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This roasted turkey is juicy, tender, and full of flavor! With simple ingredients, delicious herb butter, and my easy tips, you’ll have a perfectly golden turkey that’s the star of your Thanksgiving dinner!
Turkey Timeline
- Juicy Every Time: My simple tips help you get tender, juicy turkey without drying it out!
- Flavorful Herb Butter: A blend of butter and savory herbs gives the turkey incredible flavor and beautifully golden skin.
- Easy to Follow: No fancy techniques! Just simple steps for a Thanksgiving turkey you can feel confident making.
Roasted Turkey Ingredients
- Turkey: Use a fully thawed 12–20 pound turkey.
- Onion and Garlic: Add savory flavor.
- Apple and Lemon: Add a touch of sweetness and brightness.
- Fresh Rosemary and Thyme: Infuse the turkey with delicious flavor.
- Butter: Adds rich flavor and helps the skin turn golden and crispy.
- Dried Herbs: Thyme, oregano, rosemary, and sage add the perfect seasoning. Try my homemade Turkey Seasonings!
How to Thaw and Prep a Turkey
A fully thawed turkey is key to even cooking! Allow about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4–5 pounds. Short on time? Submerge the wrapped turkey in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes per pound, and cook it immediately after thawing. Never thaw turkey on the counter!
- Remove the Turkey: Take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before prepping.
- Remove the Giblets: Take out the neck, giblet bag, and plastic leg holder. Save the giblets for my homemade giblet gravy!
- Pat Dry: Use paper towels to remove excess moisture for crispier skin.
- Tuck the Wings: Fold the wings underneath to keep them from burning.
How to Roast a Turkey
Don’t let roasting a turkey intimidate you! Follow these simple steps for a juicy, delicious Thanksgiving centerpiece. Cooking for a smaller crowd or need to free up some oven space? Try my slow cooker turkey breast instead!
- Prep and Stuff: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the onion, garlic, apple, lemon, rosemary, and thyme inside the prepared turkey.
- Make the Herb Butter: Mix the softened butter, dried herbs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Coat the Turkey: Rub the herb butter all over the turkey, including underneath the loosened skin.
- Tie the Legs: Secure the legs together with kitchen twine.
- Place in Pan: Set the turkey breast-side up in a large roasting pan.
- Roast: Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone. Roast until the turkey reaches 165°F in the breast, innermost thigh, and wing. Let the turkey rest for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Alyssa’s Pro Tips for a Juicy Roasted Turkey
- Cooking time: The current 15-minutes-per-pound rule is an estimate, not a guarantee. Use the thermometer to know when it’s done.
- Tent with Foil: If the skin browns too quickly, loosely cover the turkey with foil to prevent it from burning.
Must-Have Tools for Roasting a Turkey
- Meat Thermometer: My number one must-have! It takes the guesswork out of cooking and helps keep your turkey juicy.
- Roasting Pan with Rack: Helps the turkey cook evenly while catching all those delicious drippings for gravy!
- Kitchen Twine: Perfect for tying the turkey legs together before roasting.
- Sharp Carving Knife: Makes slicing and serving your beautiful turkey so much easier!
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Juicy Herb Butter Roasted Turkey
Look no further! This roasted turkey recipe is the absolute juiciest, fool-proof turkey recipe you will ever need.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-20 pound) turkey, thawed
Stuffing
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 large apple, quartered
- 1 medium lemon, sliced
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
Herb Butter
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Thaw 1 (12-20 pound) turkey, 3-7 days in advance in the refrigerator! Follow my thawing tips in the post.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. To prepare the turkey, remove the neck, giblets, and plastic cage. Pat the turkey dry using paper towels then tuck the wings underneath the turkey.
- Stuff the turkey with 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 large apple, 1 medium lemon, 2 sprigs rosemary, and 2 sprigs thyme.
- In a small bowl combine ½ cup butter,1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon dried oregano , 1 tablespoon dried rosemary , 1 tablespoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Rub the herb butter evenly all over the turkey.
- Loosen the skin and spread the herb butter underneath the skin.
- Tie the legs together using kitchen twine or string.
- Position the prepared bird in a large roasting pan breast side up.
- Remove the pop-up thermometer and insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, about 2 inches deep. Be careful not to hit the bone!
- Cook for 15 minutes for each pound or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the juices run clear. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
Leftover Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months for best quality.
- Reheat: Warm covered in the oven at 350°F with a splash of broth, or microwave in short intervals until heated through to 165°F.
Nutrition
Calories: 68kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 0.3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 234IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
Thanksgiving Side Dishes
This roasted turkey recipe makes the BEST leftovers! I love to make Leftover Turkey Casserole or Turkey Noodle Soup to use up the rest of my Thanksgiving dinner.
I used this recipe for my turkey & it is so juicy & full of flavor! So happy I found it. Hadn’t roasted a whole turkey in years. Thank you.
I used the Herb Butter recipe. IT WAS DELICIOUS on the bone in turkey breast and thighs I roasted (in a cooking bag)