Turkey is the star of Thanksgiving, and it’s pretty important to get it right – I have you covered with this simple, failproof, and mouthwatering Roast Turkey Recipe. This has a crisp, salty skin with a flavor-packed, juicy center. You’ll love my trick for a tender turkey breast every time.
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You don’t need to be scared to try new things in the kitchen, like the Thanksgiving turkey which is the “year’s most important dish”. You can’t go wrong by adding this roast turkey recipe to your menu. It’s fantastic.
Juicy Roast Turkey Video
In this video, I’ll show you how to make this turkey, step-by-step. Then read on to learn everything you need to know for a perfect turkey. P.S. You can even make this turkey recipe a day in advance (see make-ahead tips below) if it makes your life easier, and it will taste even better! Plus, Turkey Brine is optional here, saving you a day of prep.
Turkey Recipe
I was so excited about this juicy roast turkey recipe every step of the way, and I think you’ll feel the same way when you try it. The first turkey I ever made was such a flop that I was discouraged for a few years to revisit it. When I set out to make this turkey recipe, I was determined to ensure you had success the first time and every time you made this recipe.
I spent days researching the best turkey recipes online and in cookbooks, with trusted advice from my Mom and you, my readers. This Turkey recipe has been gracing your holiday tables since 2014! I’ve also been perfecting it over the years, and I can confidently say this tender and delicious turkey will impress your dinner guests.
The turkey breast is so juicy and flavorful, and the skin is crisp and roasts to a beautiful golden brown. I invited all of my family over to help eat this turkey and received rave reviews from 10 adults and quite a few kiddos. I was so giddy and excited when I tasted the juicy bird.
P.S. Keep the turkey drippings to make the best Turkey Gravy; it’s super delicious and will be the talk of your Thanksgiving dinner!
Roast Turkey Ingredients
- 12 lb turkey (Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary – see below)
- Salt & Pepper for the inside and outside of the bird
For the Flavored Butter
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil (not extra virgin), or other high-heat oil, plus more to drizzle the top
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon), plus 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 Tbsp salt (I used sea salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For the Turkey Stuffing
I prefer to cook turkey stuffing separately from the turkey, so I stuff my turkey with aromatics instead (which makes the gravy taste awesome), but if you do stuff the turkey with traditional stuffing, make sure it reaches 165˚F in the center.
- 1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
- 4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon, quartered
Tools You Will Need for Roasting a Turkey
- Kitchen String
- Heavy duty foil
- A heavy roasting pan that accommodates your bird, but isn’t over-sized
- Oven-safe temperature probe (to ensure a fully-cooked turkey)
To Cook a Larger Turkey:
Many of you have asked about using a larger turkey. One of my readers, Shannon, shares her experience with a 23-pound turkey (Thanks Shannon!):
“Used this recipe last night with a 23 lb turkey and it was superb!! I used 3 sticks of butter, 1 cup of parsley, kept the zest and juice of 2 lemons and quartered them for the stuffing. Kept 1 large onion peeled & largely sliced, used about 8 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced in half. Cooked at 430 for 20 min and then 350 for about 5 1/2 hours, basting occasionally. I used the tin foil hat and had to made a couple other tin foil accessories for the legs that started to scorch. Took the tin foil hat off when it had 10 min of cook time left to ensure a nice browned top. Had tons of drippings to make a delicious gravy with. Will use this recipe every year! So flavorful and yummy. Thank you”
How to Prepare Your Turkey for Roasting
- Defrost the Turkey – If using a frozen turkey, defrost it in the refrigerator. Per the USDA guidelines, thaw in the refrigerator 1 day for every 4 to 5 lbs of turkey. This 12 lb turkey would take 3 days to thaw, while a 16 lb turkey would take 4 days. For a quick-thaw method, see our Spatchcock Turkey Recipe (you can defrost a 12 lb turkey in 6 hours).
- Optional Brine Step – once the turkey is thawed, you can Brine your Turkey if you prefer (it requires 1 hour per pound), although it’s not necessary for this recipe. Also, check the turkey packaging since some turkeys are pre-brined, so you don’t need to brine again if that is the case.
- Remove turkey from fridge about 30 minutes before you start working with it. If the turkey is closer to room temperature, it will bake more evenly. *Remove the neck and bag of giblets from the turkey.
