Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe
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I was so excited about this juicy roast turkey recipe every step of the way and I think you’ll feel the same way when you try it. I spent several days researching all of the best turkey recipes online, in books, and getting trusted advice from my Mom and you, my readers. This tender and delicious turkey will impress your dinner guests.
The turkey breast is so juicy and flavorful and the skin is crisp and roasts to a beautiful golden brown. I invited all of my family over to help eat this turkey and received rave reviews from 10 adults and quite a few kiddos. I was so giddy with excitement when I tasted the juicy bird. Since the beginning of my blog (2009), I’ve been flooded with requests for a great turkey recipe for the holidays.
P.S. Be sure be sure be sure to make the turkey gravy; it’s super delicious and was the talk of last year’s Thanksgiving dinner! Big Thank you to Wolf for sponsoring this recipe!
Watch How to Make a Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe:
You don’t need to be scared to try new things in the kitchen, like the Thanksgiving turkey which is the “year’s most important dish”. You can’t go wrong by adding this roast turkey recipe to your menu. It’s fantastic. Read on to learn everything you need to know for a perfect turkey. P.p.s. you can even make this turkey recipe a day in advance (stuff, butter it up, cover and refrigerate overnight then bake the next day) if it makes your life easier and it will taste even better! 🙂
Roast Turkey Recipe Ingredients:
12 lb turkey (Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary – see below)
Salt & Pepper for the inside and outside of the bird
For the Flavored Butter:
1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin), plus more to drizzle the top
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon), plus 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1/2 Tbsp salt (I used sea salt)
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For the Turkey Stuffing:
1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
1/2 bunch parsley
1 lemon, quartered
What you’ll need:
Kitchen String
Heavy duty foil
A heavy roasting pan that accommodates your bird, but isn’t over-sized
A temperature probe (to ensure a fully-cooked turkey)
Note:
Many of you have asked about using a larger turkey. One of my readers, Shannon, shares her experience with a 23 pound turkey (Thanks Shannon!): “Used this recipe last night with a 23 pound turkey and it was superb!! I used 3 sticks of butter instead of the 2, about 1 cup of parsley, kept the zest and juice of 2 lemons and quartered them for the stuffing. Kept 1 large onion peeled & largely sliced, used about 8 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced in half.
Cooked at 430 for 20 minutes and then 350 for about 5 1/2 hours, basting occasionally. I used the tin foil hat and had to made a couple other tin foil accessories for the legs that started to scorch. Took the tin foil hat off when it had 10 minutes of cook time left to ensure a nice browned top. Had tons of drippings to make a delicious gravy with. Will use this recipe every year! So flavorful and yummy. Thank you”
Required Prep for Roast Turkey Recipe:
*If using a frozen turkey, defrost it in its plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 days prior to roasting.
*Remove turkey from fridge about 30 minutes before you start working with it. If the turkey is closer to room temperature, it will bake more evenly. *Remove the neck and bag of giblets from the turkey.
*Pat dry turkey with paper towels. Let turkey sit in over paper towels to soak up any excess water from the turkey.
*Fold the wings behind the turkey; if you don’t they are the quickest to scorch and dry out.
Seasoning, Stuffing and Tying up a Turkey:
1. Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine: 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, and 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash/stir with a fork until well combined (the lemon juice doesn’t easily stir into butter, but keep mixing and it will happen after a few minutes). This mixture was adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas Turkey video and it’s wonderful. Take a whiff of it; you’ll fall in love with how fresh it smells!
3. Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey, being careful not to tear the skin.
4. Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under skin then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin. This butter keeps the turkey breast tender, juicy and provides rich flavor.
5. Rub remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings). Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper; I just love a crisp, salty skin.
6. Stuff turkey with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Tie turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity, plus it looks extra fancy on the table.
How to Roast a Turkey:
Prep: Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F on the bake mode. Place oven rack in the lower part of your oven (mine was on the second level from the very bottom) – this ensures that your large turkey roasts in the middle of the oven and keeps the turkey breast further from the top heating element.
1. Here is a fantastic tip I picked up from Alton Brown to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You’ll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
2. Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird; beneath the drumstick; deep into the dark meat. It’s ready for the oven. Start roasting uncovered at 430˚F for 20 min.
3. Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
4. Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it’s fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it’s out of the oven).
Note: temperature recommendations based on the USDA which now says the safe poultry temp is 165˚F but the deeper thigh parts really should be at 170˚ to be fully cooked through.
5. Transfer turkey to serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least 1 hour. It will become more tender and easier to carve, the longer it sits. Keep drippings from roasting pan for a most delicious turkey gravy. Decorate around your turkey and make it festive. I used kale for my greens, then added small apples, sliced oranges and quartered lemons.
Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 lb turkey (Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary)
- Salt & Pepper for the inside and outside of the bird
For the Flavored Butter:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp olive oil not extra virgin, plus more to drizzle top
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice from 1 large lemon, plus 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large garlic cloves pressed
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 Tbsp salt I used sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Stuffing:
- 1 large onion quartered (no peeling)
- 4 garlic cloves halved (no peeling)
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon quartered
What you'll need:
- Kitchen String
- Heavy duty foil
- A heavy roasting pan that accommodates your bird but isn't over-sized
- A temperature probe to ensure a fully-cooked turkey
Instructions
Seasoning, Stuffing and Tying up a Turkey:
-
Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
-
In a medium bowl, combine: 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash /stir with a fork until well combined (the lemon juice doesn't easily stir into butter but keep mixing and it will happen after a few minutes). Take a whiff of it; you'll fall in love with how fresh it smells!
