Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

The BEST Thanksgiving Turkey recipe that packs all of the flavor and juiciness you expect from the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, with none of the stress! Plus a step by step tutorial for how to cook the perfect turkey.

Not only is this roasted turkey recipe fool-proof and easy to make, it will exceed expectations as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving feast!

Why in the world do people stress so much over their Thanksgiving Turkey? Ok, I guess it IS the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving meal. And that usually means you have a table full of people not to disappoint. Ok, I get it. It’s a big deal.

My hope is to squash any fears or insecurities you might have about cooking a perfect, beautiful Thanksgiving Turkey. This method is completely fuss-free and EASY. There’s no brining or basting the turkey, no cooking it upside down, or anything weird.

You don’t even need an expensive roasting pan. I’m convinced that this recipe is not only the simplest way to cook a Thanksgiving turkey, it also yields a gorgeous, super juicy, perfectly cooked turkey.

The real KEY to baking a perfect Thanksgiving Turkey is not to overcook it–that’s what dries out the meat, and you want to carve into a juicy, moist turkey on Thanksgiving! So, just plan ahead to get the timing right.

Easy, No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey

Foolproof Thanksgiving Turkey recipe that packs all of the flavor and juiciness you expect from the perfect roasted turkey, with none of the stress! Step by step for how to cook the perfect turkey.

Prep: 20min

Total: 230min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 576 kcal, Carbohydrate 3 g, Protein 70 g, Fat 30 g, Saturated Fat 12 g, Cholesterol 264 mg, Sodium 518 mg, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 12-20 pound turkey*
• 1 onion (, peeled and quartered)
• 1 lemon (, quartered)
• 1 apple ((your favorite kind), quartered)
• .75 ounce container fresh rosemary*
• .75 ounce container fresh thyme*
• .75 ounce container fresh sage*
• 1 cup unsalted butter (, softened)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6-8 cloves garlic (, minced)
• fresh chopped herbs

Instruction:

1. If the turkey is frozen: Thaw in the fridge, 24 hours for every 5 pounds of Turkey. I like to give myself 1 extra day, just to be safe.
2. Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting, to let it come to room temperature.
3. Adjust your oven rack so the turkey will sit in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
4. Make the herb butter by combining room temperature butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, one tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, one tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, and half a tablespoon of fresh chopped sage. (You’ll use the remaining fresh herbs for stuffing inside the cavity of the turkey)
5. Remove turkey from packaging and remove the neck and giblets from the inside the cavities of the bird. (Reserve them for gravy, if you want, or discard them). Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels.
6. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion and apple and leftover herbs.
7. Use your fingers to loosen and lift the skin above the breasts (on the top of the turkey) and smooth a few tablespoons of the herb butter underneath.
8. Tuck the wings of the turkey underneath the turkey and set the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan*.
9. Microwave the remaining herb butter mixture for 30 seconds (it doesn’t need to be completely melted–just really softened). Use a basting brush to brush the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, legs and wings.
10. Roast at 325 degrees F for about 13-15 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature (inserted on middle of thigh and breast) reaches about 165 degrees.
11. (I remove the turkey from the oven once it reaches 160 degrees. Then, I tent it with foil, and let it rest on the counter. It will continue cooking under the foil, to reach 165 degrees F.)
12. ***Check the turkey about halfway through cooking, and once the skin gets golden brown, cover the top of the turkey with tinfoil, to protect the breast meat from overcooking. Alternately, you could start cooking the turkey with it tented in foil, then during the last hour or so of cooking you can take the foil off to let the turkey brown.
13. Allow turkey to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/how-to-carve-a-turkey/
14. Reserve any drippings and juice remaining in your roasting pan to make turkey gravy.

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey (Best No-Fail Recipe)

This is the BEST Thanksgiving turkey recipe. You don’t need to brine and you don’t need to baste. Just a few simple steps and you’ll have a perfectly golden, juicy, and insanely flavorful roasted turkey that’ll impress your family and guests. Watch the video above!

Prep: 30min

Total: 240min

Yield: 14

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 515 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 70 g, Fat 25 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 249 mg, Sodium 528 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, unSaturated Fat 13 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 12-18 pound turkey (*see notes below about using a larger turkey) (fully thawed)
• 1 onion (peeled and quartered)
• 1 lemon (quartered)
• 1-2 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1-2 sprig fresh thyme
• 1-2 sprig fresh sage
• salt and pepper
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (finely chopped)
• 1 onion (peeled and quartered)
• 3 ribs celery (roughly chopped)
• 2 carrots (roughly chopped)

Instruction:

1. Allow your turkey to come to room temperature by removing it from the fridge 1 hour before roasting. Then, remove the giblets.
2. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Then fill it with the onion, lemon, and fresh herbs. If your turkey is smaller, don’t overfill the cavity as you do want some airflow.
3. In a small bowl, make the herb butter by stirring the softened butter, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme together.
4. Loosen the skin of the turkey gently by sliding your fingers underneath. Then rub about 1/3 of the herb butter between the skin and turkey breasts.
5. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the entire outside of the turkey.
6. Place the turkey on a roasting rack or on top of a bed of vegetables (if you don’t have a rack), or both! Tuck the wing tips under the turkey to prevent them from burning.
7. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 158°-160°F. You don’t need to baste the turkey, but do keep an eye on it after it’s about 75% done. If you notice the skin browning too quickly, you can place aluminum foil on top. To verify the temperature, place a thermometer into the meatiest part of the thigh or breast. The turkey will continue to cook once it’s removed from the oven and will rise in temperature to 165°F, after it’s rested.
8. Let the turkey to rest for 30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, making for a deliciously juicy turkey. To keep the turkey warm, you can cover the turkey with aluminum foil on the counter.
9. Carve and serve the turkey. And make sure to save the juices from the pan to make turkey gravy!

Gordon Ramsay’s Thanksgiving Recipe Guide

FAQ

What is the secret to a moist turkey?

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?