- Pat dry turkey with paper towels. Let turkey sit in over paper towels to soak up any excess water from the turkey.
- Fold the wings behind the turkey; if you don’t they are the quickest to scorch and dry out.
Seasoning, Stuffing, and Tying up a Turkey
- Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Make the Flavored butter – In a medium bowl (it’s even easier in the bowl of a food processor), combine 2 sticks of softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, and 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash/stir with a fork or process until well combined (the lemon juice doesn’t easily stir into butter, but keep mixing and it will happen after a few minutes). This mixture was adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas Turkey video and it’s wonderful. Take a whiff of it; you’ll fall in love with how fresh it smells!
- Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey, being careful not to tear the skin.
- Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under skin, then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin. This butter keeps the turkey breast tender and juicy and provides rich flavor.
- Pat dry the skin and rub the remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings). Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper; I just love a crisp, salty skin.
- Stuff the turkey cavity with a quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Use kitchen string to tie the turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity, plus it looks extra fancy on the table.
How to Roast a Turkey
- Prep: Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F on the bake mode. Place oven rack in the lower part of your oven (mine was on the second level from the very bottom) – this ensures that your large turkey roasts in the middle of the oven and keeps the turkey breast further from the top heating element.
- Here is a fantastic tip I picked up from Alton Brown to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You’ll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
- Insert Thermometer – Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird; beneath the drumstick; deep into the dark meat. It’s ready for the oven. Start roasting uncovered at 430˚F for 20 min.
Just like that – it’s ready for the oven! Also, I love this sweet photo from 2014 when we filmed this video recipe. It’s hard to believe my son is a teenager now!
- Baste Turkey – Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
- Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it’s fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it’s out of the oven).
Pro Tip:
Temperature recommendations based on the USDA say the safe poultry temperature is 165˚F, but the deeper thigh parts should be at 170-180˚F to be fully cooked through.
- Rest the Turkey – Transfer turkey to a serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least 1 hour. It will become more tender and easier to carve, the longer it sits. Keep drippings from roasting pan for a most delicious turkey gravy. Decorate around your turkey and make it festive. I used kale for my greens, then added small apples, sliced oranges and quartered lemons.
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: You can fully prepare your turkey a day ahead – stuff, butter it up, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator one hour before baking the next day.
- To Freeze leftover turkey: Shred the meat and transfer it to freezer-safe zip-top bags or use a food saver to squeeze out as much air as possible, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- To Reheat Leftovers: My secret to the best-tasting reheated turkey is our Leftover Turkey in Gravy. We make this every year on the day after Thanksgiving.
So many of you have made this roast turkey over the years, and it gives me so much joy to hear your success stories and see this turkey in photos from your Thanksgiving feasts.
Natasha’s Thanksgiving Menu
These are the classic Thanksgiving recipes that we can’t go without for our annual Thanksgiving feast. Only the best for the biggest cooking day of the year!
- Sweet Potato Casserole – my sister’s recipe
- Mashed Potatoes – buttery and ultra creamy
- Turkey Gravy – can’t miss this one!
- Cranberry Sauce – just 3 ingredients
- Apple Pie – with a flaky crust and best filling
- Pumpkin Pie (we alternate with Pumpkin Cheesecake)
- Cheesecake – always on the menu
- Sweet Potato Salad – a crowd favorite
I’d love to hear what is on your Thanksgiving menu this year in the comments below! And I’m so curious – do you make Turkey on Christmas as well? My Mom sure does! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
For the Turkey
- 12 lb turkey, (Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary), thawed*
- Salt & Pepper, for the inside and outside of the bird
For the Flavored Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, (2 sticks)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, not extra virgin, plus more to drizzle top
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon, plus 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 Tbsp salt, I used sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
For the Stuffing
- 1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
- 4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon, quartered
Instructions
Prepping your Turkey
- Remove thawed turkey* from the fridge about 30 minutes before you start working with it. If the turkey is closer to room temperature, it will bake more evenly. Remove the neck and bag of giblets and pat dry turkey with paper towels. Let it sit in a roasting pan lined with paper towels to soak up any excess water. Fold the wings behind the turkey so they don't scorch in the oven.
