (away from anything flammable) using around 5 gallons of high-smoke point oil and a "turkey fryer" - basically a 40 or 60 quart pot with basket, burner and propane gas tank. Smaller turkeys make the best "fryer" birds; 12-14 lb is the maximum recommended size for this method. You can add marinades, breading or seasoned rubs prior to cooking - but don't use stuffing.

If you're cooking a whole turkey, it will take around 3 minutes per pound to cook. (Use a candy thermometer to check oil temperature; a meat thermometer for the meat).

Joan Bushman, RD (and experienced turkey cooker) says: Turkey frying is originally a Southern cooking method (surprise, surprise!), but it's becoming popular nationwide.

The good news - because the whole turkey is deep-fried there is generally less fat than if individual pieces of turkey were deep-fried. The bad news - there's still up to three times more fat than if it were roasted, so this method is not a good choice if you're concerned about fat content.

How to: The day before the turkey is to be cooked, place the fresh or thawed bird breast-down in a brine made from salt and water (on gallon water to one cup table salt). Place in the refrigerator or in a cooler with 5-6 ice packs to keep the turkey and brine at 40°F or below. Leave overnight to soak up the flavors and moisture. Herbs, spices, oranges and lemons can also be added.

Joan says: Brining is the perfect method for avoiding dry meat and achieving that sought-after juicy texture. It also adds more taste to the meat.

The sodium content of brined turkey is generally higher than other turkey cooking methods. A ¾ lb serving contains around 550 mg of sodium. However, since Thanksgiving is a once-a-year special occasion, you don't need to worry too much about the extra salt.

How to: To smoke a turkey, you need a smoker. Place the turkey on a grill rack in the smoker above charcoal and wood chips, then cover. Smoking time is about 20-30 minutes per pound of turkey. The meat will probably be pinker and have a smoother texture than oven-cooked turkey.

Different types of wood, such as hickory, mesquite and fruitwoods, can create different smoked flavors in the meat. Wood chips can also be soaked in wine or juices, and then the soaking liquid used in place of water (for a water smoker). Tasty!

Joan says: Smoked turkey is delicious and easy - it's also a great "communal" cooking method for block-parties, family gatherings, and so on.

The sodium content of smoked turkey is one of the highest of the cooking methods, but it tastes pretty good! Nutrition information for smoked whole turkey, per 3 oz. serving: 145 calories, 9 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 0 g carbs, 16 g protein, 50 mg chol, 720 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

How to: There are three ways you can "do" a vegetarian turkey - or rather, three different forms of vegetarian turkey that you can buy to put in the oven!

Tofurky (made by Turtle Island Foods) is a pre-cooked vegan feast made from a tofu/wheat gluten blend and stuffed with a wild-rice, bread-crumb stuffing. It has a turkey-like flavor and can be cooked in about 40 minutes. It can be found in the frozen-foods section of natural food stores.

The Great UnTurkey Feast from San Francisco-based Green Options is made from wheat gluten and has an organic dressing and stuffing. The wheat gluten in the UnTurkey gives it a texture that is more meaty than Tofurkey; it even has a "skin" made from soy.

A company called Fresh Tofu makes the Tofu Turkey, which is shaped like the real thing and distributed fresh, not frozen.

Joan says: For the novice, this way of eating "turkey" may take some getting used to, but it can be a nice protein substitute for vegetarians. And of course, it's low in fat, calories and cholesterol.