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
Alton Brown says to roast a turkey to 155 in thickest part of breast He says higher it will be over done
What do you think about this.
Hi Joyce, was that from an older recipe from Alton? The USDA changed their recommendations in recent years to say 165 for poultry so I think that is the safer way to go.
I grew up with traditional breading/stuffing inside the turkey- so I know that will be expected from my family this year. Do you recommend not doing that? I can’t do thanksgiving without stuffing!
Hi Avigeya, I don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey because: the juices from the turkey drip into the stuffing 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. Will it be an acceptable substitute to serve the stuffing on the side? 😉
Did you still stuff the turkey with the onions, garlic, parsley and lemon?
Hello! I am very excited to try this recipe this thanksgiving! I had one question though: do you not use a roasting rack? Is it needed? What is the different if I use one vs. if I don’t use one? Please let me know, cooking this on Thursday!!
Hi Tianna, I do not use a rack so the bottom of the turkey self-bastes as it roasts.
hi natasha. i was wondering do you know any quick water brining for the turkey. and also i dont like to stuff the turjey do you think if i did it without the lemons inside it will taste good??
Hi Virsaviya, you can omit the lemons inside and it will still work well. I don’t have a brining recipe written down so I don’t have exact measurements to share. You might google a good brining recipe.
This has absolutely become my go to recipe for making turkey. So much flavour and so juicy every time. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome Jennifer! I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Hi,
How would you reheat the turkey if you cook it a day ahead?
Hi Michelle, I always serve this the day it’s made for best results, I recommend timing the turkey so it is done 1 hour before your company arrives. I usually calculate backwards from when I know my dinner guests are arriving.
Hi, I think I am going to use your recipe. Can I use an oven bag with your recipe?
Hi Ralph 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!
Hi,
I am planning on cooking a larger turkey- 16 to 18 lbs, What would the time for cooking be for that size?
Hi Tina, without running a test on that specific size, I am not able to give you exact timing. I suggest following the instructions in the recipe for timing per pound and also see the notes section where a reader shared her experience using a larger turkey. You will definitely need a thermometer to be sure the turkey is just right 🙂
Hi Natasha! You suggested that this turkey can be cooked the day ahead and taste even better. This would certainly make Thanksgiving Day less hectic. How, then, would you recommend reheating it for the big day? Thanks SO MUCH! It sounds scrumptious!
Hi Colleen, I meant that it can be prepped with the butter and stuffed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to roast, but For best results, I recommend timing the turkey so it is done 1 hour before your company arrives. I usually calculate backwards from when I know my dinner guests are arriving.
Hi, I will be making this for a company brunch so I am a little nervous. How would you suggest making it ahead and than serving it. Also do you have instructions for the gravy? This is my first turkey, wish me luck.
Hi Dawn, For best results, I recommend timing the turkey so it is done 1 hour before your company arrives. I usually calculate backwards from when I know my dinner guests are arriving. I do have a scrumptious turkey gravy using the drippings from the pan when you make the gravy. Gravy recipe here 🙂
Do you put the turkey on a rack in the roaster pan?
Hi Lori, I do not use a rack so the bottom of the turkey self-bastes as it roasts.
Sounds Great. Would you recommend doing the brining process before roasting the turkey ? Many people i have spoken with say brining is the key to a great turkey! Thoughts?
Hi Jimmy, brining isn’t necessary with this recipe. You could if you wanted to and it would probably add even more flavor but it isn’t necessary with this method.
I use a turkey roaster, would it all be the same temp and times? I have a tiny oven that doesn’t fit much so the roaster works out better for my turkey cooking.
Hi Tori, I wish I could be more helpful but I just don’t have any experience using a turkey roaster. I would suggest googling for articles that talk about using a turkey roaster and any modifications that need to be made. Maybe someone else can share some insight into this? Thanks in advance friends! 🙂
I would like to use this recipe. could you tell me what kind of Turkey you use? There are so many variety (organic, natural, kosher…etc)
Does it matter??
Hi Leslie, I have purchased one that said natural and another one that said organic. It really depends on your budget for a turkey and how much you want to spend on one. Either will work 🙂
Sounds delicious. If the turkey sits out for an hour after it is cooked it will be cold. How should it be warmed up?
Hi Linda, because the turkey is large, if it is tented with foil for an hour, it will still be warm.
Hi! Is this recipe still OK to use with a turkey from Butterball?
Hi Vicky, I have made this with a butterball turkey and it worked well.
Really excited to try this recipe next week 🙂 this isn’t my first bird however im always looking for a new flavor and ways make sure I have a juicy tender turkey.
I hope you love it Sarah! Please let me know what you think!
I thought ths recipe was amazing!!!! It was so flavorful and delicious! It took about an hour longer of cooking time in my oven versus what the instructions called for, but it was 13 pounder instead of 12. As far as the flavor goes, I wouldn’t have changed a thing! ** Note: I didn’t have olive oil, so I used canola oil to add to the butter mixture instead and it still tasted great.
Awesome, I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe Gina! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
I was hoping to try this recipe but I would be doing it with a 6-7lb turkey. Would it be as easy as just halving the ingredient amounts or would I need to adjust the initial 20 minute bake time and possibly temperature too?
Hi Kevin, you will probably have to cut down on the overall bake time until you reach the correct internal temperature. Since it is a smaller bird, it will bake faster.
Thank you for the great recipe! I however made a mistake. I thought I grabbed the olive oil and not the extra virgin olive oil at the store :[. I sadly have already drizzle it all over my turkey and used it for the butter mixture. Is there a way to prevent the burning of the turkey now? Or is it too late? Thank you!
Hi NL, I think it will still be ok since you are shielding the turkey during the initial roasting at the higher temperature. I wouldn’t worry too much if you have already used it in the recipe.
Wow you make it look so effortless! It looks fantastic I am almost tempted to make this but I’ve never made a turkey before so…..
You can do it! This recipe is popular for good reason! I hope you give it a try Sheri!