When it comes to Thanksgiving, a whole turkey is the centerpiece of a traditional dinner. It may be intimidating thinking about all your friends and family waiting as you carve into your turkey, wondering if it’s perfectly cooked or not. But not to worry, cooking a turkey is shockingly easy once you get the hang of it! You’ll be in love with how tender the dark meat is without sacrificing juicy white meat.
Whether it’s your first time or the tenth time you are cooking a turkey, this guide on how to cook a turkey will give you a perfectly golden, flavorful, and juicy roasted turkey that will have everyone reaching for seconds. No complicated techniques or expensive special tools are needed to make this juicy turkey.
If you want to impress your family and guests with more traditional thanksgiving recipes, then try my stuffing recipe, cornbread dressing recipe, or mashed potatoes recipe along with this turkey recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Turkey — fresh or frozen turkey is fine; just make sure you thaw the frozen turkey before you start preparing it. Keep in mind that a fully frozen turkey will require 24 hours of thawing time in the refrigerator for every 5 pounds. When picking up a turkey, check for one with a well-rounded breast, as a flatter turkey indicates the turkey was refrozen.
Butter — I recommend using unsalted butter, especially if you brine the turkey beforehand. Make sure the butter is at room temperature to ensure it can easily be spread onto the turkey and doesn’t roll off.
Herbs — rosemary, thyme, and sage are a classic combination for a flavorful turkey. I recommend using fresh herbs because they have a more robust flavor than dried ones.
Aromatics — adding fresh onion and garlic into the turkey’s cavity will infuse the flavor.
Chicken broth — when the broth in the oven heats up, it helps braise the turkey, leaving you with a moist turkey.
How to Cook a Turkey
1. Remove all packaging and place the turkey breast side up in a large roasting pan with a wire rack. If brining your turkey, let the turkey drain well before placing it in the pan. Remove any giblets in the turkey cavity. Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Let sit uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the butter, salt, and black pepper.
3. Stuff the cavity with the onion, garlic, 8 sprigs of rosemary, and 8 sprigs of sage. Place the remaining herb sprigs in the roasting pan around the turkey.
4. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
5. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey, making sure to get under the skin on the breast and legs
6. Pour the stock into the roasting pan. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature and continue roasting, basting the turkey every 30 minutes with the pan juices until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers an internal temperature of 165F. Add more broth or some water to the roasting pan if it starts to dry out at any point. Let the turkey rest in the roasting pan for 15 minutes before carving. Strain the drippings in the roasting pan and serve with the turkey or use it to make a delicious, flavorful gravy.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- According to the USDA, there is no need to rinse raw turkey. Simply pat the turkey dry of any moisture with a paper towel. Make sure to pat away as much moisture as possible, especially if you thaw a frozen turkey. The more dry your turkey, the crispier the skin will be.
- Rubbing the butter mixture underneath the turkey’s skin ensures that flavor will soak into the meat itself instead of just sitting on top of it.
- Don’t skip resting the turkey before serving. Resting after cooking a turkey is the best way to allow the juices to soak back into the meat, so the meat is more moist and tender. If you cut too soon, the juices will end up on the cutting board.
- Make sure to use kitchen twine to tie the turkey legs together, as it’s oven-safe. Don’t skip tying the legs together, as it creates a uniform shape that helps the turkey cook evenly and prevents it from drying out due to an exposed cavity.
- If you purchase a turkey that says “kosher,” “enhanced,” “basted,” or “self-basted,” you should skip brining the turkey.
- A digital thermometer will provide the most accurate results when checking the temperature. Be sure to avoid touching the bone when you insert the thermometer.
- Starting the turkey at a higher oven temp essentially “sears” the outside, creating a more crispy golden skin during roasting while also helping to seal in the juices, so the turkey stays juicy during a long cook time. Continuously basting the turkey keeps the outside from getting too dry and also helps with browning, so I definitely wouldn’t skip that step! I use a pastry brush dipped in the pan juices to brush over the bird. No need for a baster if you don’t have one.
- The simplicity of the seasoning on this roast turkey recipe shouldn’t be underestimated! The butter, salt, pepper, and bunches of aromatics create a wonderfully juicy and flavorful turkey. If you’re feeling more adventurous or want to use a favorite spice blend, you can absolutely mix it into the softened butter before seasoning the turkey. Cajun seasoning or a garlicky Greek seasoning are two of my favorites! If I plan to make a gravy with the drippings, I like to slice up an extra onion or a whole lemon and place it in the bottom of the roasting pan before adding the turkey, infusing the pan drippings with even more flavor. Have fun with the flavors!
- If you want to make stuffing, I recommend cooking the stuffing and turkey separately so they’ll each cook evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The general rule of thumb is to have 1 pound of turkey per person or 1½ pounds of turkey per person if you want leftovers. If you have a large gathering, I recommend buying two turkeys instead one giant one.
