Turkey is the star of Thanksgiving, and it’s pretty important to get it right – I have you covered with this simple, failproof, and mouthwatering Roast Turkey Recipe. This has a crisp, salty skin with a flavor-packed, juicy center. You’ll love my trick for a tender turkey breast every time.
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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.
Juicy Roast Turkey Video
In this video, I’ll show you how to make this turkey, step-by-step. Then read on to learn everything you need to know for a perfect turkey. P.S. You can even make this turkey recipe a day in advance (see make-ahead tips below) if it makes your life easier, and it will taste even better! Plus, Turkey Brine is optional here, saving you a day of prep.
Turkey Recipe
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. The first turkey I ever made was such a flop that I was discouraged for a few years to revisit it. When I set out to make this turkey recipe, I was determined to ensure you had success the first time and every time you made this recipe.
I spent days researching the best turkey recipes online and in cookbooks, with trusted advice from my Mom and you, my readers. This Turkey recipe has been gracing your holiday tables since 2014! I’ve also been perfecting it over the years, and I can confidently say 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 and excited when I tasted the juicy bird.
P.S. Keep the turkey drippings to make the best Turkey Gravy; it’s super delicious and will be the talk of your Thanksgiving dinner!
Roast Turkey 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 light olive oil (not extra virgin), or other high-heat oil, 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
I prefer to cook turkey stuffing separately from the turkey, so I stuff my turkey with aromatics instead (which makes the gravy taste awesome), but if you do stuff the turkey with traditional stuffing, make sure it reaches 165˚F in the center.
- 1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
- 4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon, quartered
Tools You Will Need for Roasting a Turkey
- Kitchen String
- Heavy duty foil
- A heavy roasting pan that accommodates your bird, but isn’t over-sized
- Oven-safe temperature probe (to ensure a fully-cooked turkey)
To Cook a Larger Turkey:
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 lb turkey and it was superb!! I used 3 sticks of butter, 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 min 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 min 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”
How to Prepare Your Turkey for Roasting
- Defrost the Turkey – If using a frozen turkey, defrost it in the refrigerator. Per the USDA guidelines, thaw in the refrigerator 1 day for every 4 to 5 lbs of turkey. This 12 lb turkey would take 3 days to thaw, while a 16 lb turkey would take 4 days. For a quick-thaw method, see our Spatchcock Turkey Recipe (you can defrost a 12 lb turkey in 6 hours).
- Optional Brine Step – once the turkey is thawed, you can Brine your Turkey if you prefer (it requires 1 hour per pound), although it’s not necessary for this recipe. Also, check the turkey packaging since some turkeys are pre-brined, so you don’t need to brine again if that is the case.
- 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
- Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Make the Flavored butter – In a medium bowl (it’s even easier in the bowl of a food processor), combine 2 sticks of 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 or process 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!
- 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 and juicy and provides rich flavor.
- Pat dry the skin and rub the 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 the turkey cavity with a quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Use kitchen string to tie the 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.
- 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.
- Insert Thermometer – 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.
Just like that – it’s ready for the oven! Also, I love this sweet photo from 2014 when we filmed this video recipe. It’s hard to believe my son is a teenager now!
- Baste Turkey – 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).
Pro Tip:
Temperature recommendations based on the USDA say the safe poultry temperature is 165˚F, but the deeper thigh parts should be at 170-180˚F to be fully cooked through.
- Rest the Turkey – Transfer turkey to a 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.
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: You can fully prepare your turkey a day ahead – stuff, butter it up, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator one hour before baking the next day.
- To Freeze leftover turkey: Shred the meat and transfer it to freezer-safe zip-top bags or use a food saver to squeeze out as much air as possible, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- To Reheat Leftovers: My secret to the best-tasting reheated turkey is our Leftover Turkey in Gravy. We make this every year on the day after Thanksgiving.
So many of you have made this roast turkey over the years, and it gives me so much joy to hear your success stories and see this turkey in photos from your Thanksgiving feasts.
Natasha’s Thanksgiving Menu
These are the classic Thanksgiving recipes that we can’t go without for our annual Thanksgiving feast. Only the best for the biggest cooking day of the year!
- Sweet Potato Casserole – my sister’s recipe
- Mashed Potatoes – buttery and ultra creamy
- Turkey Gravy – can’t miss this one!
