This is the best Thanksgiving Turkey with a delicious seasoning mix. I am sharing my very easy step-by-step recipe and all of my tips so you can make a juicy and flavorful turkey for your holiday dinner!
Serve this turkey with my classic stuffing and turkey gravy. Don't forget to save some meat to make tetrazzini!
Easy Thanksgiving Turkey
If this is your first year of cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving or you want to improve your technique, this recipe will help you make the juiciest and most flavorful turkey ever! It's perfect for beginners and seasoned cooks. My seasoning mix with butter and oil gives it a crispy skin during roasting in the oven. This turkey will shine on your holiday table!
Ingredients:
- whole turkey: mine was almost 14lbs
- olive oil
- butter
- paprika
- herbs: poultry mix (sage, rosemary, thyme)
- salt and pepper
Kitchen tools you will need:
- roasting pan or pan with a rack
- baster
- small mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- meat thermometer
How to make Thanksgiving turkey?
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Most likely you will have to remove one rack from your oven. This is the time to do it, so you don't have to find a place for a hot rack later.
- Start by assembling the spices. Melt butter and mix it with oil. Add spices and stir in.
- Place thawed turkey in a roasting pan. Tuck the wings under the bird. Tie the legs together.
- Place onion, garlic and lemons in the cavity of the bird and around the turkey.
- Pour the spice oil mix onto the skin and rub or brush it all over the bird.
- Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375 degrees and roast for 3 to 4 hours, depending on the size of the turkey. Baste it every 30 minutes. If the top is browning too fast, cover it with aluminum foil.
- Check the temperature of the turkey at least 40 minutes before the end of cooking time.
- Once done, remove the bird from the oven. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes, before carving. It will be easier to handle and it will let the juices redistribute in the meat.
How to prepare turkey for roasting?
- Thaw it out in the fridge, for about 2 days.
- Start by removing the neck and giblets bag (it's inside the bird). Discard.
- Tuck the wings under the bird.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine or with a sewing thread.
- Place in a large pan with a rack or in a roaster pan (the bottom is raised so the juices can drip to the sides).
Should I brine the turkey?
I highly recommend brining turkey. It will ensure the meat is juicy and flavorful. The vegetables used for brining can be added to the bird before roasting.
Should I stuff turkey before roasting?
I recommend roasting turkey and baking the stuffing separately. They both will cook better. Stuffed turkeys need to cook longer which can lead to overcooking and dry turkey and soggy stuffing.
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What pan is best for roasting turkey?
This will depend on the size of the turkey. If you are cooking a smaller bird, a simple 13"x9" with a rack will work just fine. My turkey was almost 14 lbs and I used the disposable aluminum roasting pan with handles. The way the bottom is formed, the turkey sits just slightly higher so the juices can drip to the sides, which makes for easy basting.
How long should you cook Thanksgiving turkey?
The general recommendation is to cook the turkey for 15 to 20 minutes per pound. The turkey is done when the internal temperature shows at least 165 degrees F.
How do I know if the turkey is done?
Some turkeys have a white pin inserted. When it pops up, the bird is done. However, you should always check it with a meat thermometer. Insert it into the meatiest part of the bird (like the breast), making sure not to touch the bone. If the thermometer shows at least 165 degrees F, the bird is done.
What to serve with Thanksgiving turkey?
- Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Turkey Gravy made without pan drippings
- Green Bean Casserole from scratch
- Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Sweet Corn Casserole
- Easy Hashbrown Casserole
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
How to use leftover turkey?
Most likely, after cutting off the legs, wings, and breasts, you will end up with meat stuck to the carcass. You can easily get a cup of two of meat from it. Most recipes with leftover turkey will call for 2 cups of the meat. You can make easy delicious Turkey Salad for lunch, Turkey Tetrazzini in just one pot, or Leftover Turkey Soup.
What to do with the carcass?
I keep the carcass to make turkey stock the next day. You can use a large stockpot or the Instant Pot. I always use my pressure cooker.
More holiday recipes:
- Turkey Brine
- How to Carve a Turkey
- Leftover Turkey Soup
- Turkey Stock
- Christmas Ham
- Baked Ham with Honey Glaze
For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Holiday Category.
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!
Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
- 10 to 13 lbs whole turkey
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 4 teaspoons poultry herbs mix see note
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 celery stalks
- 3 carrots
Instructions
- Brine turkey for 12 to 18 hours before roasting. Follow my Turkey Brine recipe.
- Chop carrots and celery into large chunks. Slice onion into thick slices. Slice whole garlic bulb in half lenghtwise. Slice onion into thick slices.
- Preheat the oven to 450° F. Most likely you will have to remove one rack from your oven. This is the time to do it, so you don’t have to find a place for a hot rack later.
- Mix paprika, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Melt butter and mix it with oil. Add spices and stir in.
- Place thawed turkey in a roasting pan. Tuck the wings under the bird. Tie the legs together.
- Place onion, garlic and lemons in the cavity of the bird and around the turkey. Repeat with carrots and celery.
- Pour the spice oil mix onto the skin and rub or brush it all over the bird.
- Place turkey in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375° F and roast for 3 to 4 hours, depending on the size of the turkey. Baste it every 30 minutes. If the top is browning too fast, cover it with aluminum foil.
- Check the temperature of the turkey at least 40 minutes before the end of cooking time.
- Once done, remove the bird from the oven. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes, before carving. It will be easier to handle and it will let the juices redistribute in the meat.
- Cut off the legs firts, then wings, then the breasts.
- Remove meat from carcass and freeze for later. Use carcass to make stock, if desired.
Notes
- For poultry mix, chop sage leaves, rosemary and thyme.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
- The general recommendation is to cook the turkey for 15 to 20 minutes per pound.
- Some turkeys have a white pin inserted. When it pops up, the bird is done. However, you should always check it with a meat thermometer. Insert it into the meatiest part of the bird (like the breast), making sure not to touch the bone. If the thermometer shows at least 165 degreed F, the bird is done.
Ashley F. says
The BEST turkey! So moist on the inside and flavorful!
Katie says
It's so good! My family loves this.
Beth says
This looks so delicious and yummy! I can't wait to make this recipe on Thanksgiving! I'm always looking for a new recipe for turkey to try!