Description

This Easy Thanksgiving Turkey recipe delivers a perfectly golden, juicy, and flavorful roasted turkey without the need for brining or basting. Using fresh herbs, garlic butter, and simple roasting techniques, this no-fail recipe is designed to impress your family and guests with minimal effort. The timeout and temperatures are optimized to achieve tender, succulent meat while ensuring the skin crisps beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

Turkey and Aromatics

12 to 18 pound turkey (fully thawed)
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

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

Bedding Vegetables

1 onion (peeled and quartered)
3 celery ribs (roughly chopped)
2 carrots (roughly chopped)

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Instructions

Bring Turkey to Room Temperature: Remove the turkey from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature by sitting out for 1 hour before roasting. Remove the giblets from inside the cavity.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Turkey: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Season the cavity generously with kosher salt and black pepper, then fill it with the quartered onion, lemon, and fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. Avoid overfilling to allow for airflow, especially with smaller birds.
Make Herb Butter: In a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, finely chopped fresh rosemary, and thyme. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
Apply Herb Butter Under Skin: Gently loosen the skin of the turkey breasts by sliding your fingers carefully underneath without tearing. Spread about one-third of the herb butter directly between the skin and the turkey breast meat to infuse flavor and moisture.
Rub Remaining Butter on Turkey: Using your hands or a spatula, rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, coating it thoroughly to encourage a crispy, flavorful skin.
Prepare Roasting Setup: Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. If you don’t have a rack, use the chopped onion, celery, and carrots as a vegetable bed to lift the turkey off the pan bottom. Tuck the wing tips under the bird to prevent burning.
Roast Turkey: Place the turkey in the preheated oven and roast approximately 15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh or breast reads 158°-160°F. There’s no need to baste during cooking. Monitor the skin after about 75% of the cooking time; if it is browning too quickly, tent the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Rest Turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven when done and let it rest uncovered for 30 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise to 165°F during this time. Resting allows the juices to redistribute for a moist final product.
Carve and Serve: Carve the turkey and serve. Be sure to save the pan juices to make delicious turkey gravy.

Notes

This recipe does not require brining or basting, simplifying the traditional turkey preparation without sacrificing flavor or moisture.
Adjust cooking times based on the actual weight of your turkey, approximately 15 minutes per pound at 325°F.
If the turkey is smaller than 12 pounds, reduce filling in the cavity to maintain airflow and even cooking.
Using a roasting rack is ideal to promote even heat circulation; if unavailable, use a bed of vegetables to elevate the bird.
Always use a reliable meat thermometer to ensure food safety and optimal doneness.
Allowing the turkey to rest is crucial for juicy meat and easier carving.

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