Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Updated May 12, 2025, Published Nov 01, 2024
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This fool-proof, easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe delivers a flavorful and juicy turkey every single time. The step-by-step guide for how to cook a turkey ensures a centerpiece that is sure to impress. This will be your go-to roasted turkey recipe forever!
Make the perfect Thanksgiving dinner with my recipes for perfect turkey gravy and my favorite red skin mashed potatoes!
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes (including 30 minutes of resting time)
- Servings: 8-12 people
- Dietary Info: Gluten Free
- Method: Oven Roasting
- Technique: adding a herb butter, stuffing the turkey with aromatics, and roasting.
- Flavor & Texture: This roasted turkey is moist and juicy with crispy golden skin. It’s the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Herb-Infused Butter Mixture: This mixture is used both under the skin and on the surface and keeps the turkey moist and flavorful, along with a crispy golden brown exterior.
- Aromatic Stuffing: Onion, garlic, orange, apple, celery, and carrot inside the cavity adds moisture while infusing the meat with subtle layers of flavor. This creates aromatic steam that permeates the turkey as it roasts.
- Apple Cider: Adding apple cider to the cavity is a unique touch that boosts moisture and infuses a subtle, sweet-tart flavor.
You’ll also love our turkey tenderloin recipe!
Made With Amore,
“I used this recipe on a spatchcocked turkey for Thanksgiving. It was the best turkey we have ever had. So delicious, not dry, and a golden, crisp skin! Thank you Elena. Your recipes are the best!! 💙💛”
– Jeannie
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Roasted Turkey
These simple ingredients work together to create a beautifully roasted turkey full of vibrant, aromatic flavors that will be a hit at your Thanksgiving table.
- Turkey: A whole turkey, typically weighing between 12 to 20 pounds. This will be the star of your Thanksgiving meal, providing a flavorful and juicy centerpiece.
- Apple Cider: This is the secret weapon for a juicy turkey! It adds moisture and a subtle sweetness to the turkey as it roasts, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter is used to create a compound herb butter. Read more about this in my herb butter turkey rub recipe!
- Fresh Herbs: You’ll use a combination of rosemary, thyme, and sage to make the herb butter, which will infuse the turkey with its distinctive flavor.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Herb Butter Variation: Add lemon or orange zest to the herb butter to brighten the flavor.
- Stuffing Variation: Use our ciabatta stuffing with sausage and chestnuts or our vegetarian stuffing for delicious options.
- Flavoring the Drippings: Replace part of the broth in the roasting pan with a splash of white wine for a richer flavor in the drippings.
How to Roast a Turkey for Thanksgiving
Even if it’s your first time roasting a turkey, following this guide will help you achieve professional-level results. See recipe card below for full instructions.
- Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour to let it come to room temperature. Set aside the giblets for homemade gravy. Pat the turkey dry with clean paper towels.
- Make the herb butter, then rub it under the skin and all over the top of the turkey.
- Stuff the turkey cavity, then tie the turkey legs together with cooking twine.
- Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Add broth to the bottom of the pan. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Roast the turkey for about 13-15 minutes per pound. Every 45-60 minutes, baste the turkey with the pan drippings. Take the turkey out when the internal temperature is 160°F in the deepest part of the thigh.
- Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. Use a sharp knife when you carve a turkey for best results. Serve with our mashed potatoes and turkey gravy and these Thanksgiving side dishes!
Recipe FAQs
Thawing a turkey in the refrigerator takes about 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds. A 12-pound turkey will take approximately 3 days to thaw completely.
In general, cooking time for a turkey is about 13-15 minutes per pound. The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F (80°C) in the thigh. Use a meat thermometer and start testing before the recommended finish time.
To prevent a dry turkey using this recipe, generously apply the herb-infused butter under the skin and over the surface, which helps retain moisture. Stuff the cavity with aromatics like onion, garlic, and apple for added flavor and moisture.
Roast the turkey at the proper temperature, tenting with foil initially and basting occasionally with pan drippings. Finally, let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes after roasting to allow the juices to redistribute.
By following these steps, you’ll save time on Thanksgiving Day and ensure a stress-free, delicious turkey!
Thaw the Turkey: If your turkey is frozen, start thawing it in the refrigerator several days in advance (24 hours for every 4-5 pounds).
Prepare the Herb Butter: Make the compound herb butter up to 2 days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before applying it to the turkey.
Prep the Aromatics: You can peel and chop the onion, garlic, orange, celery, carrot, and apple a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Assemble the Turkey: On the day before cooking, you can apply the herb butter under the skin and stuff the turkey with the aromatics. Cover the turkey loosely with plastic wrap or foil and store it in the refrigerator.
Bring to Room Temperature: On the day of roasting, take the turkey out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
Make-Ahead Gravy Base: Prepare a gravy base using the turkey neck and giblets up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator and finish with the pan drippings on the day of serving.
To store leftover turkey, carve the meat off the bones and place it in airtight containers or tightly wrapped in foil. Refrigerate within two hours of cooking, and it will keep for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the turkey in portions for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the turkey in a baking dish with a splash of broth or gravy, cover with foil, and heat in a 325°F (165°C) oven until warmed through. For smaller portions, microwave in a microwave-safe dish on medium power, covered, in short intervals to avoid drying out the meat.