-
Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey; being careful not to tear the skin.
-
Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under skin then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin. This butter keeps the turkey breast tender, juicy and provides rich flavor.
-
Rub remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings). Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper; I just love a crisp, salty skin.
-
Stuff turkey with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Tie turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity, plus it looks extra fancy on the table.
How to Roast a Turkey: (Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F on the bake mode. Place oven rack in the lower part of your oven (mine was on the second level from the very bottom).
-
Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You'll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
-
Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird; beneath the drum stick; deep into the dark meat. Start roasting uncovered at 430˚F for 20 min.
-
Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
-
Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it's fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it's out of the oven).
-
Transfer turkey to serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least 1 hour. It will become more tender and easier to carve, the longer it sits. Keep the drippings from roasting pan for gravy. Now you can decorate around your turkey and make it festive. I used kale for my greens, then added small apples, sliced oranges and quartered lemons.
Recipe Notes
!Instructions/Tips for prepping your bird:
*If using a frozen turkey, defrost it in its plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 days prior to roasting.
*Remove turkey from fridge about 30 minutes before you start working with it. If the turkey is closer to room temperature, it will bake more evenly.
*Remove the neck and bag of giblets from the turkey.
*Pat dry turkey with paper towels. Let turkey sit in a roasting pan lined with paper towels to soak up any excess water from the turkey.
*Fold the wings behind the turkey; if you don't they are the quickest to scorch and dry out.
This roast turkey recipe are sponsored by Sub-Zero and Wolf Appliances – I’m so excited to be working with such a phenomenal brand; they are truly top notch; the creme de la creme of ranges and ovens. Wolf is all about empowering home cooks to make predictably delicious dishes every time. This is especially crucial during the holidays when everything has to be just so, like this roast turkey recipe! Be sure to show Sub-Zero & Wolf some like and thank them for sponsoring by visiting their Facebook page.
Now you know exactly how to make this juicy roast turkey recipe :). I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Natasha Kravchuk
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Love your recipes/videos!
My question is:
When I double the recipe, the recipe doubles everything EXCEPT the zest (1/2 Tbsp to ONE Tbsp) & the number of lemons (from one to two) for the fresh lemon juice. It did double the amount of juice, so I did juice 2 lemons. I DO go ahead & zest 2+ lemons for 1 Tbsp of zest, correct??
Hi Regina, the conversion struggles when there is a range written. I would double everything.
Second time cooking a turkey and came to the same person because it tastes so good
This recipe is awesome!! Thanks so much. Keep them coming!
You’re welcome, David. Yes, I will surely do!
Hello, I made a Turkey for Thanksgiving in an oven bag. Unfortunately it was very dry. 😞 I am determined to cook a tender, moist, delicious turkey so I bought another one but small to try it again. About a 9 to 10 pounder. I would like to try your recipe. How long should I bake it? Thank you.
Hi Amy, I would read through all the recipe notes and tips. We have notes on how long you should cook per pound. “Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey” I hope that helps.
I had visitors over for Christmas and was looking for an easy recipe for roasting a turkey since I had never done it before. I tried out this recipe on Christmas day together with the Gravy and Mashed potatoes. I put the butter under the skin over night and kept the turkey in the fridge. I also added rosemary, thyme and sage to the butter. The rest remained the same. This is the easiest turkey to make and its very tasty and beautiful to look at after roasting it. The time calculations are spot on. Thank you very much Natasha. You demystify turkey roasting.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Audrey!
Hie Natasha,
Thank you for such a simple, yet tasty and juicy turkey recipe. I have always been apprehensive about roasting my own turkey fearing it will dry out. However this year because of restrictions, I had to make my own Christmas dinner and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by how the turkey turned out super juicy and so, so tasty. I made an 8 pound turkey, followed the recipe as is. My ovens an electrician forced oven and this recipe worked out perfectly. Thank you so much, this is a real keeper.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This recipe is so easy to follow and the turkey was perfect. I used the convection Roast option of my oven with the built in temperature probe. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
So great to hear that it turned out perfect, Lisa! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi! I’m from Malaysia. 1st Time roasting turkey for Christmas cuz was fascinated by how easy you do it. Follow your recipes exactly and thanks to your video on how to perfect it. It turns out so good, crispy skin and juicy meat. Everyone enjoyed my Christmas eve dinner. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Yay, that is fantastic! I’m glad you enjoyed your Christmas eve dinner!
I made a perfect Turkey for this Christmas. Thanks for the recipe. Note that if your turkey is already pre-seasoned, please use less salt or the gravity will be too salty.
Wonderful to hear that! I’m glad that you enjoyed this for Chrismas, thanks for your excellent feedback.
Made this for Christmas lunch, cooked it in the Weber kettle, it was superb, incredibly moist , tasty and tender.
