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
Just wondering – I am a very novice chef. Is there a culinary reason for rinsing the turkey? I’ve seen this advice from the USDA which says not to, so wanted to check with you.
Hi Connie, I rinse it out because more often then not, there are still some ice remains inside, but patting dry would be sufficient and yes, it would also be more sanitary to just pat the turkey dry with paper towels rather than rinsing.
Sorry, I’m not sure if this question was covered yet or not. However, how long do you leave the triangle oiled foil on before you remove it
We start roasting it uncovered for the first 20 minutes then apple the foil triangle (in step 3) and keep that foil triangle on the remainder of time in the oven.
If stuffing inside the turkey should I still stuff it with the onions, garlic, parsley and lemon?
Also a 23lb bird is ok?
Hi Scott, 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,
Cooking my first turkey this thanksgiving and looking forward to trying this. I notice in some of the pictures that it seems like the neck and gizzards are in the roasting pan with the turkey, as opposed to just being thrown away. Any reason for this?
Hey there Owen, We like to eat the neck part. I have brother in law who eats the other stuff. It’s not necessary to keep it for the gravy. If you don’t like those parts, toss them.
This recipe looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try it this Thanksgiving and will report back to you.
After reviewing the recipe, I have two questions: (1) What is the purpose of initially baking the bird at 430 degrees for 20 minutes, rather than baking it at 350 degrees for the entire period of time? (2) Does the basting process actually penetrate the skin of the bird and improve the juiciness of the meat or does it simply help in crisping the skin?
Just trying to learn. Thanks!
Hi Randy! That is a great question! Roasting the turkey at a higher temperature to start off with yields crisp skin and moist meat. As does the basting. The basting promotes crisping of the skin and keeps the meat juicy. It also prevents the skin from drying out. I hope this helps! I look forward to hearing how you like this recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe, I made this for my brothers welcome home( from deployment ) early Thanksgiving Dinner. Everyone raves about it, they were so surprised with just the small amount of ingredients and how juicy and fragrant it turned out. Absolutely none left!! Definitely will be the only way I make turkey from now on. Even my mom said I did a better job than her😮 that’s huge for me!!! Definitely use this recipe you will be so glad you did!!
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this with me Alisha! I’m so happy you were all able to get together with your family and brother especially! I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you! 🙂
This was the most delicious turkey I have made!
I inquired about the amount of lemon used and proceeded then to make this recipe using only 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in the butter blend. I know that citrus can be used for tenderizing but was afraid to have a turkey that tasted lemony. Folks at my table came back for third helpings! It was delicious but I omitted 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and I did not put lemon wedges in the cavity. There was the most subtle hint of lemon with just the 1 tablespoon.
The turkey cooked at 430° for 20 minutes and 335° for 2 1/2 hours for a 12 pound bird. So the recipes directions for how to cook is are spot on. You have to know your oven… my oven runs hot so cooking it at 350° would have overdone it. Thanks for a great recipe I definitely will share this with brands.
Thank you for the glowing and amazing review! I’m so glad you loved the turkey recipe!!
I am trying this recipe and trying to determine if I should use less of the lemon juice. One review referred to it as lemon garlic turkey. I don’t really want turkey taste like lemon chicken. Is the lemon taste strong in the finished products or is it simply an aid to making a moist turkey?
Hi Lori. 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.
Having read the reviews and inquiring about the quantity of lemon I went ahead and made this delicious turkey recipe. I used only 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and did not put lemon wedges inside the turkey cavity. I didn’t want a lemon flavor in my Turkey but I know the citrus lends towards tenderizing. This recipe made the most tender and juicy turkey I’ve ever made. It was wonderful and people came back for third helpings. The timing suggested was perfect for a 12 pound bird and the flavor was excellent. I do think that 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and lemon Wedges inside the turkey will make for a heavy lemon flavor….. If a lemon flavor is what you’re looking for! I cooked this turkey at 430° for 20 minutes and then 335° for 2 1/2 hours. You have to know your oven and if it runs hot, which mine does, 350° would have overdone it. This is my new go to turkey recipe!
