How to Roast a Turkey – easy tips and tricks on how to make the perfect turkey for your family for Thanksgiving or any Christmas holiday gatherings.
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EASY ROAST TURKEY RECIPE
A big Thanksgiving holiday dinner just wouldn’t be the same without a whole roasted turkey on the table.
Our Thanksgiving Turkey has been a big reader favorite over the years. I love hearing how many of you have made this turkey for your family.
So today, I thought I’d share the recipe again along with some tips and tricks on how to make our absolute favorite go-to turkey recipe for any new readers.
And if you’re looking for a smaller Thanksgiving turkey for two or four, try my Instant Pot Turkey Breast, Instant Pot Whole Turkey or Sheet Pan Turkey Dinner for smaller gatherings.
Looking for an alternative to turkey this year? Try my Instant Pot Ham, Slow Cooker Ham, Honey Mustard Ham or Instant Pot Pot Roast.
So you may be wondering with all the turkey recipes out there, should you brine, smoke, no brine, dry rub? This oven roasted turkey recipe is actually super easy and is brine free. Instead, we’re going to use a garlic herb compound butter and cooks up deliciously flavorful, tender, juicy, moist and always has everyone raving at our house!
Plus, it’s gluten free, low carb, keto friendly and perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any holiday gathering. And, for a Whole 30 and paleo friendly version, you can simply swap out the butter with ghee.
HOW TO DEFROST TURKEY:
First off, this recipe works for either a fresh turkey or a frozen turkey. If your turkey is frozen, you’re going to need to know how to properly thaw the turkey.
- PLAN AHEAD: Allow 2 to 3 days for it to fully defrost in the refrigerator for a 10 pound bird. If your bird is over 13 pounds – you might want to add an extra day.
HOW TO PREPARE A TURKEY FOR ROASTING:
- remove giblets & neck, rinse & pat dry.
- tie the legs together
- tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
HOW TO ROAST A TURKEY:
- First off, if your turkey is frozen, allow 2 to 3 days for it to fully defrost in the refrigerator. Remove giblets & neck, rinse & pat dry.
- MAKE THE GARLIC HERB BUTTER: In a medium bowl, combine butter, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, garlic, salt, and black pepper and stir together until smooth and combined.
- BUTTER THE SKIN UNDER THE TURKEY: Carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast with your hands lifting and separating the meat. Do the same for the neck as well as the thighs and legs. Gently rub half of the butter under the skin using your hands and fingers and place 3 sage leaves and 2 thyme sprigs under the skin. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
- BRUSH THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR TURKEY WITH REMAINDER OF BUTTER: Place 1/3 of the onions, celery, carrots, 2 sage leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 rosemary sprig and lemon halves inside the cavity of the turkey. Place turkey, breast side up in a large roasting pan. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and brush an even layer over the skin of the turkey. Arrange remaining carrots, celery and herbs in the pan around the turkey. Pour chicken broth to the bottom of the pan (will be using liquid to baste turkey).
- COOK YOUR TURKEY: Preheat your oven to 425°F and position the rack on the lower third of the oven. Once the oven is ready, place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to roast until a meat thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 180°F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours (or longer depending on your oven), basting with pan broth & drippings every 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Remove turkey from the pan and onto a baking sheet and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Strain and reserve pan juices for gravy, if desired, and discard vegetables.
SO HOW LONG DO YOU ROAST A TURKEY FOR?
Depending on the size of your turkey, the general rule of thumb according to USDA is 15 minutes per pound for a fresh unstuffed turkey. If you want to cook your turkey from frozen, then it would be 22 minutes per pound.
TIPS FOR COOKING A MOIST TURKEY?
To ensure the best moist turkey every time:
- butter your turkey
- baste the turkey with the pan drippings every 30-45 minutes
- start the oven temperature high then turn it down low to 350 F
- tent with foil the last hour of cooking:
WHAT TEMPERATURE TO COOK A TURKEY
We don’t’ have a convection oven and generally cook our turkey at 425 F then reduce the temperature to 350 F. This ensures the best moist and juicy turkey.