Perfect! Thanks for sharing that with us, Lynne.
The best Turkey ever!!!! I am always stressed about making Turkey. But this one is the best!!! Thank you so much!!!
Love it! Thanks for sharing, Tanya. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Thank you Natasha. I was roasting a turkey for the first time. Believe me I followed your recipe to the last dot. It was a great success. Had a 15lbs turkey. It was so juicy and my family & guests loved it to bits. Thanks a ton.
Great to hear that! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Hi ! Im 22 y/o and will be using your recipe to make my first turkey for christmas. Wish me luck!
Best of luck, Samantha. You got this! I hope you love this recipe!
Hello Natasha,
best Christmast wishes from Germany.
This Year I will make a Turkey for the first time. I could only get a Turkey with 36 pounds.
I think I need help!!
How long does it take in the oven and how many degrees?
Thanks in advance!
Kind regards
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia, I have never roasted one that large but one of our readers shared some notes in the post above for cooking a larger bird. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, my family loves this recipe! We made it last year for Christmas and it was the best turkey we’ve ever had. We’re having a smaller Christmas this year so we’re only using a 8lb turkey. Would this recipe still work?
So great to hear that, Jen. Yes, I imagine that would work so well!
Hi, I have an 11lb turkey for Christmas this year, are the cooking times and temperatures the same? I have an electric fan oven and always worry this dries things out too much though traditionally would have covered the breast with streaky bacon to help keep in the moisture. Richard in the UK
Hi Richard, this will work with an 11-pound turkey. We do note in the recipe that “you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey)”. Since your turkey is slightly smaller, I recommend adjusting it by 13 minutes and checking back to make sure it is done but not overcooked.
hi Natasha i will try to make a roast turkey this Christmas hope it will turn out right , will follow your recipe thank you for sharing this recipe of yours🥰
Sounds like a great plan, Jessica. I hope it becomes a hit!
Hi Natasha! I am so excited to make this turkey with my mom for Christmas. Do you have a recipe for the gravy?
Hi Mimi, we sure do. You can find our gravy recipes HERE.
This sounds great but doesn’t the turkey get cold sitting for an hour
Sharon Johnson
If it’s covered with foil then it should be all good
Wonderful recipe. Thank you. Dale
You’re welcome, Dale. Glad you liked it!
This was the recipe i used when making my first turkey. It was super easy and so delicious! I made it to take to a friendsgiving last year and it was a big hit! i made it again the following week for just me and my fiancé. And am making it today! Although i messed up and forgot to buy the turkey so had to buy a “ready to bake” turkey in a bag and am improvising adding everything in a bit… hopefully it turns out close!
I hope it turns out for you, Hayleigh! I’m glad you enjoyed this last year.
Hi Natasha,
Could I replace the lemon with an orange? I usually use orange juice (plus butter, wine, rosemary, etc.) to baste my turkeys so I wanted to ask.
Thanks!
Hi Melissa, I’ve never tried this substitution; orange might not give as much flavor as a lemon. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Natasha: I have never made a whole turkey before. Your recipe gives me confidence that I can do this!
I have had a 13 pound one defrosting in fridge (no room to have kept it in freezer). Plan to cook it 7 days after buying it – is that okay?
Can I prepare it the night before so that it is ready to stick in the oven the next morning.
Hi, it recommended that when thawing a turkey in the refrigerator you give it at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 lbs of turkey. A thawed turkey can be kept in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days which puts it just over 5 days. 7 days is pushing it based on what I found online, but I recommend you do some googling to see what you come up with.
Amazing! We made it this Thanksgiving (minus lemon and lemon zest). Truly so moist and the best turkey I have ever made! Thanks Natasha!!🦃
You’re welcome, Mary! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I’m excited to try this recipe, however, I need to put in the oven before work and so is there a temperature that would slow cook and have same results?
Hi Jodie, I haven’t tried slow cooking a whole turkey so I am not able to provide instructions on that, but I bet it can be done, but you might need to search up some different instructions for slow cooking.
I’m so PROUD of myself 😌 and that’s thanks to YOU NATASHA! I made this turkey recipe for this Thanksgiving and I couldn’t get better results! Honestly, I’ve never ever tried a juicier turkey! The flavors-spot on! Everyone loved it and were talking about how juicy it was. Recipe is very well written and easy to follow. I was confident in this recipe from the beginning based on the raving reviews and it didn’t let me down!
By the way, almost all my thanksgiving dishes were made with your recipes.
Thank you Natasha!
Are you working on a cookbook?
We are in the planning stages! Stay tuned!
I’m so happy you love our recipes, Francesca! Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment!
Thank you for this simple, easy recipe. First-time turkey roaster this Thanksgiving and the only thing I did different was add in an over-night brine to lock in the moisture. I cooked a 22 lb turkey and everyone said it turned out good! This recipe really helped. The only thing I would change for next time is to put a different stuffing inside the turkey, omit the 20 minutes at 450-degrees. My 22 lb turkey cooked in under 3.5 hours as I believe my oven may have been at 370-degrees instead of 350-degrees. Next time I want to try out the 350-degrees the entire length of the cooking and learn better how to “Truss” tie the turkey. That was the only part that I felt could use more explanation in this recipe.
