Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (Garlic Butter Turkey)

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Tender, juicy, and intensely flavorful, this is the Best Thanksgiving Turkey recipe you will ever make! Citrus, herbs, and a hearty slathering of garlic butter make this the juiciest turkey recipe around. Plus, it’s a no-brine recipe!

What makes this the best easy turkey recipe?

• It’s so easy to make: Just follow my easy instructions, and you can make this oven-roasted turkey recipe using a whole bird or even just the breast.
• It’s the juiciest turkey recipe ever: Citrus herb stuffing and garlic butter make this dish so juicy and flavorful. You’ll love every bite!
• No need to brine: Our no brine recipe method makes it so easy to achieve deliciously moist results without the need to spend hours brining!

My family loves this garlic butter turkey recipe so much, I make it throughout the year.

In fact, it’s so popular, I can guarantee you will look forward to serving it year over year. Print the recipe – you’ll be asked for copies!

What’s the secret?

We have a secret to making this the best Thanksgiving turkey ever… and it’s our garlic butter rub!

Trust us – give this garlic butter recipe a try, and it will change the way you make holiday dinner every year.

🍽 What tools do I need?

• Paper towels: I use paper towels to pat the turkey dry after rinsing it before roasting.
• A sharp knife
• Cooking twine
• A roasting pan with a rack
• Baster
• Aluminum foil
• Meat thermometer: This is the best way to check the doneness of your turkey.

Oven-roasted turkey may seem intimidating if you have never done it before. But, by following these easy step-by-step instructions on how to cook a turkey, you’re guaranteed to serve the best Thanksgiving turkey on the block. Trust us, your family and friends will rave about it.

This Thanksgiving recipe is straightforward, with no need for a brine, no frying, and only the most simple, easy-to-find ingredients. It truly is the best way to cook a turkey.

🧈 Seasoning and Stuffing

• We recommend a 12-20 pound whole turkey, but you can also use a turkey breast instead of the whole bird.
• Garlic Butter: Delicious, garlicky butter for slathering over the turkey for the perfect crispy skin. Check out our quick and easy Garlic Butter Recipe!
• Citrus: We love citrus flavors with turkey, so we use oranges and lemons.
• Onion
• Herbs: You’ll need several sprigs of your favorite fresh herbs, like sage, rosemary, and thyme.

🥛 Turkey Gravy

• Chicken broth
• Whole milk
• Flour

How big of a turkey should I buy?

To calculate how much turkey per person, the general rule of thumb is to buy approximately 1 1/2 pounds per guest.

Add up how many people you are having over for dinner. Then, tack on a few extra pounds to account for bones, and you’ve got your turkey weight!

This will include some leftovers, but let’s be honest, we live for the leftovers!

🔪 How to Cook the Perfect Turkey

How to Prepare a Turkey for Roasting

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F with the rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. Rinse and pat turkey dry with paper towels. Remove neck and giblets, gravy packet, or any packages inside the cavities of the bird. Check the large cavity as well as the neck cavity.

How to Season Turkey with Garlic Butter

1. For the seasoning, you will need to make our Garlic Butter Rub. It’s just 3 ingredients and takes only a few minutes to mix together!
2. Carefully lift up the skin, separating it from the breast as much as you can. The back of a spoon works well for this. Season underneath with garlic butter. Rub the outer skin all over with more garlic butter. You don’t have to use it all: the leftover butter is perfect for buttering rolls, or on vegetables, or potatoes! You can also freeze the extra.
   
3. Stuff the cavity with the orange, lemon, onion, and herbs.
   
4. Tie the legs with cooking twine and transfer to a rack set inside a roasting pan. Tuck the wings underneath so they don’t burn – this is important!
   
5. Pour 2 cups chicken broth into the roasting pan and transfer to the oven.

Cooking the Turkey

1. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
2. After the first hour of roasting, baste it every 30 minutes. Tent the bird with foil if the skin becomes deep golden brown before it is cooked through. You can also cover just the parts that are browning too quickly.
   
3. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh joint registers 160°F.
4. Remove from the oven and transfer to a carving board. It will continue cooking and should reach 165°F. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

What temperature do you cook a turkey?

We recommend starting with a 425°F for the first 30 minutes.

This will ensure crispy skin and lock in the moisture in order to cook the juiciest turkey ever!

