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Learning how to cook a turkey is easier than you may have thought. With a few simple tips and tricks you can have a perfect juicy, golden brown turkey on your holiday table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
I had been married almost 30 years before I cooked my own turkey. Well, times have changed and the roast turkey is my responsibility. After I overcame my initial fear I discovered that cooking a turkey is easier than I thought.
With just a few tips and tricks you can have a beautiful, golden brown turkey on your holiday table every time! And it will be moist and delicious too! This is the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe!
Ingredients Needed
- Whole Turkey, thawed
- Butter
- Onion
- Lemon
- Apple
- Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme, fresh
- Garlic
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
How to Cook a Turkey in the Oven
- Thaw your frozen turkey. I usually put mine in the refrigerator 2-3 days before Thanksgiving.
- Allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for one hour before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
- Remove the neck and giblets from inside the turkey.
- Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel.
- Mix together your herb butter.
- Loosen the skin on the turkey with your fingers.
- Rub herb butter underneath skin of the turkey and onto the top of the turkey skin.
- Stuff the turkey cavity with apple, lemon, onion and fresh herbs. Tuck the wings under the turkey and using kitchen twine, tie the legs together.
- Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
- Cook the turkey at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.
- Create a triangular aluminum foil tent for the turkey. You want the foil to cover the breast of the turkey.and place the foil tent on the turkey and insert a meat thermometer into the breast of the turkey.
- Cook the turkey at 350 degrees F until the breast reaches 160 degrees. This takes about 12-15 minutes per pound, so about 2-3 hours.
- Let the turkey rest for 15 minute before carving, which will allow the internal temperature to rise to 165 degrees F.
- Reserve the turkey’s drippings or juices in your roasting pan to make turkey gravy.
- Garnish the turkey platter with fresh herbs such as sage, bay leaves and rosemary. I like to add red grapes and lemon slices.
What is the Best Way to Thaw a Turkey?
The best way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator. You should allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. Be sure and place the turkey in its original packaging into a pan to catch any juices that may drip from the turkey as it thaws.
If you need to do it quicker, you can place the turkey into a cold water bath in your sink and change the water every 30 minutes until it’s thawed. It should take about 30 minutes per pound.
Tips from leigh Anne
- When you insert the meat thermometer, make sure it doesn’t hit the bone. You want it in the meatiest part of the turkey breast. Insert the thermometer into the breasts and the thighs. The thighs will take longer to cook than the breasts.
- When you take the turkey out of the oven, tent the turkey with foil as it rests to help keep it warm. Rest for 15-30 minutes before carving. Make your gravy while the turkey is resting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pounds of turkey do I need?
A good rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs per person. I cooked a 13 pound turkey which will feed 8 people without a lot of leftovers. If you like a lot of leftovers I would recommend a 15-18 lb. turkey for 8 people.
How do you carve a turkey?
Use a sharp knife. Remove the wings first, and then the legs. Carve off the breasts next, cut close to the rib cage and then separate the legs into thighs and drumsticks. Carve the breast meat into individual slices.
How do I cook a turkey breast?
If you want to cook a turkey breast, follow the directions in this post.
Pair This With Some of our Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes:
Check out things to make with leftover turkey:
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Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 13-15 lb. turkey thawed
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 lemon quartered
- 1 apple quartered
- 2 springs rosemary
- 2 spring sage
- 2 sprigs thyme or oregano
Herb Butter
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1-2 Tbsp fresh herbs chopped (rosemary, oregano, thyme, etc.)
Instructions
- Thaw turkey in refrigerator. 24 hours for every 5 lbs.
- Allow turkey to sit at room temperature one hour before putting in the oven.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F with rack at the bottom of oven, you want the turkey in the center of your oven.
- Mix together herb mixture.
- Remove neck and giblets from inside of the turkey, rinse and pat turkey dry.
- Using your fingers, loosen the skin of the turkey and rub half the butter mixture under the skin. Spread the other half over the top of the skin.
- Stuff the inside of the turkey with lemon, onion, apple and fresh herbs. Tuck the wings under the turkey and tie the legs together with kitchen string.
- Place turkey on rack in roasting pan.
- Fold a piece of foil into a triangle and shape it to fit the turkey, covering the breast area. See photo above.
- Roast the turkey at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes to let the skin turn golden brown.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F, insert oven safe meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, being sure not to hit the bone. Cover turkey with foil triangle. Cook the turkey until it reaches 160 degrees F. and remove from oven. Tent with foil and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes before carving.
Tips & Notes:
- When you insert the meat thermometer, make sure it doesn’t hit the bone. You want it in the meatiest part of the turkey breast. Insert the thermometer into the breasts and the thighs. The thighs will take longer to cook than the breasts.
- When you take the turkey out of the oven, tent the turkey with foil as it rests to help keep it warm. Rest for 15-30 minutes before carving. Make your gravy while the turkey is resting.
- The best way to carve a turkey is: Remove the wings first, and then the legs. Carve off the breasts next, cut close to the rib cage and then seperate the legs into thighs and drumsticks. Carve the breast meat into individual slices.
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Tisha says
I also followed your directions, and our turkey turned out perfectly! My entire family commented about how moist & tender it was. Thank you so much!
Miss Doerschler says
I followed your directions and made the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving. It was brown and so juicy on the inside. My children were impressed! Thank you.
Leigh Anne says
So glad it worked well for you – thanks for letting me know!