Thank you for sharing your experience with using stuffing inside the bird.
We did this for Thanksgiving this year. It was FANTASTIC!!!! Best turkey ever!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Andrea! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Epic recipe and EASY to do. Marinated for about 30min or so overnight and the next day it was so fast to roast. The turkey was filled with flavor and juicy and tender. Especially the dark meat.
I recommend using high quality butter! I used an Italian butter from Costco. Great butter.
Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me, Will! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I have done Thanksgiving turkeys a million different ways and I will have to say, this was the best recipe I have ever found!!!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Wow! The juice stayed mostly inside the bird! Crispening it up on high heat for 20 minutes and all the butter and olive oil made such a huge difference! Thank you Natasha! Our pan had a wire rack on the bottom, so the all the skin got crispy including the bottom. As we carved it, the crunchy skin on the bottom was like a bowl full of juices. This will be our go to recipe from now on, and my mother-in-law will follow your recipe too, now that she’s tried the yummy turkey!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Marina!
Natasha,
This is truly the BEST Roasted Turkey recipe ever!
Folks, follow this recipe exactly and you and your family will enjoy a sensational masterpiece of a Turkey! The absolute juiciest breast meat and perfectly done dark meat is typically difficult to achieve, but not with this recipe! Temperature probes take the guess work out of the process and allow you the comfort of knowing that you can remove the bird at the exact right time. I am amazed at what the foil barrier over the beast meat does to protect the white meat from overcooking. Many Thanks Natasha!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mike! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I’m vegan, and for my holiday cheat day, I’m sooooo glad I found this recipe! My husband is a gourmet chef, so our family is picky and judges everything we eat. They all remember every dry turkey we’ve ever eaten, and were sure this year wouldn’t be different. I heard nothing but “Mmmm, it’s so juicy/tasty/moist/etc…” from all around our table!! The matching gravy is also to DIE for😍 Thank you for helping make this Thanksgiving one to never forget!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Usually make a deep fried turkey. Thought I would go traditional this year. I didn’t stuff it, but this recipe was fabulous! Extremely moist! I added a
few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Would highly recommend!!
Thank you for the wonderful review!
Haooy Thanksgiving! This is a great recipe. Love the tips If I brine my turkey, can I still follow this recipe or does the salt amount change?
Hi Debbie, I haven’t tried brining it myself, but I imagine that would work! If you happen to experiment, please let me know how you like that.
Hi Natasha, I followed your recipe and the end result was a juicy very tasty turkey, but unfortunately the skin and drippings were extremely salty. I will definitely make another turkey without brining and using your fabulous recipe. Thank you so much
Thank you for sharing that with us, Debbie! I haven’t tested this with brine to advise on adjustments, but I hope it works out better for you next time.
I prepared my turkey using this recipe this year following the recipe exactly. It turned out to be full of flavor, smelled amazing and it roasted to a beautiful color, and no I didn’t take a picture 🙃. Will definitely use this method again. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Thank you Natasha, amazing recipe 🦃❤️
You are most welcome, Connie.
My first turkey and fallowed your recipe to the letter. My bird turned out perfect😲 Thank you for this recipe. I will always use it. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃❤️
Hi Connie, that makes me happy too! Thank you for letting us know about that and I’m glad you loved it.
First time baking a turkey. Wow, easy and absolutely delicious. Thanks Natasha!
Yay, love it! Thanks for your great feedback, Donna.
🤩 absolutely delicious even though I messed up turning up the heat after 20 minutes to 450 instead of 350. I was so disappointed at first thought my turkey was ruined. To my surprise it wasn’t thank God. It was moist, tender and very flavorful. No need to look for another turkey recipe this one is it from now on. Only thing I did was add more garlic & thyme to butter mixture. And added fresh Rosemary sage, & thyme to the cavity aromatic
Hello Martha, I’m so glad to hear that you were able to work it out and you were able to make an awesome Turkey! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Just tried this recipe tonight and it was the best tasting Turkey I’ve had. Nice and moist. Got a nice taste of Lemon and Parsley in there which gave it a nice taste to it. Really recommend this recipe . Will use it again for Christmas
Sounds awesome! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
2nd year I’ve made this turkey – SO juicy and flavorful!! Even the white meat (which I typically find dry and tasteless) was amazing!! Thank you Natasha!!!
You’re most welcome, Jen. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for your videos. So much more fun n easier to follow your recipes than trying to figure it out from a recipe book.
Tried your Turkey recipe n it was amazing.😋 So easy to prep turkey n results are great. Everyone loved it!!!
Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🦃
Will make your gravy tomorrow for the leftovers.
Happy Thanksgiving! Great to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe.
Huge success this Thanksgiving (2020) with your recipes, Natasha. I cant thank you enough! The very first time I have to make a Thanksgiving meal for my family and all your recipes were a hit. You made me look like a pro. This turkey, I tell ya, flavorful, detailed instructions. Simply delicious.
I also made your cranberry sauce and gravy, and sweet potatoe casserole. All came out amazingly delicious.
