Description
This Easy Thanksgiving Turkey recipe delivers a perfectly roasted, juicy, and flavorful turkey with minimal fuss. No brining or basting required, just simple steps using fresh herbs, garlic herb butter, and classic roasting techniques to impress your family and guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 12 to 18 pound turkey (fully thawed) (see notes for larger turkey)
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh sage
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Herb Butter
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
Roasting Vegetables (Optional)
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Bring Turkey to Room Temperature: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour. This helps the turkey cook more evenly. Also, remove the giblets from inside the turkey cavity.
- Preheat and Prepare Turkey Cavity: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the turkey dry with paper towels to promote crisp skin. Season the cavity generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Fill the cavity with quartered onion, lemon, and fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage sprigs. For smaller turkeys, avoid overfilling to allow airflow inside.
- Make Herb Butter: In a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, finely chopped rosemary, and finely chopped thyme. Mix until well blended.
- Apply Herb Butter Under Skin: Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breasts by sliding your fingers underneath without tearing. Spread about one-third of the herb butter under this skin layer directly on the meat for deep flavor infusion.
- Rub Remaining Butter on Exterior: Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, ensuring an even coating over the skin for flavor and browning.
- Prepare for Roasting: Place the turkey on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan, or alternatively on a bed of chopped vegetables (onion, celery, carrots) if you don’t have a rack. Tuck the wing tips underneath the bird to prevent burning and promote even cooking.
- Roast the Turkey: Put the turkey in the preheated oven and roast for approximately 15 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh or breast; it should reach 158°-160°F before removing from the oven. There’s no need to baste, but if the skin is browning too fast after about 75% of the cooking time, tent with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Remember the turkey will continue cooking after removal.
- Rest Before Carving: Let the turkey rest uncovered or lightly tented with foil for 30 minutes before carving. This allows juices to redistribute, ensuring moist, juicy meat.
- Carve and Serve: Carve the turkey and serve immediately. Save the pan drippings to make a delicious turkey gravy if desired.
Notes
- This is a no-fail, foolproof recipe producing a golden, juicy turkey without the need for brining or basting.
- Using fresh herbs and herb butter under the skin adds extra flavor and moisture.
- Adjust roasting time depending on turkey size: about 15 minutes per pound at 325°F.
- Letting the turkey rest after roasting is crucial for juicy meat.
- If you don’t have a roasting rack, a bed of vegetables will work just fine for even cooking and flavor.
- Save pan juices for making homemade turkey gravy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 515 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 528 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 70 g
- Cholesterol: 249 mg
