Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year, and let’s be real—the turkey is the star of the show. But I know from experience that preparing the perfect roasted turkey can feel intimidating. You want it juicy, flavorful, and with that perfect, crispy skin everyone craves. That’s why I’m sharing my easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe with you.
With just a few simple steps, you can roast a turkey that’s packed with flavor, tender, and golden brown on the outside. Whether you're hosting for the first time or just want to impress your guests, these straightforward techniques will make your turkey the highlight of your holiday meal.
While it takes a few days to create the perfect roasted Turkey, each of the steps that you need to take are easy and straightforward. These steps will elevate your turkey to a whole new level. Let’s break them down!
THAW THE TURKEY
Probably the most important step: Thaw your Turkey in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours of thawing time for every 4-5 pounds of turkey. For example, a 12-pound turkey will need about 3 days to fully thaw. I always pull my turkey out of the freezer 1 day earlier to make sure I can dry brine it.
DRY BRINE THE TURKEY
Dry brine your turkey! Sure, you can skip this extra step but trust me it is well worth it! 2-3 days before the turkey will be roasted cover it in the dry-brine mixture.
To dry-brine your turkey:
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and place it over a sheet pan or rack over a pan to catch any liquid.
- Generously rub kosher salt, pepper and fresh (or dried) herbs all over the turkey—making sure to separate the skin from the meat and rub the mixture under the skin.
- Tuck the wings back and place it in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 2-3 days.
ROAST THE TURKEY
Time to roast the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before you plan on roasting it. This allows the turkey to come up to room temperature which will ensure it cooks more evenly.
- Preheat an oven to 450°F. Mix together the softened butter, the zest of 1 lemon and more fresh herbs if desired. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey. Since the turkey was dry brined, you will not be able rub the mixture under the skin without tearing it.
- Place the orange and lemon halves inside the turkey, along with additional fresh herbs. Pour 2 cups of water into the roasting pan and place the pan in the preheated oven. Turn the temperature down to 350°F and cook for 13 minutes per pound. Shield the breasts with foil if they begin to brown too much.
- The turkey is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rest for 30 minutes before carving it. Enjoy!
If you opted out of dry brining your turkey, add salt and pepper into the butter mixture and rub it all over the turkey. Be sure to gently separate the skin from the meat and spread the mixture underneath, directly on top of the meat.
An unstuffed turkey will take approximately 13 minutes per pound to cook. For example, a 12-15 pound turkey should take 2 1/2 to 4 hours to cook.
With just a few simple steps, you can roast a turkey that’s packed with flavor, tender, and golden brown on the outside. Whether you're hosting for the first time or just want to impress your guests, these straightforward techniques will make your turkey the highlight of your holiday meal.
- 1 12-15 pound turkey
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme (minced)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (minced)
- 4 ounces unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 lemon (zested and cut in half)
- 1 orange (cut in half)
- as needed fresh sage
- 2 cups water
- Dry Brine the Turkey
Two to three days before roasting, remove the turkey from its packaging, pat it dry with paper towels, and place it on a rack over a sheet pan.
Combine the salt, pepper, and minced herbs. Carefully loosen the skin from the meat and rub the mixture thoroughly over the turkey, ensuring to get beneath the skin too.
Tuck the wings back and place the uncovered turkey in the refrigerator.
- Roast the Turkey
Remove the turkey 1 hour before you plan to roast it. Transfer it to a roasting pan with a rack. Mix together the softened butter and zest of 1 lemon. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey. Place the fresh sage, lemon, and orange halves inside the turkey, along with additional herbs if desired. Preheat an oven to 450°F.
Pour 2 cups of water in the roasting pan. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Roast for 13 minutes per pound.
Shield the turkey breasts with a sheet of foil if the skin starts to brown too much.Temp the turkey in the breasts, leg and thigh areas. Each should read 165°F when the turkey is done. Rest for 30 minutes before carving. Enjoy!
Thank you for stopping by!