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
This is the first time that i leave a comment on any blog
I made yesterday the turkey it was 12kgs
I used your recipes and all all my guests were impressed
It was deliciousssss
God bless you
Hi Sally, I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing your amazing review 🙂
Hi, I did this last year and loved it! I was wondering what is the significance of putting the lemon, garlic etc. in the turkey?
thank you,
Hi Bree, they add fragrance and flavor to the turkey and the drippings which we use to make gravy 🙂
HI
I wanted to ask if you brine the turkey before. Also did you say we can fully prep the turkey and then just roast the next day ?
Hi Joanna, I don’t brine but you can if you prefer, it just isn’t necessary in this recipe. Yes, you can prep and stuff the turkey the day before, cover and refrigerate then roast on the day you are serving 🙂
I made this two years ago and it was delicious!! Going to make it again tomorrow! I don’t remember putting unpeeled garlic and onion in the bird though. What is the significance of leaving the peel on? Guessing it cuts down on the strong onion/garlic flavor?
Hi Lauren, it is only for ease. Since the garlic cloves are not consumed, there is no need to peel them if you are cutting them in half. 🙂
Hi,
This is my first time cooking for Thanksgiving and I am using a 10lb turkey, should I reduce anything or just leave it as is?
Hi Van, you can use slightly less of the butter mixture if you like, but it will bake faster since it is a smaller turkey so I highly recommend using a meat thermometer so it isn’t over/under baked. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello,
This is the first time I make a turkey, so I’m looking at the photos very closely…what is in the pan with the turkey?
Hi Michelle, I just garnished it with a variety of fruits and greens just before serving (apples, orange, lemon, kale). I’ve garnished the same turkey 2 ways if this gives you more inspiration. Is that what you are asking about? I am not using a rack if that is the question :).
I meant before you put it in the oven.
Ok, got it! It’s the neck and gizzards that are inside the turkey when you purchase it. There are people who enjoy those and if you don’t you can discard them.
Hello,
In your recipe you only baste the turkey once. Is that what we should do or base every 30 minutes ?
Thank You !
Hi Lisandra, you can baste it more if you prefer just keep in mind everytime you open the oven, you will lose some heat so it may take slightly longer to bake the turkey.
Can you stuff this turkey with dressing
Hi Donna, 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 am following this recipe this evening to prepare turkey for tomorrow. I am having very difficult time spreading the butter mixture on top of the turkey. I did dry the top again before attempting to spread the butter. However, the butter keeps sticking to my hands and I am not able to spread the butter. Help!! 🙂
Hi Rafeef, if the butter is not mixed until the lemon juice is incorporated, it is a little harder to spread but still do-able. I suggest patting the butter on in a thin layer with your fingertips rather than trying to spread it out. It doesn’t have to be perfect so no worries 🙂
Thank you so much for your reply!!
Hey! I’m super excited to try this recipe for my boyfriend and my first thanksgiving together. I was wondering if I could prep the turkey the day before thanksgiving, and then roast it the day of thanksgiving?
Hi Alexis, yes absolutely, you can prep and stuff the bird then cover and refrigerate and roast the day you are serving it 🙂
I have a 21lb turkey and how should I increase the recipe and the cook time compared to your recipe for a 12-15LB turkey?
Hi Neil, please see the “Note” in the recipe above on using a larger turkey which should answer your questions about scaling the recipe and baking times.
I’m excited to try this recipe! Have you tried doing the butter rub, but putting bread dressing inside instead?
Hi Katelyn, I usually don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey because it isn’t traditional in our family and als tohe 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. 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. I’m making a 23lb turkey. Should I just double the recipe?
Sorry just read your notes and Shannon answered my question.
Oh ok got it! I’m glad you found it 🙂
When you say front and back of turkey (when applying mix under skin) do you mean the breast side and the side that we lay the turkey on? (hard to explain lol)
Hi Lacy, I just rub the butter under the skin on the top of the turkey under the skin (the breast side), not the underside since the butter drips down to the bottom and the base of the turkey self-bastes.
Hi Lacy, you won’t quite need double the recipe. Please see the note towards the top of the recipe from a reader who used a large turkey which should answer your question about adjustments.
Hello Natasha a fellow chefs!
I have been reading numerous recipes this year, trying to narrow down the key ingredients with the best cooking procedure to produce a great Thanksgiving dinner for my family of 20. I’m the baby of the group, however I’m the best cook!
I GOT SKILLZ IN DA KITCHEN!
I was wondering if the butter (after melted) will be too much to make gravy out of the drippings? I’m all about the gravy, but I want to try the butter rub.
Advice please.
Thank you
Hi Jaxson, I do make turkey gravy out of this recipe. Here is our turkey gravy recipe with instructions on how much of the butter fat to keep and how much to discard. I hope that answers your questions 🙂
I am going to bake the turkey a day before as suggested. How long do I warm it on Thanksgiving and at what temp?
Hi Stacey, I recommend baking this the day you are serving it but it can be stuffed and buttered and fully prepped then covered and refrigerated overnight and baked the next day before serving.
Is there’s a reason why you can’t just use extra virgin olive oil? Will the turkey not turn out ok? I have a big bottle of extra virgen olive oil because that’s the only oil I use for cooking and I was hoping I could just use that, instead of buying another bottle of olive oil? Please let me know thank you I appreciate it!
Hi Isabel, you can still make it work but extra virgin is not ideal because it doesn’t tolerate high eat well and does not have a high smoke point and the turkey is on high heat for the first 20 minutes. You can also use canola oil or even better is avocado oil if you have it.
Thank you for replying I’ll try the avocado oil
You’re welcome! 🙂
Do you need to brine with this recipe? I am on the fence about brining or not. What do you think?
Hi Casey, it isn’t necessary in this recipe. If you prefer to brine, it wouldn’t hurt, but would probably give the turkey even more flavor :).
Hi Natasha, I’m making this right now actually! Is it necessary to baste the turkey while it’s roasting at 350?
Hi Lauren, you can baste it an extra time if you wish, but I usually just baste it before adding the shield when I reduce the temperature.
When reducing to 350 do I need to wait until it reaches 350 before putting the bird back in the oven?
Heather, there is no need to wait 😬
not sure my post went through.
what about adding a few sprigs in side turkey with lemons. Can I put in thyme ,sage or rosemaryy . I want to use drippings for gravy. will this hurt taste or add to it .
Hi Joyce, I haven’t tried those herbs in this recipe but those should still work to add to the center of the turkey. The turkey or gravy is not lacking in flavor without them, but I don’t think it would hurt to add them.
I saw that if you do not want to cook Turkey to long because you have stuffing inside, put a little stuffing in smaller side of turkey. .When done take out add to your already prepared stuffing and cook in casserole dish. This will add roast moist flavor.
Great tip Joyce! Thanks for sharing 🙂