Christmas traditions and techniques.

For many Utah families, a Christmas turkey is the centerpiece that anchors the holidays, but it wasn’t always the dominant bird. Wild turkeys are native to North America, and after European explorers encountered them in the 1500s, they took the birds back home. By the late 16th century, these New World birds began appearing on Christmas tables in England. 

Although more expensive than the traditional goose, their large size made them an attractive option for festive meals. The bird’s status further surged in part thanks to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, where Ebenezer Scrooge sends “the prize turkey” to the Cratchit family. That literary moment of generosity helped solidify the turkey’s place in culinary holiday history.

Today, as Utahns begin preparing for their Christmas feast, two Utah chefs, Jeffrey Sanich, executive chef at Brighton Resort, and Christian Ojeda, executive chef at The Grand America, offer insight into why turkey remains an enduring holiday icon, and how they prepare it to thrill everyone around the table.

The Meaning of a Large, Festive Roast

For Sanich, the Christmas turkey is rooted in family tradition and the thrill of cooking something big and celebratory. “Growing up in Utah, my family always made sure to have something large and plentiful to feed the many,” he explains. 

Sanich loves the craft and spectacle of large-format holiday dishes. “As a chef, it’s impressive to cook something big,” he says. “Whether it’s a holiday turkey, leg of lamb, crown roast, Christmas goose, or even the legendary turducken, there’s something magical about cooking and executing something large and unusual at a high level.”

For Ojeda, food creates emotional connections to long-standing family traditions. “I’ve always believed food creates emotional attachments,” he explains. “Traditions act as emotional anchors, providing a source of warm and positive memories we can revisit fondly. The turkey’s size and relative affordability have been a holiday centerpiece — a tradition with deep historical roots.”

Turkey Techniques

Ojeda’s approach to preparing a turkey leans toward speed, even roasting, and a nod to local flavor. “My favorite method for preparing turkey for the holidays is known as spatchcock turkey,” he explains. “I recommend spatchcocking and then brining, as it allows for more thorough and direct contact between the brine and the meat, making it easier to get a good seasoning throughout.”

Key to his recipe also includes a local twist. “First, I like to wet-brine the turkey in an apple cider brine, preferably local apple cider,” Ojeda continues. “This method allows the turkey to cook faster and more evenly, resulting in crispier skin.”

Sanich’s turkey preparation method is built on a foundation of ratios and consistency. “When I cook turkey, or chicken for that matter, the key to success is a brine,” he agrees. “We use a ratio of 1 part salt to 1/2 part sugar as our basic brine.”

His influence comes from Michael Ruhlman’s classic book Ratio. “It’s one of the best culinary know-how books that I’ve ever come across.” 

After brining for 24-hours, “it’s important to pat the bird dry and let it come up to temperature before roasting,” he explains. “Truss the bird and cook at 325 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (carry over cooking will get you those additional 5 degrees).” 

The result: crispy skin thanks to the brine, and “using a probe thermometer will get you the tender, juicy bird that you’re looking for.”

The Holiday Table Beyond Turkey

“Besides turkey, one can’t forget about prime rib, honey glazed ham, traditional stuffing, roasted garlic mashed potatoes (don’t skip the butter and heavy cream), and the traditional yule log for dessert,” Ojeda continues. “One of my favorites is maple-glazed yams with toasted marshmallows.”

Turkey Time

Part of turkey’s appeal around the holiday table is practical. Turkeys are large, making them ideal for feeding a big family at festive gatherings. Abundance is appealing to hearts and minds. 

The idea of gifting turkey has been around since the 18th century, when poultry guilds in England would give them as seasonal gifts — a custom that mirrors Dickens’s story and reinforces the bird’s holiday symbolism. Today, as that golden bird is carved and passed around on platters, this centuries-old tradition of sharing a turkey feast is at the heart of Christmas dinner traditions, not just in Utah, but around the world.