- Cranberry Sauce – just 3 ingredients
- Apple Pie – with a flaky crust and best filling
- Pumpkin Pie (we alternate with Pumpkin Cheesecake)
- Cheesecake – always on the menu
- Sweet Potato Salad – a crowd favorite
I’d love to hear what is on your Thanksgiving menu this year in the comments below! And I’m so curious – do you make Turkey on Christmas as well? My Mom sure does! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
For the Turkey
- 12 lb turkey, (Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary), thawed*
- Salt & Pepper, for the inside and outside of the bird
For the Flavored Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, (2 sticks)
- 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
Instructions
Prepping your Turkey
- Remove thawed turkey* from the 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 and pat dry turkey with paper towels. Let it sit in a roasting pan lined with paper towels to soak up any excess water. Fold the wings behind the turkey so they don't scorch in the oven.
Seasoning, Stuffing, and Tying up a Turkey
- Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Make Flavored Butter – In a medium bowl or in a food processor*, 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).
- 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.
- Pat skin dry and 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 cavity with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Use kitchen string to 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).
- Make Foil Shield – 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.
- Baste – 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*).
- Rest Turkey – 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 turkey 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.
Notes
*A food processor makes it much easier to blend the lemon juice into t he flavored butter, saving time and effort.
*Final Temperature – As the turkey rests, it will continue to rise to a final temperature of 165˚F at the breast and 175-180˚F at the thigh.
*Nutrition label is a rough estimate – remember that most of the butter and oil will remain in the pan when the turkey is done roasting.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi Natasha, I really want to try your recipe but the video you recently posted how to roast turkey don’t have any sound, I don’t know if the website have issues or the video. Thanks
Irina, thank you for bringing that up to me, I currently have a support team working on resolving the audio issue with player on the site. The video does have a sound. I heard reports that it works on the desktop but not a iPhone. In the mean time click here to watch the same video on Youtube.
Hi Natasha, thanks for the recipe. I have the whole bird prepped and in the fridge. Do you add any chicken stock or water to the pan before roasting, or just let the butter and oil drip into the bottom?
Hi Rick, I don’t add anything to the pan. I set the bird in a dry roasting pan and the drippings from the bird accumulate at the bottom.
I was just wondering if the lemon affects the taste of the gravy made from drippings?
Hi Joy, the gravy does have some lemony flavor in it afterwards. I found that adding a little milk to the gravy gives it a nice creaminess while countering the lemon flavor. If you are concerned about it, you could use half the amount of lemon juice in the butter and it will still work fine 🙂
Hi. This looks like such an awesome recipe. My two questions: 1: can I add some quartered oranges to stuff the turkey? Or would the oranges and lemon not work together. 2: How come u don’t completely cover the pan with foil, you only do the shield?
Hi Yani, I only cover with the shield so the turkey can still brown nicely without drying out the turkey breast. I haven’t tired oranges but I think quartered oranges would work fine in the cavity.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Do you have any recommendations for reheating the turkey if it is prepared the day before? Thanks in advance 🙂
Hi Jason, that’s tough to do without overcooking the turkey. Do you mean pre-cooking the whole turkey and reheating the whole turkey? I would recommend serving it the same day it is made if possible. It’s ok to prepare the turkey completely then set it in the fridge and bake the next day if you wish. If you are asking about what to do with leftover turkey meat, I have a truly delicious leftover turkey recipe and it doesn’t even taste like leftovers!
Hi Natasha can I use an Oven bag to bake the turkey?
Hi Shermeen, I haven’t tried it in an oven bag so I can’t really tell you what modifications in bake time you would need to make and you would not be able to baste it. It might work, but without trying it myself, I can’t give you a recommendation.
Hi Natasha,.
Is it OK to cook the turkey in a electric roasting pan instead of the oven?
Hi Janice, to be honest, I’ve never used one so I can’t really say. I don’t recall any readers mentioning it either.
Hi Natasha,
when can we expect the video? I am really looking forward to it. Hope it will be available by this weekend.
Hi Mimi, we’re hoping to have it posted by tomorrow afternoon. 🙂
Aside from a longer cooking time, what would I need to change for a 20+ pound chicken?
Hi Sarah, I have a lengthy note in the recipe above about using a larger bird. 🙂 I think that should answer your question 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I am really looking forward to trying this recipe. Just wondering if it is ok to brine the turkey, Or is it really not necessary.