Hello Eleni, that makes me so happy. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Happy Thanksgiving! We have called this year “Natasha’s Thanksgiving” at our house. We used your turkey recipe, gravy, cranberry sauce and chocolate lasagna for dessert! Everything was spectacular. I can’t wait to have Thanksgiving next year with the rest of my family so they can enjoy your recipes too. Thank you so much ❤️
That is the sweetest! Thank you for sharing that with me, Marie. I’m so glad you loved all the recipes that you tried!
Happy Thanksgiving! Ours was made even happier by this incredibly delicious turkey and homemade gravy! My sister and I have never made gravy and this was so simple. It was as phenomenal as you said it would be👍 Already planning on using both recipes again next year. Thanks for taking the scary out of making both turkey and gravy 🥰
Looks like this is going to be on your favorites list! Thanks for your great feedback, Tina. Happy Thanksgiving too.
This Thanksgiving Dinner I used 5 of your recipes they all came out as good as when You taste it..
Roasted Turkey and gravy.
Mashed Creamy Potatoes
Roasted Carrots
Pumpkin Pie
Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family.
Fantastic! I’m so glad that you loved all the recipes that you tried.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit!!! Best turkey I ever made and everyone loved it my sister in law usually doesn’t like turkey but kept saying how it was so good and moist thank you Natasha I love your recipes
You are so welcome. Thank you for sharing this good feedback with us, it helps inspire me to do more recipes!
Hi, I’m regards to the oven temperature setting, firts 430 on Roast and then 350 on bake? Or 350 on roast setting?
Hi, it depends on your oven. I go with the bake setting because my roast setting gives off too much heat over the top and scorches my bird faster.
I fixed the turkey for Thanksgiving. The turkey was so juicy and very tasty.
So awesome! Thank you, Robin. I’m glad you enjoyed the turkey!
OMG, this recipe was amazing. First time cooking a turkey and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you!!
You’re most welcome, Gabriel. Thank you for trying out this recipe!
We really enjoyed the turkey. Thanks a lot for this wonderful recipe!! Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m glad you did! Thank you too for your good feedback and Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Quick question, after 20 min at 430 temperature do you continue cooking it on the lowest rack or move it to the middle?
Thank you,
Aliona
Hi Aliona, I keep it on the same rack, but I aim to have the turkey sitting in the center of the oven. Since the turkey is tall, I keep that in mind when placing my rack.
Hi Natasha. Thank you very much for responding so quickly on Thanksgiving day. The turkey came out perfect.
I have been a fan of your website for years and tried a lot of your recipe. Loved all of them!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Aliona!
Waayyyyy overcooked – do not follow roasting directions. Roasted 13lb bird for 2.7 hrs – internal temp was 190°. This recipe ruined my bird.
I’m sorry to hear that – that is such a bummer. I am always happy to help troubleshoot – Did you make sure to reduce the temperature in the oven at the right time? Also, make sure not to use convection or you would have to reduce the temperature. Lastly, as I wrote above, make sure to use a thermometer to check the bird since not all turkeys are equal in size, width, thickness, etc.
Hi Natasha!
Is it necessary to chill for an entire hour before baking? I prepped it last night and woke up just a tad bit later than expected
Hi, I don’t usually chill before baking. It will bake more evenly if it has been on the counter for an hour before putting it in the oven. I rest for an hour after it comes out of the oven before cutting into it. As long as you give it at least 30 minutes to rest after it comes out of the oven, it should be good to cut and serve.
Hi, just wondering if you leave the breast shield on the entire time at 350? Or when do you take it off again?
Thanks!
Hi Shannon, we have notes on that in the recipe. I recommend reading through all of our tips there. We added the foil hat after the first baste during step 3. We then took the tin foil hat off when it had 10 minutes of cook time left to ensure a nice browned top.
If you need to defrost your Turkey, here is a quick method!
https://youtu.be/tLYDuMDvYLw
I just realized it called for olive oil, not ECOO. What do I do if I only have EVOO and vegetable oil?
Hi Margaret, I would use vegetable oil since it has a higher smoke point. EVOO can make your kitchen smoky roasting at higher temperatures.
thank you, you guys look like such a beautiful family!
You’re so nice! Thank you for that wonderful review!
What brand is the blue roaster you are using?
Hi Angela, you can find our favorite tools in our Amazon Affiliate Shop HERE or our Blog Shop HERE.
Good morning Natasha! Happy Thanksgiving!!! This will be the first year I try your recipe and the first time I Bake a turkey for my boyfriend of 4 years!!! He says he doesn’t like turkey cause it’s always dry and gamy!! But he’ll eat anything I cook. I’m hopeful this changes his thoughts on turkey for thanksgiving! I am so excited about it! I prepared the turkey yesterday morning and I’m up early and so excited to bake it!!!! The Butter does smell AMAZING! 🥰🍁🦃
Dianna, thank you for making our turkey recipe, I would love to hear your feedback 😀
I hope this does also! It truly is so good and so juicy! I hope you both love this recipe, Dianna! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Natasha!
Have you or any of your followers ever tried adding additional items to the cavity? Such as sage, rosemary, thyme, apples, etc? I’m making your recipe this year but my husband loves stuffing the turkey with those items usually. Do you think the flavors will mix well or do you think they’ll clash?
Hi Shawna, all of those items should work here for stuffing the turkey. You might skip the lemons on the inside though.
