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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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, about how many people does a 12lb bird usually feed? This would be the main protein for a party of about 7 couples. I never made a turkey either before and not sure how much of it can actually be eaten?
Hi Anna, it can vary depending on what else is on the menu. I have made this to feed 10 adults and 6+ kids (although kids eat like birds – some pun intended. lol). If you have at least 1 other meat dish on the menu, that could probably work for 7 couples if you do a really thorough job of getting all of the meat from the bird.
Hi, your recipe sounds delicious. I would like to use it for 5 turkeys I will be cooking. These turkeys will all be large turkeys (larger then 25 lb), will this be a problem with this recipe? I plan on either doubling or tripling the ingredients.
Hi Lori, please see the note in the “notes” section just below the “what you’ll need” section. This should help 🙂
how much do I put in a 22 lb. turkey?
Hi Dianne, please see note towards the top on using a larger bird which should help 🙂
If I make 2 turkeys (12 lbs each) at the same time, what adjustments are needed in cooking time and oven temperature? Also, is a 20-lb turkey better than 2 smaller ones?
Hi Joy, I have never tried two birds at once since my oven does not accomodate for that so I’m not 100% sure on the bake time. I would definitely suggest using a temperature probe to be sure the turkey is finished and check the temperature when close to the cooking time stated and increase as needed. For the larger turkey, please see the note left by a reader on using a 23 lb turkey to get ideas on how to prepare it. The Note is just below the “what you will need” section towards the top of the recipe. I hope that helps!
I plan on using this recipe to make my turkey for our family Thanksgiving. Usually we rest the turkey (out of the oven) for like 20-30 mins. Won’t it get cold if it rests for an hour?
I’m so nervous, this will be my first time making a turkey lol.
Hi Amanda, if you tent it fully with foil, the bird is large enough that it will still be warm after an hour. I learned that tip from Gordon Ramsay and have been pleased with the results 🙂
Thank you for all of your great recipes. I’ve always cooked my turkey in a bag and everyone I know does too. Your recipe is open pan roasting. Why do you not use a bag? I’ve always been told the turkey would be dry if not cooked in a bag.
Hi Justine, I always roast without a bag and have great results. If you test this recipe with a turkey bag, let me know how it goes! 🙂
can i use canola oil instead of olive
Yes that should work fine 🙂
WHAT ABOUT ADDING FRESH CHOPPED HERBS TO BUTTER .
WHAT TEMP WOULD I NEED TO COOK IN CONVECTION OVEN
Hi Joyce, I did add fresh parsley to the butter mixture – is that what you are asking about? I think there is room to experiment with other herbs like dill that taste great with lemon. I haven’t tested this in a convection oven so I can’t really advice on that. I always cook in a conventional oven since most people own a conventional oven but not all have the convection setting.
I meant can you add herbs like sage or thyme. I was never a big fan of lemon. does the lemon over power the taste of the turkey.
Hi Joyce, I think there is room to experiment with other herbs in this recipe. I wouldn’t say it overpowers the turkey at all but it does give a lemony flavor to the pan drippings if you are planning to make gravy out of that.
I have an actual roaster which I plan to use instead of an oven. I’m thinking of doing the first 20 minutes in the real oven and then using the separate roaster for the rest. Think that will work alright as long as I check the temperature every so often to make sure it cooks correctly? I’m mostly concerned with getting a nicely brown, crispy, yet flavorful skin on the outside 🙂
Hi Bridget, to be honest, I don’t have any experience with a roaster. It sounds like it could work. I would suggest looking up some references online for folks who have used roasters for a turkey to see their process and definitely be sure to use a thermometer to be sure it is cooked through properly.
Hello!
I made this turkey last year for Christmas Eve and it came out SO GOOD, I had a smaller turkey but used the same amount of butter compound. I think it may have been too much butter (who knew that could be a thing?) so I will adjust.
This year I want to spatchcock the turkey, do you think this recipe will still work? Also, what do you think about a cheesecloth dipped in butter (like how Martha Stewart does it) instead of the aluminum foil?