Hi Aluris, it is ok to brine the turkey if you wish 🙂
I LOVE this recipe. I used it for the first time last Thanksgiving. Everything went perfectly well… I followed it step by step. It was such a hit! I intend to repeat it again this year (upon request).
However, my brother said the drumstick were a bit on the dry side (his favorite part). Is there something you would suggest so that this does not occur again?
Thank you!
Hi Cassie, you might try basting the turkey an extra time or make the shield extend over the turkey drumstick a little bit to keep it juicier 🙂
Thank you very much for this recipe. Tried making it in 2014 and everyone loved it. Last year tried other recipe with marinate and it wasn’t even half this good.
Will be making it again this year! Soooo good!
Yuliya, you are very welcome and thank you for such a nice review 😬. I have a video of this recipe coming very soon.
Natasha thank u for such a delicious recipe I made it last year for thanksgiving and it was delicious. I want to make it this year as well I wanted to try marinating the turkey do u have any marinate that would work well ?
Hi Anna, I don’t have a marinated turkey recipe posted – we filmed this recipe this year (coming soon) so I’ve made 2 turkeys recently ;), but we will try to get a marinated one up for next year. 🙂
Natasha do you think it’ll be ok to prepare the turkey the night before, stuffed and all, then bring to room temperature before roasting?
Hi Irina, yes that would work fine 🙂 It would probably taste even better!
Oh i love this idea of stuffing it night before! i wont have to go crazy on thanksgiving morning trying to get everything cooked! would i cover it overnight and put in the fridge?
Yes!! I love things that take the stress out of the holidays! 🙂 I just baked this turkey twice today (filming a video!)
What kind of roasting pan are you using in this recipe? Is it stainless steel? Is there a reason you don’t recommend using a roasting rack? Really looking forward to trying this recipe this year!
Hi Wendy, this is my Mother’s stainless steel roasting pan. A rack is not necessary in this recipe. The meat at the base becomes incredibly flavorful and it’s much easier to get to the liquid to baste the turkey if the rack isn’t in the way. I hope you love the turkey recipe! 🙂
I am getting ready to make my first Turkey. My mom is passing the torch for Thanksgiving dinner and now I am hosting it. I am excited to try to this but was wondering about stuffing the bird. There has been a long family tradition of stuffing for us and didn’t know if that would change the flavor of the bird if I used our family stuffing instead of the one you added above? Thank you again! I think I might do a trial run first to see how it goes. Very nervous since I am not the best cook, just a good baker of sweets.
Hi Alysia, I usually don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey because: the juices from the turkey drip into the turkey 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. This is why I typically don’t do a stuffing and it never was traditional in our family. I’ve seen some methods pre-cooking the stuffing partially and others make the stuffing and bake it in a separate dish. You might ask your family members if they have any tips or tricks since it is a long-family tradition.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it for Thanksgiving last weekend, and it was fantastic! The skin was just the right shade of brown, the meat was tender and juicy and we had tons of drippings to turn into a very flavourful gravy. Not to mention that the whole house smelled pretty darn amazing! I actually impressed my mother-in-law with this turkey, and my husband is more than happy to eat turkey sandwiches all week long! I’ll definitely make it again!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles!
Great recipe, thank you so much for sharing! Used this yesterday for our Thanksgiving dinner. This will be my go to from now on 🙂
Thank you so much for the amazing review! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
So is this turkey not covered? Only with the foil on the breasts?
Hi Ariel, yes that is correct 🙂
My husband and I made this recipe today and it is by far the best turkey were ever had! And the gravy oh my goodness was to die for! We will be making it again. Thank you!!!
I’m so happy you loved it!! I love that you made a turkey in summer. Who says you have to wait for Thanksgiving, right?! 🙂
Thank u for your recipe, tried it last night and it helped me a lot! Again, thank u!
You are welcome Vicki, I’m so glad you liked it 😀.
I made this on Thanksgiving last year, and it was the best turkey I’ve ever tasted! It was juicey, tender, and flavorful! My husband said it was the best turkey he ever had! It was also the first turkey I have ever made. I bought a whole chicken and I’m going to give this recipe a try with the chicken, I’m hoping it’s just as good as the turkey! Thank you for such an amazing recipe!
Hi Veronica, Thank you for that wonderful review. Let me know how it goes with a chicken. I haven’t tried that and I’m so curious! 🙂