Natasha, HELP! I just realized that I used twice as much butter as I should have 🙁 and have already stuffed and prepped the turkey for cooking tomorrow. Any suggestions?? Thanks.
Hi Dottie! Since it is ready, I would leave it. I hope it makes for an ultra juicy recipe!
Where is the slider to adjust for a larger turkey. I have a 17 lb one. Thanks so much.
Hi Barb, I just went ahead and added that functionality for you. I hope that is helpful to you.
Hi Barb, Click ‘Jump to Recipe’ at the top of the post or scroll down to the printable recipe card. You will see red lettering by the serving size. Hover over that and adjust the slider to work for your turkey size. I hope this is helpful!
Hey Natasha! I was wondering i have a 23lb turkey so would i just double this recipe?
Hi Lidia, I would recommend using the calculation above for a 16 lb turkey (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). I highly recommend using an oven-safe thermometer that stays in the turkey as it roasts. In regards to the ingredients doubling it may be too much but should still work.
Hello. I’ve read you can bake the bird breast side down. I’m guessing it won’t look as pretty, but that breast will be juicy. Thoughts?
Hi Jerome, I have not tried that yet but that could work. Please share with us how it goes, if you do an experiment!
Hi there! I’m super excite to try this recipe this year! Just out of curiosity, do you think placing this turkey in one of those Reynolds oven bags will help with the juiciness? I’m always so paranoid about having a dry turkey! Thank you in advance for the help!
I Angelina, I honestly haven’t experimented with cooking this turkey in a bag, so I’m not sure. If anyone else has tried, please let us know. I had a couple of readers report great results using a bag, but I just haven’t tested it myself to say if any modifications need to be made.
I have used the Reynold’s bag for years and will be trying this recipe with it tomorrow! I don’t see why it would not work!
Hi Natasha,
I made your Turkey last year and it was wonderful!! This year my husband wants to use his Traeger smoker. Have you or one of your followers tried your recipe but smoked instead of roasting in oven? How did it turn out?
Thank you!
Hi Carole, I haven’t tried smoking this (although it’s on our to-do list). I don’t recall any readers trying this but if you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Could I get this Turkey ready tonight and put it in the fridge to bake tomorrow?
Hi Megan, yes, I had the turkey completely assembled with the butter everywhere before refrigerating overnight so I didn’t even have to get my hands dirty the next day. Just be sure to take it out of the fridge for about an hour to get the chill off before baking for more even baking.
Forgot to rate this recipe
5 STARS !!!!!
Love it! Thank you for the 5 stars, Paulette.
Hey Natasha! I’m trying out this recipe for Thanksgiving this year but I’m a little stuck on what to use for the pan though. I see you used a cast iron pan. I only have a stainless steel roaster with a rack (can I use it without the rack?) or I can get the aluminum foil pan. Which do you recommend using and if there’s any way to improvise with either of those two to make the turkey turn out the same. I have followed all the steps for this recipe but this is my main concern.
Hi, I imagine that should work, I do not use a rack so the bottom of the turkey essentially self-bastes as it roasts. The bottom of the turkey has some of the best tasting meat on the entire bird and most people miss it but it’s ok with us because it makes for the best leftover turkey in mushroom gravy the next day.
Made this last year and it was delicious!! Just wondering if I can dry brine the turkey the day before?
Hi John, it isn’t necessary for this recipe but would work if you wanted to brine. I’ll have to post a brine recipe next year. We’ve gotten quite a few requests!
why you are not using sage or thym? i see many recipes using them
Hi Maha, this recipe does not call for those ingredients. I think you could modify with them and if you experiment, let me know how it goes.
I used this recipe last year and will use it again for the juiciest turkey!!
I took pictures of my beautiful turkey..I was soooo proud!!
Thanks for sharing!!
It’s so so good!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My turkey is 20 pounds. How much of each ingredient do I need to increase to ensure that it turns out flavorful? Thank you.
Hi Teresa, I recommend seeing the recipe notes and the recipe slider to adjust for the size and weight of your turkey.
I’m excited to try this recipe for Thanksgiving! Question about the oven temp. Once I reduce the temp should I wait until the oven reaches the reduced temp before putting the turkey back in or is it ok to put it back in as soon as I finish basting?
Hi Leigh, I put the turkey right back into the oven while the oven is cooling down.
I was just wondering how much the lemon flavor comes out when eating the turkey? Or is the lemon just supposed to add moisture to the meat? Thanks!
Hi Jana, the lemon flavor is not overpowering at all, but you could omit the lemons inside the turkey if you are concerned or use 1 Tbsp less in the butter spread, and it will still work out fine.
GREAT recipe !
I’m so glad you loved our roast turkey recipe. Thank you for the great review!
This is the first time I will be making a turkey in the oven and I can’t wait to try yours! We were planning on brining the turkey beforehand. Can we still do that and then follow your recipe?
Hello Jennifer, it isn’t necessary for this recipe but would work if you wanted to brine. I’ll have to post a brine recipe next year. We’ve gotten quite a few requests!
Hi! I came across this recipe and I’m super excited to try. I’ve been doing alton’s recipe for 2 years but it always comes out bland :/ just curious though, there’s no brining necessary? Just wondering if we have to prep anything before roasting. Thanks!