If you have extra turkey meat, save it for Leftover Turkey Soup!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this perfect roasted turkey with popular Thanksgiving side dishes, like crispy Brussels sprouts, classic mashed potatoes, Jiffy corn casserole, ciabatta stuffing with sausage, roasted acorn squash, and cranberry relish. Don’t forget to make the best homemade turkey gravy to go with your turkey!
Use the leftover turkey carcass to make a rich, homemade broth (use my recipe in this Italian penicillin soup). It’s perfect for soups, stews, or as a base for future gravies.
My Pro Tips
Expert Tips
- Plan your start time for the turkey. Backtrack from your desired serving time to determine when to start cooking. Don’t forget to account for resting and carving time when planning your meal!
- Avoid overstuffing the cavity; leave some space for air to circulate. Overstuffing can affect cooking time and prevent even heat distribution.
- Check for doneness at multiple points to ensure the entire turkey is cooked properly. Check the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the area around the wings.
- Use carryover cooking to your advantage. I remove the turkey from the oven once it reaches 160°F. Then, I tent it with foil, and let it rest. With the carryover cooking, it will continue cooking under the foil to reach 165°F. This results in a perfectly juicy turkey.
- To carve like a pro, use a sharp knife. Start by removing the legs and thighs, then the wings, and finally slice the breast meat against the grain.
Other Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love
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Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
For the Turkey
- 1 turkey, 12-20 pounds
- 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
- 1 small orange, quartered
- 2 celery stalks, cut in half
- 1 carrot, cut in half
- 1 small apple, quartered (choose your favorite variety)
- 4 stems fresh rosemary
- 4 stems fresh thyme
- 4 stems fresh sage
- 4 stems fresh parsley
- 1 cup apple cider
For the Herb Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
- ½ tablespoon freshly chopped sage
For the Roasting Pan
- 1 cup low sodium broth of choice, turkey or chicken stock/broth works well
Instructions
Preparing the Turkey
- If using a frozen turkey, ensure it’s fully thawed. Place it in the refrigerator for several days before cooking (about 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds of turkey).
- Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting to let it come to room temperature. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity and set them aside (you can use them for gravy or stock). Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Making the Herb Butter
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, salt, pepper, chopped rosemary, thyme, and sage. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Preparing the Turkey for Roasting
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out. Gently loosen the skin from the turkey breast by sliding your fingers under the skin, being careful not to tear it.
- Rub about two-thirds of the herb butter mixture under the skin, spreading it evenly over the breast meat. Rub the remaining herb butter over the entire outside of the turkey, including the legs and wings.
- Stuff the turkey cavity with the quartered onion, garlic halves, orange quarters, celery, carrot, and apple. Add the fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley. Pour 1 cup of apple cider into the cavity.
- To truss the turkey, tie the turkey’s legs together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape and to ensure even cooking. Tuck the turkey’s wings under the body to prevent them from burning.
Roasting the Turkey
- Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Add broth to the bottom of the pan. Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning in the first few hours of cooking.
- Roast the turkey for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound. For a 12-pound turkey, this would be about 2.5 to 3 hours, while a 20-pound turkey would take around 4 to 5 hours.
- Every 45 minutes to 1 hour, remove the foil and baste the turkey with the pan drippings. During the last hour of cooking, remove the foil to let the turkey brown.
- Check the internal temperature about 30 minutes before the estimated cooking time. The turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C) and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175°F (80°C).
Resting & Carving
- Once the turkey reaches the proper temperature, remove it from the oven. Let the turkey rest for at least 30-40 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a juicy turkey. Reserve any drippings and juice remaining in your roasting pan to make homemade turkey gravy.
- Carve the turkey and serve with your favorite Thanksgiving sides. Enjoy this foolproof, juicy Thanksgiving turkey with your loved ones!
Notes
- Plan your start time for the turkey. Backtrack from your desired serving time to determine when to start cooking. Don’t forget to account for resting and carving time when planning your meal!
- Avoid overstuffing the cavity; leave some space for air to circulate. Overstuffing can affect cooking time and prevent even heat distribution.
- Check for doneness at multiple points to ensure the entire turkey is cooked properly. Check the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the area around the wings.
- Use carryover cooking to your advantage. I remove the turkey from the oven once it reaches 160°F. Then, I tent it with foil, and let it rest. With the carryover cooking, it will continue cooking under the foil to reach 165°F. This results in a perfectly juicy turkey.
- To carve like a pro, use a sharp knife. Start by removing the legs and thighs, then the wings, and finally slice the breast meat against the grain.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So easy! Was juicy and really tasty. My family said it was my best turkey to date!
Yay! So happy it was a hit with all the family.
Hello Elena, I was wondering if I do not plan on stuffing the turkey, would that lessen the cooking time? Thank you
Stuffing with the apples and vegetables really flavors it! It is still fine without. You will want to check it about 30 minutes before the time. Enjoy!
I used this recipe on a spatchcocked turkey for Thanksgiving. It was the best turkey we have ever had. So delicious, not dry, and a golden, crisp skin! Thank you Elena. Your recipes are the best!! ๐๐
YAY!! So happy it was a success and everyone loved it. You are most welcome. I’ll keep the recipe coming for you. Have a beautiful week.
ANY one can make this delcious and easy fool-proof Thanksgiving turkey recipe!
I am having Thanksgiving home this year
I am going to try it, I will let you know
Thank you
Diana
I can’t wait for you to try it. It’s a great turkey recipe!