Of course, there are many ways to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey, but which one is best?

Purists insist that frying is the only way, while other cooks and chefs point to frying, smoking or grilling as perfectly viable options for preparing a bird for its journey to the festive table.

Some turkey experts shared with Fox News Digital the way they’ll prepare their birds this Thanksgiving and offered tips on how to prepare the best meal possible.

RETAILERS ANNOUNCE ‘INFLATION-FREE’ THANKSGIVDINNER OFFERS

A premium turkey must be roasted, insists Heidi Diestel, a fourth-generation turkey farmer who lives in Sonora, California, on the Diestel Family Ranch.

“Roasting the turkey is super easy and simple, and it brings out the beautiful natural characteristics and flavor of the turkey itself,” she told Fox News Digital. “That would be our choice.”

Heidi Diestel of the Diestel Family Ranch in California says she prefers to roast her turkeys because she believes this best enhances the bird’s natural flavors. (Fox News digital)

Smoking a turkey is also an option, she said, but with an important caveat.

“If you are going to smoke your turkey, it is best to choose a brined bird and/or brine the bird itself before smoking,” she said.

CONSIDER COOKING YOUR THANKSGIVING TURKEY A CERTAIN WAY, CHEF SAYS

Brining, either by injection or the “bucket method” of soaking, adds moisture to the turkey and prevents it from potentially drying out, she said.

“Smoking typically creates a more drying environment in your smoker,” she said. So it’s probably a good idea to use a “pickled bird” for that purpose.

Turkey cooking experts shared their tips for making the perfect bird this Thanksgiving. (iStock)

Chef Todd English told Fox News Digital that his favorite way to cook a turkey is to smoke it.

English is a multiple James Beard Award winner and owns many restaurants across the United States, including the Bentley Residences Miami in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. (See the video at the top of this article.)

Although the specific brine he uses varies, he sometimes adds “a little sweetness” in addition to the salt, as this helps caramelize the turkey skin and adds flavor.

STATES WHERE THANKSGIVING TURKEYS COST THE MOST AND LEAST ARE REVEALED IN NEW RESEARCH

When smoking a turkey, English first brings the raw bird to room temperature and preheats his smoker to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, he said.

“A meat thermometer is important.”

The turkey then smokes for about three to four hours, he said, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

“A meat thermometer is something that’s important. It really helps you keep it under control,” he said.

One of the biggest mistakes the English language sees? He said people assume that because a turkey “is such a big bird, a lot of people think they have to roast it for seven or eight hours.”

Chef Todd English, seen here at the Bentley Residences Miami, said one mistake he often sees is people overcooking their turkeys. (Fox News digital)

“And that defeats the purpose and makes it very dry and heavy and not good,” he said.

One method Engels isn’t particularly fond of is frying, he told Fox News Digital.

When a turkey is fried, it can be difficult to gauge whether the bird is fully cooked.

This chef doesn’t recommend cooking a turkey that weighs more than 40 pounds.

“I find that sometimes it dries out even more,” he said, although he noted that “the legs actually come out better after frying.”

If someone wants to deep-fry a turkey, English suggests removing the legs and breast and cooking them separately.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY COOKED FOR 21 HOURS ‘LITERALLY FALLS APART’, SAYS KARDASHIAN FAMILY CHEF

“The dark meat is very different from the white meat. And the white meat needs to be handled much more delicately,” he said.

Engels also advised against cooking a turkey that weighs more than 40 pounds.

Cook a smaller turkey, one chef advises, because the large ones tend to have little flavor. (iStock)

“I go for a 15- to 18-pound bird. I just find the larger ones more flavorless, and you have to cook them long enough to make them drier,” he said.

Regardless of how a turkey is cooked, Diestel recommended checking the bird’s temperature beforehand.

“You want the turkey to be as tender and oven-ready as possible,” she said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

She said it’s important to measure the turkey’s temperature while cooking.

“When it’s about halfway through the roasting or smoking process, check the thickest part of the breast and the thickest part of the thigh,” she said.

However, many people are unaware that turkeys “cook faster in the second half of the roasting time than in the first half of the roasting time,” Diestel said.

Roasted turkeys cook faster in the second half, something many people don’t realize, one chef said. (iStock)

“Checking the temperature while it’s in the oven is paramount,” she said.

There are also steps after cooking that can ensure the best possible turkey, Diestel also said.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

After cooking, let the turkey rest on the counter for at least 20 to 30 minutes, she advised.

Doing this will “lock in” a turkey’s juices and keep it moist to eat.

Heat the plates while the turkey is on the counter, one expert said, to ensure the food stays warm for as long as possible. (iStock)

Another pro tip is to warm the plates while the turkey is on the counter.

“Put the dishes you’re going to use—as long as they’re ceramic—in the oven,” she said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

This way, while everyone waits for the others to sit down at the table, “you have nice, hot food and it doesn’t get cold as quickly.”