Hi Gloria, it isn’t necessary for this recipe but would work if you wanted to brine. I’ll have to post a brine recipe next year. We’ve gotten quite a few requests!
Not a garlic fan. What can I substitute?
I haven’t tried other substitutes but you can probably use garlic powder or more seasoning to taste.
Hi Natasha, The onion and garlic that is used for the stuffing part of the recipe are inserted with their peels on? Never heard of that before. Thank you for all your awesome recipes!
Hi Michelle, it isn’t necessary to peel them since the stuffing isn’t eaten, but just infuses flavor into the bird. You totally can peel it if you prefer but it just saves a little time if you don’t have to. It’s similar to making stock – since the solids are discarded after it is made you don’t have to make them picture perfect.
Been using this recipe for a few years now, it’s amazing. Made it as recipe directs and also made it in a turkey bag. Never fails either way! I wish I could post a photo.
Hi Melissa, I’d love to hear how you did it in a turkey bag. I’m sure others might have the same question. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for that wonderful feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I am so excited to try this on Thursday. It will be my first time cooking a turkey! Just one question, why do you not peel the onion? And does that mean you just grab it, cut it, and stuff it in? You don’t peel anything at all off?
Hi Alyssa, it isn’t necessary since the stuffing isn’t eaten, but just infuses flavor into the bird. You totally can peel it if you prefer but it just saves a little time if you don’t have to. It’s similar to making stock – since the solids are discarded after it is made you don’t have to make them picture perfect.
Hello,
I’m going to do this for our turkey this year. Our turkey is a 16lb turkey . Im thinking of using 3 sticks of butter, also how long should I cook it for?
Thank you.
Hi Sheena, I would recommend using the calculation above for a 16 lb turkey (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey) and I highly recommend using an oven-safe thermometer that stays in the turkey as it roasts.
Thanks for sharing this recipe Natasha! I am planning to make my first Turkey and I am a little bit nervous about it 😁. Your recipe looks easy and yummy. The pan I have doesn’t look like yours. Mine is a nonstick roaster with rack. Will that work? Should I use it with or without the rack? Love your YouTube channel. Keep posting awesome content!
Hi Aileen, a thermometer will make all the difference in confidence when roasting a turkey. The first time I made one, I didn’t use one and I really undercooked it and then stayed away from making one for the next three years. I like roasting without the rack so the bottom of the turkey self-bastes. That is some of the best turkey meat and it’s amazing for leftover Turkey in Gravy.
I have made this recipe a few years in a row now and it is absolutely delicious! So thankful I found this recipe to add to our family’s thanksgiving tradition. Thank you for sharing!
You are most welcome, Amy. I’m so glad you found this recipe, I hope this becomes a family favorite for you!
I’m just wondering, will the turkey taste lemony from the lemon that is in the flavored butter?
Hi Maggie, the lemon flavor is not overpowering at all, but you could omit the lemons inside the turkey if you are concerned or use 1 Tbsp less in the butter spread, and it will still work out fine.
I’ve made this recipe the past 2 years and have barely noticed the lemon – not overpowering at all.
I’m excited to try your recipe! Is it okay if I don’t have rack to put the turkey on top?
Hi Kim! That is totally fine! I do not use a rack so the bottom of the turkey essentially self-bastes as it roasts. The bottom of the turkey has some of the best tasting meat on the entire bird and most people miss it but it’s ok with us because it makes for the best leftover turkey in mushroom gravy the next day.
I am a home style cook and when I prepared this turkey recipe, my husband raved about it! Everyone in my family loved this recipe and it is very easy to follow and work. I love that you also put in tips. They make everything work together beautifully. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment
Hi Natasha,
Could I use the same recipe for a 3 pound turkey breast? Using just 1/4 of the ingredients.
Hi Andrea, that should work, but you would definitely want to cut down the roasting time as well.
Gotcha!
What roasting time would you estimate to be right?
Hi Andrea, I haven’t tested that size specifically, but I would start with the timing recommendations listed above for roasting per pound.
Thank you! I was wondering this as well.
Hi, This recipe looks great! I have a 22 lb turkey and want to follow your recipe. Will it be okay? (I see in your recipe card, it says 11-15 lbs will work). Thank you!
Hi Kim, check out the notes higher up in the recipe card. Readers have reported great results using larger turkeys.
Thank you for the recipe for the beautiful turkey
You’re welcome! I hope you love this recipe!
Very much looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving! I can’t find olive oil that is not extra virgin here in town. Do you have any recommendations on a substitute or what to do? Thank you so much.
Hi Diana, you could also use vegetable oil, or canola oil, or even avocado oil. A higher smoke point is better because extra virgin can get smoky at high temperatures.
Hi Natasha, just wanted to add a few tips/ ideas? I have a similar Turkey recipe that includes adding a 14oz can chicken broth in bottom of Turkey pan while roasting to enhance juiciness. Adding a buttery Rum Glaze to a Turkey is the bomb! And adding some poultry seasoning to Turkey gravy enhances flavor ! Happy Cooking!!
Nice one, Lori. Thank you for sharing these tips with us!