After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

How Long to Cook a Turkey

• 12-pounds: approximately 1½ hours
• 15-pounds: approximately 2½ to 3 hours
• 20-pounds: approximately 4½ to 5 hours

How to Make Turkey Gravy

1. To make turkey gravy from drippings, place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat (or transfer juices to the saucepan if you prefer).
2. Add 2 cups of the remaining broth to the pan drippings and bring to a simmer. Skim off all but 1-2 tablespoons of the fat, depending on the size of your bird.
3. Combine milk and flour in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
4. Whisk the milk mixture into the gravy and simmer, stirring continuously until the gravy thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.

At this point, you can carve the bird and serve it with the gravy. Or, make it the star of the show by placing it in the middle of your table on a platter.

Garnish the platter with citrus fruits, sliced, whole, and halved, and sprigs of fresh herbs.

How to Carve a Turkey

1. Place on a cutting board. Remove the twine around the legs using your knife.
2. Remove the legs by cutting through the area that connects the breast and the drumstick. Use your knife to slice down until you reach the joint. Then, using a paper towel, grab the leg and push down. This will separate the leg and thigh from the bird. Use your knife to slice through the joint.
3. Remove the drumstick by separating the drumstick and the thigh by cutting through the joint area connecting them. Place the drumstick on a platter. Set aside the thigh meat to slice later.
4. Find the wishbone at the front center of the breast. Use your fingers to pull it out. Removing the wishbone makes it easier to carve the breast meat, so don’t skip this step.
5. Find the breastbone and place your knife on one side of it, and slice down close to the bone. As you are slicing, use your other hand to pull the meat from the breastbone. This will help you take the breast in one piece. Set aside the whole breast to slice later.
6. Using your knife, slice through the joint to remove a wing. Place the wings on the platter.
7. Hold the thigh bone with tongs or a paper towel, and remove the meat from the bone with your knife. Place the meat on the platter.
8. Use tongs to hold the breast in place, then place the meat on the cutting board so you can cut it at a shorter length. Slice the breast against the grain. Trust us, this will make a huge difference. Make sure to keep the skin attached. Place the slices on a platter.

❄ How to Defrost a Turkey

How to Thaw a Turkey in the Refrigerator

1. We recommend placing it in a large roasting pan. This will catch any juices that may leak. You can also use a large baking dish.
2. Place in the refrigerator: Make sure there is nothing touching the bird. Give it some space so it has room to thaw!
3. Thaw: Total thawing time will depend on the size of your bird. Allow about 24 hours for every 5 pounds.

• 4 to 12-pounds: 1 to 3 days.
• 12 to 16-pounds: 3 to 4 days.
• 16 to 20-pounds: 4 to 5 days.
• 20 to 24-pounds: 5 to 6 days.

How to Quick Thaw a Turkey

1. Place in a large plastic bag: This will protect it from the water.
2. Place in a large pot: Make sure the bird completely fits inside the pot. A large bucket will also work.
3. Fill the pot with cold water: Do not use warm water, only cold water.

Change the water every hour, and continue until thawed. Allow about 30 minutes for every pound.

• 4 to 12-pounds: 2 to 6 hours
• 12 to 16-pounds: 6 to 8 hours
• 16 to 20-pounds: 8 to 10 hours
• 20 to 24-pounds: 10 to 12 hours

How long is leftover turkey good for?

You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.

Go ahead and put your leftovers in the fridge as soon as possible once you’re finished with your meal to keep them fresh!

📖 What to Do with Leftovers

• Turkey Tetrazzini
• Turkey Sliders Recipe
• Zuppa Toscana with sliced turkey

📖 Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

We have your Thanksgiving side dishes covered, starting with these creamy mashed potatoes that will be the hit of your Thanksgiving celebration!

• Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
• Instant Pot Sage Sausage Stuffing Recipe
• Portuguese Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
• Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole
• Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts Recipe
• Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Instant Pot Candied Carrots Recipe
• Green Bean Almondine

📖 Easy Thanksgiving Desserts

• Ina Garten Apple Crisp
• Apple Dump Cake
• Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Crunch Recipe
• Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

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Did you enjoy our best garlic butter turkey recipe? Try our Instant Pot Turkey Breast and Potatoes or Easy Grilled Turkey Recipe next, and let us know in the comments below and with a rating! We love to hear from you.

Photo credit: Kristen King