I am so happy you loved the recipe! thank you for sharing your review and insights! 🙂
I’m curious what kind of turkey you recommend, as far a “natural”, “kosher” or “self-basted”. I’m leaning toward Kosher from suggestions that I’ve read, but wonder if all of the butter and salting in this recipe might make it too salty. It’ll be my first year in charge of the turkey, so I’m doing my homework. Glad to have found your recipe; it looks easy enough and delicious!
We usually buy natural or frozen. Haven’t really used a kosher or Self-basted one before. I’d love to know how you like the recipe if you try those options!
Do you know if this would still work if I omitted the onion? (my onion hating mom is coming over for thanksgiving)
It still may, it may effect the flavor. A few of our readers have left it out
Hi! Just wanted to say thank you for an excellent recipe! I made it with a 27 pound turkey last night and everyone loved it. My 16-year son asked me to make sure I kept the recipe! I would have loved to have made the gravy as we had a lot of drippings, however, the bird was just too heavy to lift out of the roasting pan so I served it in the pan. After we ate, I was able to collect the drippings and will freeze them to make a gravy in the future. Thanks again! 😊
That’s a big Turkey! Wow! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that!
Did you have to change the amount of ingredients for that size?
I baked my ( Canadian) thanksgiving turkey using your recipe this weekend…it was absolutely DELICIOUS!
Loved the easy to follow instructions and the video helped too! Thank you for a wonderful recipe
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Natasha!
I want to try this but I’m wondering what side dishes go with it?
Hi lili! Honestly with Turkey, the sky is the limit! I can’t think of countless variations including. mashed potato, salads, Steamed vegetables, etc. I hope you like it!
I have been using this recipe to make all my turkeys for years. Thank you so much for taking my Thanksgiving dinner up a notch 🙂
My family absolutely loves it. BEST TURKEY EVER
Thank you so much for this wonderful feedback, Tara!!
The BEST turkey recipe!!! I made this recipe at Easter for my family. Not only did my kids rave about how good it was my father even said it was “the BEST turkey he has had in a long time”.
Wow! Thank you for sharing this with me, Sarah!
Hi Natasha, I am planning on trying this recipe for easter and hoping to follow every step. You start by cooking it uncovered at 430F for 20 mins then returning it to the oven to cook at a lower temperature with the tin foil hat on. Are the breasts the only area that’s covered for the remaining of the cooking time? Or do I need a lid? thanks so much for sharing your research
Hi Dana, that is correct, I only tent the turkey breast portion with foil at the lower temperature.
Hi Natasha,
I have used your recipe over and over and over. I just love it and the turkey comes out perfect and moist every time. Thanks for sharing.
Jenny
You’re welcome Jennifer! I’m glad to hear how much you love this recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review!
I have a question. Since you recommend letting it sit for an hour won’t we be eating cold turkey? How do you reheat it enough to not dry it out?
Hi Sue, because the turkey is large, if it is tented with foil for an hour, it will still be warm. You could maybe pull off 30 minutes of resting but I wouldn’t do any less than that 🙂
Looks so good! Would those instructions work for chicken?
Thank you!
Hi Nina, I haven’t personally tested with a smaller bird like a chicken but I love that idea and I bet it would work great. I would decrease the amount of butter mix proportionally and yes decrease the bake time. I have had a couple of readers report great results using this recipe for chicken (and also covering the chicken breast with foil). One of my readers said it took about 1 1/2 hours for a chicken, but it would really depend on the size of the chicken and I would suggest using a thermometer to check for doneness.
Thank you for your reply, I just finished marinating the chicken, planning to bake it tomorrow 🙂
Hi Natasha Dylan here just to say I followed your recipe but used oranges instead of lemons and it came out moist succulent and fantastic wish I took a photo of it now . Will never use any other recipe from now on thank you whole family loved it
Hello Dylan! I’m so glad to hear that. Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!