Best Thanksgiving Turkey (Simple Steps)
Tender and juicy, with herby citrus flavors and covered in garlic butter, this is truly the Best Turkey Recipe!
Servings 10 (Depending on size of your turkey)
Calories 586kcal
Equipment
- Roasting Pan with Rack (large enough for your turkey)
- Baking Twine
- Turkey Baster (optional)
Ingredients
- 12-15 lb turkey If using a larger turkey, use our cooking chart
- Garlic butter
- 1 Orange halved
- 1 Lemon halved
- 1 Onion halved
- Several sprigs of fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme
- Baking twine
- 4 cups chicken broth
Garlic Butter
- 2 sticks salted butter at room temperature
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or pressed
- 4 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped; or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
For Gravy
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
How to Prepare Turkey for Cooking
- Make sure your turkey is fully thawed. See: how to thaw turkey.
- Remove the turkey from the packaging.
- Remove the neck and giblets and discard or store and save for gravy or stock. The neck is typically found in the large cavity of the turkey and the giblets are usually found in a bag in the small (neck) cavity. Sometimes, gravy packets will be stored here, too. Remove any packets in the cavities.
- Pat the turkey fully dry with clean paper towels. Do NOT rinse.
How to Roast Turkey
- Preheat oven to 425°F with the rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Mix garlic butter by combining softened butter, parsley, and minced fresh garlic.2 sticks salted butter, 4 Tablespoons fresh parsley, 4 cloves garlic
- Carefully lift the skin of the turkey, separating it from the breast as much as possible. This is easiest using the back of a spoon. Season underneath the skin with the garlic butter, then rub the outside of the skin all over with more garlic butter to coat the entire bird.Garlic butter, 12-15 lb turkey
- Stuff the large cavity with a halved orange, half a lemon, a halved onion, and fresh herbs. Tie the legs together with baking twine.1 Orange, 1 Lemon, 1 Onion, Several sprigs of fresh herbs, Baking twine
- Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan with a rack. Tuck the wings underneath the bird to prevent them from burning. Then, pour chicken broth into the roasting pan.4 cups chicken broth
- Add the turkey to the oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F. Roast for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, begin basting the turkey every 30 minutes. If you find the skin is browning more quickly than the bird can cook, tent the turkey with foil.
- Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh joint registers 175°F and 165°F when inserted into the breast (always test both).
- Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a carving board. Allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes, and it should reach the proper internal temperature of 180°F in the thigh and 170°F in the breast.
- Remove the stuffing and discard. Carve and serve after resting, and enjoy!
Making Turkey Gravy
- To make gravy from drippings, place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat (or transfer juices to a saucepan if you prefer).
- 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.
- Combine milk and flour in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.2 Tablespoons flour, ½ cup milk
- Whisk the milk mixture into the gravy and simmer, stirring continuously until the gravy thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Turkey Breast: You can use a turkey breast in place of a whole turkey for this recipe.
- Garlic Butter: Trust us, once you try this garlic butter spread on your turkey, you will never go back to traditional roasting. It makes the juiciest turkey you will ever try.
- Carving Turkey: When carving the turkey, find the wishbone at the front center of the breast. Use your fingers to pull it out.
- Slicing Turkey: Slice the turkey breast against the grain. Trust us, this will make a huge difference.
Nutrition
Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 85g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 282mg | Sodium: 793mg | Potassium: 1012mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4mg