Seasoning, Stuffing, and Tying up a Turkey
- Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Make Flavored Butter – In a medium bowl or in a food processor*, combine: 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash /stir with a fork until well combined (the lemon juice doesn't easily stir into butter but keep mixing and it will happen after a few minutes).
- Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey; being careful not to tear the skin.
- Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under skin then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin. This butter keeps the turkey breast tender, juicy and provides rich flavor.
- Pat skin dry and rub remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings). Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper; I just love a crisp, salty skin.
- Stuff turkey cavity with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Use kitchen string to tie turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity, plus it looks extra fancy on the table.
How to Roast a Turkey
- Prep – Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F on the bake mode. Place oven rack in the lower part of your oven (mine was on the second level from the very bottom).
- Make Foil Shield – to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You'll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
- Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird; beneath the drum stick; deep into the dark meat. Start roasting uncovered at 430˚F for 20 min.
- Baste – Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
- Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it's fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it's out of the oven*).
- Rest Turkey – Transfer turkey to serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least 1 hour. It will become more tender and easier to carve, the longer it sits. Keep the drippings from roasting pan for turkey gravy. Now you can decorate around your turkey and make it festive. I used kale for my greens, then added small apples, sliced oranges and quartered lemons.
Notes
*A food processor makes it much easier to blend the lemon juice into t he flavored butter, saving time and effort.
*Final Temperature – As the turkey rests, it will continue to rise to a final temperature of 165˚F at the breast and 175-180˚F at the thigh.
*Nutrition label is a rough estimate – remember that most of the butter and oil will remain in the pan when the turkey is done roasting.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi Natasha, I’m really excited to try your recipe. I’m a big believer in massaging butter underneath the skin and all over. So you’re not using the rack. I have the nonstick roasting pan with rack. But I am think of just using my pyrex dish since a rack isn’t needed. What do you think?
Hi Renee, my only reservation with a glass pyrex is that at higher temperatures, glass can be dangerous and this one does start at 430˚F. If you can remove the rack from your roasting pan, that will work great. I don’t use a rack because the turkey self-bastes at the bottom in the pan drippings and the results are excellent 🙂
Hello! I’m going to try your recipe on Thursday, this will also be my first time making a turkey. The turkey is 11.5 pounds and I just put it in the fridge. Should I put it in cold water for an hour or so right before I cook it? I just want to make sure it’s completely thawed.
Hi Melissa, most frozen turkeys take about 3 days to thaw in the fridge but you can speed thaw in cold water since you won’t have it refrigerated the full 3 days. I would guess you should give it at least 2-3 hours in water to be safe (keeping it in it’s wrapper), submerge under cold water (a cooler with a press over it works well) and change the water every 30 minutes (Food safety recommendation).
Do recomend a ccoking bag instead the foil for the turkey?
Hi Dani, I honestly haven’t tried that method so I can’t make that recommendation.
Can you do preparation of turkey the night before and just bring out an hour before it goes in oven?
Hi Beverly, yes I have done that and thought it was even better 🙂
Hi Natasha,
When you’ve prepared it this way the night before, do you cover it when you put it back in the fridge? Was worried it would dry out otherwise.
Also I have another question if that’s OK! Do you use your roasting pan’s wire rack? Thought I saw someone comment you didn’t, and I didn’t notice that detail in your video. Thank you so much for all your help!! You’ve helped Thanksgiving dinners across the nation 🙂
Yes keeping it covered will be a good idea. We did not use the wire rack. Our turkey sat directly in the pan. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Hi, I also want to do the prep work the day before. How would you cover it when putting back in the fridge? Loosely with foil? I would think plastic wrap would smear and take off the butter.
Loosely with foil should work just fine!
Thank you. That will be a big help time wise. Also I am using a Stainless Steel roasting pan. You said not to use rack and let sit on bottom of pan. Do you use any aluminum foil on bottom of pan?
We did not. We let it rest directly on the pan
Did you baste the turkey at all during the roasting process?
Hi girl. Idk how fast you reply, but I’m going to start cooking the turkey on a timer cause I’ll be at work , so how would I do the step where you take it out 20 mins after and put the butter on top. Can I do that after an hour maybe and just cook it on the 350 in the beginning.
Hi Emily, The butter is applied to the turkey before it goes into the oven and 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 you leave it off for the first hour, the turkey breast will be dry.