The minimum internal temperature of the turkey should be 165 degrees F. Use a probe thermometer to check if the turkey is done. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and breast. You will want to avoid touching the bone as this will give you an inaccurate temperature.
HELPFUL TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST ROAST TURKEY:
Who doesn’t want to make the best moist and juicy turkey for Thanksgiving? Following these tips and tricks will help you to achieve the best juicy roast turkey on the big day:
- Plan ahead and allow enough time for the turkey to thaw – if your turkey is frozen, be sure to allow 2-3 days to defrost
- Add chicken or turkey stock – pour in 1 cup chicken broth/stock into your roasting pan along with herbs and aromatics and you’ll end up with a juicy and moist turkey plus a delicious gravy when you serve your turkey
- Temperature – Start cooking your turkey at 425 F then reduce the temperature to 350 F for the remainder of the cooking time. This allows even browning. Tent the turkey with foil the the last hour of cooking
- Basting – basting every 30-45 minutes using a turkey baster or large metal serving spoon keeps your turkey moist during roasting.
And after you’re done making the turkey, don’t forget you can use the pan drippings to make the best turkey gravy.
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY GRAVY:
- Pan drippings from a 12- to 14-pound roast turkey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour (use gluten free as necessary)
- low-sodium broth or water as needed, to thin out the gravy
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Once the turkey is done, pour the pan drippings through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 1/4 cup butter.
- Slowly whisk in flour until smooth, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
- Whisk in pan drippings, then slowly add broth (a little bit at a time) as needed to thin out gravy. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
More must have Thanksgiving recipes:
More Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas
Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Herb Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey - Beautifully golden, juicy, and delicious, this is my go-to roasted turkey recipe infused with a garlic butter herb rub. It's perfect for serving a crowd and easy to customize with your favorite flavors!
- 1 12-14 pound whole turkey , giblets + neck removed, rinsed + patted dry
- 6 fresh sage leaves , divided
- 5 fresh thyme sprigs , divided
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 medium onions , cut into wedges
- 5 medium carrots , cut into 2" inch pieces
- 4 celery ribs , cut into 2" inch pieces
- 1 lemon , halved
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Allow 2 to 3 days for it to fully defrost in the refrigerator. Remove giblets & neck, rinse & pat dry.
In a medium bowl, combine butter, rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir together until smooth and combined.
Carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast with your hands lifting and separating the meat. Do the same for the neck as well as the thighs and legs. Gently rub half of the butter under the skin using your hands and fingers and place 3 sage leaves and 2 thyme sprigs under the skin. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath the turkey, using small skewers to secure, if necessary.
Place 1/3 of the onions, celery, carrots, 2 sage leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 rosemary sprig and lemon halves inside the cavity of the turkey. Place turkey, breast side up in a large roasting pan. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and brush an even layer over the skin of the turkey. Arrange remaining carrots, celery and herbs in the pan around the turkey. Pour chicken broth in the bottom of the roasting pan (will be using liquid to baste turkey).
Preheat oven to 425°F and position rack on lower third of the oven. Once the oven is ready, place the roasting pan with the turkey into the oven and cook for 45 minutes uncovered.
After 45 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to roast until a meat thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 180°F and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, about 2 to 2.5 hours (or longer depending on your oven and size of your turkey), basting with pan broth & drippings every 30 minutes.
Cover loosely with foil the last 30 minutes of cooking or if turkey browns too quickly. Once the turkey is done, remove pan from oven. Carefully transfer turkey from the pan onto a baking sheet and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Strain and reserve pan juices for gravy, if desired, and discard vegetables.
Recipe Video
*Carrots and celery can be prepared in advance to save time
*Compound butter can be made ahead of time and placed in a covered container in the refrigerator
Did you try this recipe?
Miranda -
I made this recipe last year for friendsgiving anD my friends have not Stopped talking about it for a full year! Best turkey recipe ive tried and the only recipe i will tRy moving forward!
Dannhi NguYen -
Looks good! Im going to try this recipes and let you Know!