Skip to Content

Roasted Turkey Recipe

Roasted Turkey Recipe – Get the perfect oven roasted turkey for your holiday table with this simple and delicious recipe. The meat stays juicy and tender every time! 

This post is sponsored by the National Turkey Federation. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

It is hard to believe that the holidays are right around the corner.  And what is at the center of your holiday table?  The perfect turkey of course! A crisp golden brown skin that is tender and juicy and full of flavor. 

When I was growing up we had turkey for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it is a must that it be delicious. Today I am here with all the tips to make sure your turkey is perfect. 

Perfect Roasted Turkey with fresh herbs and a crispy skin

 

5 Tips to the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey (Whole Bird)

  •  When selecting your turkey, allow 1 pound of turkey per person for a fresh or frozen bird. For bigger eaters (or more leftovers!), allow for 1 ½ – 2 pounds per person.
  • Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of bird weight for thawing in the refrigerator.
  • For roasting, plan for 20 minutes per pound in a 350°F oven for a defrosted turkey and 10-15 minutes per pound for a fresh turkey.
  • Let the turkey stand for 20 minutes after removing from oven before carving to allow juices to set.

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey recipe with a crispy skin and fresh herbs

How to Thaw a Turkey

When you purchase a turkey in the store there is usually the option of fresh or frozen.  Frozen turkeys are definitely more prevalent, so if that is what you have, make sure you buy your turkey well in advance. You will want to thaw the turkey in the fridge and plan around 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of meat.  My turkey was about 16 pounds and took 4 full days to thaw.  So make sure you plan ahead. 

How to Prep a Turkey

To make a turkey you need to follow a few steps.  As soon as you remove the turkey from the plastic wrap do the following: 

  • remove the neck from the turkey cavity
  • remove the giblet bag
  • fold the ends of the turkey wings under your bird
  • tie the legs together with kitchen twine (after you season and fill the cavity with the aromatics)

Sliced oven roasted turkey

How Long to Cook a Turkey

The general rule is to cook for 15-20 minutes per pound. But the only way you really know is by using a meat thermometer.  You want to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the bird, being careful not to touch the bone.  What temperature to cook turkey?  Once it reads 165°F it is done.  Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest for about 20 minutes before slicing. 

Food Safety Reminders!

Be sure to follow these simple tips to make sure that everyone is safe.

  • Don’t rinse your turkey! Rinsing can lead to the spread of bacteria around the kitchen
  • We recommend cooking your dressing separate from your turkey. But if you do prepare a stuffed turkey, make sure the stuffing reaches 165°F as well.
  • Make sure you wash your hands after handling raw turkey. Don’t forget to disinfect any surfaces or spice containers you may have touched along the way.
  • Use clean plates and utensils to prevent cross-contamination. Also, use separate cutting boards for raw protein and produce.
  • Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours; food stored in the refrigerator should stay below 40°F. Enjoy those Thanksgiving leftovers within 3-4 days or freeze your turkey for use over the next several weeks.

Crispy golden skin makes for the perfect Thanskgiving turkey!

An estimated 45 million turkeys are consumed during Thanksgiving. About 95% of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. So you may as well make sure it is delicious.  It doesn’t have to be the dried out boring turkey that you grew up with!

The key to the perfect turkey is the herbs and the butter!  The butter gives the turkey that crispy skin that you are always looking for.  The skin helps to really lock in the juices as well, which makes very a tender and juicy turkey. To get that crispy skin I start the turkey in a super hot oven for and then reduce the heat so the meat gets cooked all the way through. 

Roasted Turkey Recipe - Get the perfect oven roasted turkey for your holiday table with this simple and delicious recipe. The meat stays juicy and tender every time! 

The fresh herbs give the meat so much flavor.  I like putting garlic and herbs in the cavity of the turkey, so as it cooks they release their aroma and the flavor really gets into the meat. 

This roasted turkey is really easy to make and you will impress all of your holiday guests.  That perfectly golden and crispy crust will have everyone in awe and wondering how you did it!  Then they will see how juicy the turkey is and you may be hosting Thanksgiving every year going forward!

A plate of turkey, with Leftovers

Yield: 10

Roasted Turkey Recipe

A close up of a plate with a whole roasted turkey with Dinner

Roasted Turkey Recipe - Get the perfect oven roasted turkey for your holiday table with this simple and delicious recipe. The meat stays juicy and tender every time! 

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 12-15 pound turkey
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 sprigs sage
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Herb Butter Rub

  • 8 Tbsp butter, room temperature
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Remove turkey from the fridge and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
  2. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey
  3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  4. In a small bowl mix together salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle on the inside cavity of the turkey to season.
  5. Place the quartered onion, lemon, bay leaves, sage, rosemary, thyme and garlic into the turkey.
  6. Bring the legs together and tie together with string.
  7. Tuck the tips of the wings under the turkey.
  8. In a small food processor mix together butter, garlic, sage, thyme and rosemary until well blended.
  9. Generously season the outside of the entire turkey with salt and pepper.
  10. Use your fingers rub the butter mixture evenly over the turkey until it is well coated.
  11. Place the turkey in a roasting pan with about 1 cup of water in the bottom.
  12. Bake for 30 minutes until the skin is golden, then reduce the temperature to 350 and cook for an additional 2 1/2 hours. Total cooking time will vary based on the size of your turkey, but count on about 15 minutes per pound.
  13. Remove turkey from the oven and tent with foil for 20 minutes before slicing to serve.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 781Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 420mgSodium 943mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 104g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a picture on social media!

Erin S
Follow me
Latest posts by Erin S (see all)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Lynne

Wednesday 13th of November 2019

Do not rinse the turkey?? Have you ever seen what comes out of a turkey when you rinse it? Other people have put there hands in it as well. sorry I love your recipes but I do not agree with this one..However I will be trying the rub. That sound delish..

Beth

Thursday 31st of October 2019

This is Thanksgiving goals for sure! Thanks for the great tips and tricks on making this a success!

Tiffany La Forge-Grau

Thursday 31st of October 2019

I'm a stickler for making sure my turkey looks gorgeous coming out of the oven while also tasting good. Your turkey is how I always hope mine will look when it is finished! Definitely trying this!

Catalina

Thursday 31st of October 2019

Deliciousness! Love how this turkey looks! It's seems so crispy!

Sara Welch

Wednesday 30th of October 2019

What a beautiful bird! This will be sure to amaze my family this Thanksgiving; looking forward to giving this a try!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to Recipe