Made this for Friendsgiving on Saturday and everyone loved it. Great Recipe. I added a little fresh Rosemary and Thyme to it. Very flavorful and moist
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Peter!! Thank you for the great review!
Can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil?
Hi Wanda! That should work! You can also use canola oil or even better is avocado oil.
Hi, so I really wanted to try this with my first Turkey this year, but with all the salmonella outbreaks and concerns I’m gonna stick with a chicken. Would this recipe still work? I know I would have to adjust the cooking time since it would be smaller in size..
Hi Briana, I have had several readers report good results scaling it down with a chicken. I would also suggest our spatchcock chicken which has a similar flavor profile.
I prepared my turkey this way last year and it was wonderful! However, my son and grandson who will be having Thanksgiving with us this year are dairy free. Any suggestion to replace the butter? Olive oil perhaps? Flax Seed Oil?
Hi Heidi, I searched through the comments and I haven’t had anyone mention any kind of dairy free substitute. Possibly ghee but I just haven’t any substitutes. If anyone else has tried to make a dairy free version of this roast turkey, please let us know and thanks in advance! 🙂
I am highly allergic to all milk products and will make the flavored “butter” using vegan substitute. With all the other flavors going on this works!
Thank you for sharing that! I hope you love it!
I keep kosher, so I don’t mix meat and dairy. I substitute rendered chicken fat (schmaltz). It makes the turkey really delicious. You can make your own own or find it frozen in the kosher section of the grocery store.
How interesting! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Thank you so much for the suggestion, I will check that out!
Just transferred my 11.5 lb bird from the freezer to the fridge for Thursday. Looking forward to trying this recipe out! Will let you know how it comes out!
Really hoping for a juicy turkey as my husband isn’t a big fan of dry meat, keeping my fingers crossed!
I’m crossing my fingers for you also! It will be great! Enjoy!!
I want to make this with a 25lb turkey would I just double the recipe? I made this last year and can’t remember what I did. It was delicious
I think that would be best since this recipe calls for a 12 lb turkey
What would you recommend for cooking time and temp be for a 14lb turkey?
I’d say follow the same temperature as the recipe just watch it closely towards the end 14lbs is not that far off from the 12 lb turkey we used in this recipe
Hi Natasha! I’m so excited to try your recipe for this Thanksgiving! My turkey always been dry the last few times in the past. I’m hoping this will be a game changer. Will let you know how mine turn out. Thanks!!
I look forward to your feedback Winnie!!
I’ve never made a turkey. Do I put the neck in the pan as well? I thought I saw that on the video. Thanks!
Hi Chri, yes I put it in the pan – it enriches the pan drippings and someone always likes the neck 🙂
Will it be best to have it marinated a couple days before? Or have it done that same day?
You are more than welcome to bring it ahead of time or marinate if you’d like. Several of our readers have. We don’t brine or pre-marinate ours and it turns out juicy & flavorful just fine.
I made this for a friendsgiving yesterday and it was good! But it was done an hour and a half earlier than I had calculated at 13min/pound. I cooked a 20.5lb turkey at 430 for 20 then 350 for 3hr 15min then let it rest about an hour. I had to cover the legs with foil halfway through roasting too as they started to get darker. Turned out beautiful!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Auriel!!
I needTurkey staffing recipes please. thank you Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi Angela, we don’t currently have a stuffing recipe since it isn’t something we grew up eating (neither my husband or I), but if I come up with something great, I will be sure to share it! 🙂
Stafing recipe please Thank you I love you recipes.
I’m not sure what you mean by that Angela. Can you expand on that?
Hi,Natasha,
I made this Turkey last yr. Everyone liked it cause it was juicy. Thanks for this recipe. God bless u,& have a happy joyful thanksgiving!!!👍💖
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). Happy Thanksgiving!!
I have never ever liked turkey (and neither have my 4 kiddos). So, I always have made ham for Thanksgiving and other Holidays… until I came across this recipe. I decided I would give it a try… and OMGosh it is incredible and super juicy (which was always my main complaint when it came to eating turkey. NOW, every single time I ask my little girls would they rather have ham or turkey on holidays – the answer is unanimous “TURKEY!” I cannot wait to take a stab at making the turkey gravy this year as well! Thank you for such a delicious recipe. I thought I would never get to enjoy turkey! I just hadn’t come across your recipe yet is all!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review! I’m all smiles!