Do you have a recipe for Thanksgiving stuffing? I love all your recipes but haven’t found one for stuffing.
Hello Camille, I don’t have a recipe for that yet but thanks for your suggestion. I’ll make a note of it.
What about stuffing we always stuffed turkey with stuffing so it’s soaked with turkey juices. I want to try this recipe. But idk how to serve stuffing now. I don’t see any side recipe can you recommend something.
Hi Masha, I don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey because it isn’t traditional in our family and the juices from the turkey drip into the stuffing while baking so the stuffing needs to get to 145˚F for it to be safe for consumption and by that time, the turkey breast becomes much too dry. I’ve seen some methods pre-cooking the stuffing partially and others make the stuffing and bake it in a separate dish and serve it on the side.
Hi Natasha. (: I would like to follow this recipe but cook it in an oven bag instead. Do you think that would work ok?
Hi Amy, I honestly haven’t experimented with cooking this turkey in a bag, so I’m not sure. If anyone else has tried, please let us know. I had a couple of readers report great results using a bag, but I just haven’t tested it myself to say if any modifications need to be made.
Hi Amy! I have tried her whole chicken recipe that is simply amazing and I used a cooking bag and it came out fantastic! I am planning to cook my 20 pound Turkey in a bag to and use this recipe. Hoping for good results. I’m sure it will be good you can never go wrong with Natasha’s recipes. I may omit the olive oil on top of turkey though since I will be using the bag, any
thoughts on that?
Hi, what do you thing about trying your turkey recipe on a Green Egg? I can do the 450 to 350 temp change without any trouble so I’m assuming the timing would be similar. Plus you would have the smoke flavor. I usually use apple wood. Thanks.
Hi Steve, without testing that (since I don’t have one of those Green Eggs), I can’t give you instructions for it. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes as someone else may have the same question. I hope you love the turkey recipe.
I made this last year and it was amazing! I heard pouring champagne and chicken stock makes the turkey juicy. Can I do that or will it ruin the flavor
Hi Gabriella, I haven’t tested this with champagne, but I’m intrigued! I would love to know how you like this recipe.
I forgot to add the onion! Will it be okay! (Hoping – this is the first time I’m trying your recipe and I already goofed!)
It should be alright but it will be tasty with the onion but it should still give you a good tasting dish!
Giblet is pronounced with a “J” sound in front, “Jih-blet.”
Thank you for sharing that with me, Novella!
Hi, Love all your recipes! Is the cook time after the 20 minutes 2.5 hours? At the top of this blog it says 5.5 hours.
Thanks,
Rochelle
Hi Rochelle, I would follow the instructions in step 4. Depending on your Turkey size. “Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey)” I hope this is helpful!
Hello Natasha love all your recipes!!! … Can I used the very same recipe with a whole chicken ?
Thank you, Naomi. I have a Roasted Chicken recipe that you can use.
This has been my go-to roast turkey for the last few Thanksgivings. It’s excellent. The bird is always so moist and the gravy is delish! This year, we’ll have a smaller crowd, so I’m thinking of doing a turkey breast instead. Any tips for adapting this recipe?
Hi Kathi, I imagine that could work with a turkey breast! If you experiment, I would love to know how you like it! I imagine you may need to reduce cook time and possibly cover the breast to prevent it from drying out.
Excited to try this recipe, especially with all the positive reviews! I always have problems getting the thighs and legs done without overcooking the breast. Suggestions?
Hi Julie! That is a great question, and exactly why we use the tinfoil hat. I recommend reading through the recipe notes section, here’s part of it for you: “I used the tin foil hat and had to make a couple of other tin foil accessories for the legs that started to scorch.”
very palatable all together Natasja
I’m happy you enjoyed that!
I didn’t make it yet, but it sounds good! I cook everything on convect. Do I need to adjust temperatures/cooking time? Are you recipes for convect or just standard conventional oven? Thank you very much!
Hi Biana, we use a starting conventional oven. If using convection you may need to reduce the temperature by 25 degrees but I would recommend following the oven guidelines
I am going to try your receipe for Thanksgiving. Have a great holiday
I hope you love this recipe Beverly!
Hi Natasha! I would like to find out if you are suggesting temperatures and cooking time for convection oven or the standard conventional? Should I be reducing my cooking time, since I have a convection oven? Thank you!
Hi Biana, we use a starting conventional oven. If using convection you may need to reduce the temperature by 25 degrees but I would recommend following the oven guidelines
Do you know if this recipe works in a stand alone roaster? I would love to try this for thanksgiving this year. I’ve tried many of your recipes and have not been disappointed yet 😊
Hi Becca, I haven’t tried this in a stand-alone roaster. If it is one that spins in the air then it might be best to do it in a traditional oven since the turkey sits in the drippings and you can baste with the juices that drip down.
I have made my turkey this way about 4 times and just this past Monday for Thanksgiving it is fantastic will never make it any other way! Thank you for another amazing recipe 🥰
Yay sounds like this is already one of your favorites. Thanks for your excellent feedback!
I have been making turkey with your recipe…. perfect and juicy, it’s the best method to roasted turkey. Thanks so much. Angie in Canada 🇨🇦 💜
You’re so welcome! I am glad you loved this recipe, Angela.