I didn’t think there was such a thing! 😉 But, yes I agree, a smaller turkey can use less butter mixture proportionally. I think this would still work if you wanted to spatchcock the turkey except it would probably bake faster so be sure to check for doneness with a thermometer. Also, I haven’t tried the cheesecloth method so I’m not certain if it would burn at higher temperatures or not. It sounds like a good and interesting alternative to foil! If you test it out, I’d be very curious what you thought of that method :).
Hi…I’ll be doing a 25 pound turkey this weekend and want to use your method. The only thing is, I don’t really like the flavour of lemon. Does the lemon taste really stand out? Would it make a big difference if I just omitted the lemon?
Hi Jaime, I have not tried this recipe without the lemon just because it is very important to the flavor here. I would suggest still using the lemon on the outside and not placing lemons inside the turkey so you still will have all the flavor without any strong lemony flavor.
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving, which in Canada is this weekend, and it turned out great. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear that Manraj! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Super delicious! Although my husband insisted on stuffing it with bread stuffing, the butter was amazing – the skin was nice and crispy and people who don’t normally like the skin were fighting over it! Thanks for a great recipe and useful tips so I wasn’t serving up a dried out turkey.
My pleasure Sue! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe so much! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Did you still stuff the turkey with the onions, garlic, parsley and lemon?
I only have extra virgin olive oil, is that Ok?
Hi Tina, Extra virgin is not ideal because it doesn’t tolerate high eat well and the turkey is on high heat for the first 20 minutes. You an use canola oil or even better is avocado oil if you have it.
Can I prep the bird with the butter etc….the night before?
Hi Andrea, yes absolutely! I have even done it 3 days ahead. Just be sure to cover and refrigerate until ready to use and keep in mind it will need slightly longer baking time if it is going straight from the fridge to the oven.
It’s canadian thanksgiving and that just saved me waking in the middle of the night …lol. Was planning to leave it out for an hour or so before putting in the oven.
Oh that’s great! Have a happy Thanksgiving!! 🙂
Hi there,
I am hoping to use this delicious recipe this year for my Thanksgiving dinner but had a few questions.
1) If I decided to make the turkey the day before, how do you suggest I re-heat the carved turkey without drying it out?
2) After an hour of sitting tented, is the turkey still warm?
Thanks,
Hi Tammy, for the holiday, I would highly recommend making this the day of your event if possible – no matter what, after refrigeration, a turkey will taste like leftover turkey meat – more tough and not as juicy as fresh. The turkey will remain warm during the entire tented resting period. 🙂
Is it okay to brine first then do steps as per your recipe?
Hi Virginia, yes that should work fine.
I’m a 41 year old male who usually doesn’t cook a Thanksgiving meal but it’s August and I needed to make a little room in my freezer so I thought out a turkey that I had from November. I followed the recipe to a t but I did throw in some celery and carrots inside the cavity of the turkey. This turkey came out so juicy I can’t believe I made something so delicious
I’m happy to hear that Jason! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Are you only covering the breast with foil? Or are you placing more foil over the entire turkey?
We covered just the breast part of the turkey.
I’ve been eating turkey for almost 60 years, and this is the BEST I’ve ever tasted. My daughter, who doesn’t like turkey, liked this recipe. In addition, the leftovers didn’t taste like usual leftover turkey- that “old turkey” taste. They tasted like the freshly-baked bird for a number of days.
Thank you! (BTW, I used a 10# bird, and still needed to increase the baking time.
I’m so glad to hear that Patricia! Thanks for sharing the tip and the INCREDIBLE review! 😀
Can I stuff this turkey with a bread dressing
Hi Gladys, our family never added the traditional stuffing to our bird so I can’t say for sure. I would suggest using the stuffed turkey timing that you are comfortable with since it’s important to have the stuffing a safe temp to consume as well and that can be tricky to get both fully cooked and safe to eat. I would definitely suggest using a meat thermometer so your turkey doesn’t end up overcooked. Sorry that’s not the most helpful answer…
My Husband and I followed this recipe for our first Thanksgiving (2016) and OMG best turkey we have EVER eaten! I would actually almost say best turkey anyone has ever made in the whole family! It was super moist and flavorful! Thanks for my new favorite seasonal recipe!
You’re welcome Shayla! What a pleasure for me to contribute to the joy felt on Thanksgiving day! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review 😀