If buying a frozen turkey, the most crucial step is to make sure it thaws fully before you prep and roast it, otherwise, it may not cook thoroughly. Turkeys should always be thawed in the fridge to keep bacteria from growing. Allow one day (or 24 hours) per 4-5 pounds. So for a 12-pound turkey, you would put it in the fridge for at least three full days before you plan to roast it. If time allows, I like to give myself an extra day to ensure there’s no frozen surprise when I prep it. You can also thaw a frozen turkey in cold water, but it requires you to drain and refill the sink with cold water every 30 minutes and rotate the turkey as you thaw it. You will need about 30 minutes per pound to thaw a turkey in water.
No, you do not. A turkey brine is essentially a long soak in a salt water bath to help create a very flavorful and juicy turkey. You can certainly do this if you’d like. Be sure you give enough time for the turkey to thaw and brine before roasting. This recipe is designed to yield a succulent and flavorful bird without brining it if you don’t have the time or fridge space to do so. Some turkeys come pre-brined, so look for that on the label if you’re buying from the grocery store.
A good method for determining how long your turkey will take to cook is to allow 12 minutes per pound of turkey once the oven temperature decreases to 325F. For a 12-pound turkey, it should take about 2 hours to roast at 325F. If you have a larger bird, do the math with the weight times 12 to get your approximate cook time. Your turkey may cook faster than that, so check the temperature about 15 minutes earlier than you think the turkey might be done.
Store any leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can shred or slice your leftover turkey to use in sandwiches, my turkey pot pie recipe, soups, or more if desired. You can also leave leftovers in whole pieces.
You can reheat leftover turkey in the microwave. If you left the turkey whole, you can bake it in the oven until warmed through. You can cover the turkey with aluminum foil and add more broth to the pan to keep the leftovers moist.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this roasted turkey recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
How to Cook a Turkey
Video
Equipment
- Roasting pan with rack
- mixing bowl
- Basting or pastry brush
- Aluminum foil (if needed)
Ingredients
- 1 (10 to 12-pound) fresh turkey thawed if frozen (see FAQ on thawing)
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (227g)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- 10 to 12 sprigs rosemary
- 10 to 12 sprigs thyme
- 10 to 12 sprigs sage
- 1 head garlic halved
- 4 cups chicken broth (960ml)
Instructions
- Remove all packaging and place the turkey breast side up in a large roasting pan with a wire rack. If brining your turkey, let the turkey drain well before placing it in the pan. Remove any giblets in the turkey cavity. Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Let sit uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour. (This will help dry out the skin for better browning and take the chill off the turkey.)
- After an hour, preheat the oven to 450F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the butter, salt, and black pepper..
- Stuff the cavity with the onion, garlic, 8 sprigs of rosemary, and 8 sprigs of sage. Place the remaining herb sprigs in the roasting pan around the turkey.
- Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey, making sure to get under the skin on the breast and legs
- For better presentation, tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Pour the stock into the roasting pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325F. Continue roasting, basting the turkey every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thigh registers 165F, about 2½ hours or 10 to 12 minutes per pound of turkey. Add more broth or some water to the roasting pan if it starts to dry out at any point. If the breast area or leg or wing tips start to get too brown anytime during cooking, shield just those area with foil.
- Let the turkey rest in the roasting pan for 15 minutes before carving. Strain the drippings in the roasting pan and serve with the turkey or use it to make a delicious, flavorful gravy.
Notes
- There is no need to rinse raw turkey. Simply pat the turkey dry of any moisture with a paper towel. Make sure to pat away as much moisture as possible, especially if you thaw a frozen turkey. The more dry your turkey, the crispier the skin will be.
- Rubbing the butter mixture underneath the turkey’s skin ensures that flavor will soak into the meat itself instead of just sitting on top of it.
- Don’t skip resting the turkey before serving. Resting after cooking a turkey allows the juices to soak back into the meat, so the meat is more moist and tender. If you cut too soon, the juices will end up on the cutting board.
- Make sure to use kitchen twine to tie the turkey legs together, as it’s oven-safe. Don’t skip tying the legs together, as it creates a uniform shape that helps the turkey cook evenly and prevents it from drying out due to an exposed cavity.
- If you purchase a turkey that says “kosher,” “enhanced,” “basted,” or “self-basted,” you should skip brining the turkey.
- A digital thermometer will provide the most accurate results when checking the temperature. Be sure to avoid touching the bone when you insert the thermometer.
- Starting the turkey at a higher oven temp essentially “sears” the outside, creating a more crispy golden skin during roasting while also helping to seal in the juices, so the turkey stays juicy during a long cook time. Continuously basting the turkey keeps the outside from getting too dry and also helps with browning, so I definitely wouldn’t skip that step! I use a pastry brush dipped in the pan juices to brush over the bird. No need for a baster if you don’t have one.
- The simplicity of the seasoning on this turkey shouldn’t be underestimated! The butter, salt, pepper, and bunches of aromatics create a wonderfully juicy and flavorful turkey. If you’re feeling more adventurous or want to use a favorite spice blend, you can absolutely mix it into the softened butter before seasoning the turkey. Cajun seasoning or a garlicky Greek seasoning are two of my favorites! If I plan to make a gravy with the drippings, I like to slice up an extra onion or a whole lemon and place it in the bottom of the roasting pan before adding the turkey, infusing the pan drippings with even more flavor. Have fun with the flavors!
- If you want to make stuffing, I recommend cooking the stuffing and turkey separately so they’ll each cook evenly.
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