Roast Turkey Recipe
Roast the most delicious, juicy turkey with this guide on how to cook a turkey. You’ll love the crispy skin and abundance of flavor that comes with a simple seasoned butter and the right technique!
Servings 10 to 12 servings
Calories 630kcal
Equipment
- Roasting pan with rack
- mixing bowl
- Basting or pastry brush
- Aluminum foil (if needed)
Ingredients
- 1 (10-12-pound) fresh turkey thawed if frozen*
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (227g)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- 10 to 12 rosemary sprigs divided
- 10 to 12 sage sprigs divided
- 10 to 12 thyme sprigs
- 1 head garlic halved
- 4 cups chicken broth (960ml)
Instructions
- Remove all packaging and place the turkey breast side up in a large roasting pan with a wire rack. If brining your turkey, let the turkey drain well before placing it in the pan. Remove any giblets in the turkey cavity. Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Let sit uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour. (This will help dry out the skin for better browning and take the chill off the turkey.)
- After an hour, preheat the oven to 450°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the butter, salt, and black pepper.
- Stuff the cavity with the onion, garlic, 8 sprigs of rosemary and 8 sprigs of sage. Place the remaining herb sprigs in the roasting pan around the turkey.
- For better presentation, tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
- Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey, making sure to get under the skin on the breast and legs. Pour the broth into the roasting pan.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting, basting the turkey every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thigh registers 165°F, 2 to 2½ hours or about 12 minutes per pound of turkey. Add more broth or some water to the roasting pan if it starts to dry out at any point. If the breast area or leg or wingtips start to get too brown anytime during cooking, shield just those areas with foil.
- Let the turkey rest in the roasting pan for 15 minutes before carving. Strain the drippings in the roasting pan and serve with the turkey or use it to make a delicious, flavorful gravy.
Video
Notes
- If the breast, leg, or wingtips start to get too brown during cooking, shield just those areas with aluminum foil.
- Don’t skip the rest time! You need at least 15 minutes (30 minutes is more ideal) to let the juice redistribute for a juicy turkey.
- The turkey will hold its heat nicely for up to an hour. Because the turkey is so thick, it won’t cool down very quickly, so you don’t need to time it to be done right when you want to serve your meal. Roast the turkey, let it rest, and finish warming your final side dishes just before serving.
- Once a turkey is carved, it can be reheated at 350°F. Place about ½ cup of chicken or turkey stock on a large sheet tray. Place the pieces of turkey, skin-side up, over top of the stock. Bake for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on how warm or cool the turkey is before reheating) just until warmed through. I like to reheat the pieces whole (ie. the thighs, legs, and breasts intact), then slice.
Nutrition
Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 71g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 283mg | Sodium: 1178mg | Potassium: 778mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 828IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg