Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Learn how to cook a whole turkey in the oven - the easy way! This simple and easy foolproof Thanksgiving turkey recipe yields juicy, flavorful turkey every time!
Servings:12 servings
Ingredients
- 12-20 pound turkey
- 3-4 sage leaves
- 3-4 sprigs rosemary
- ½ yellow onion
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3-4 sprigs thyme
- ½ cup butter, very softened
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup water
- gravy or cranberry sauce, for serving
Instructions
A few days beforehand...
- If your turkey is frozen, thaw in the fridge in advance. You'll want to allow for one full day/24 hours in the fridge for every five pounds of turkey. Allow to rest out of the fridge for one hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
Prepare the Garlic Herb Butter
- Combine butter, garlic, and herbs in a small bowl. Mash with a fork and stir to combine. Set aside.
Prepare the Turkey
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Reach into the cavity of the turkey and pull out the giblets bag and neck (I discard both).
- Use paper towels to pat the turkey completely dry on the outside, and use a few paper towels to soak up any liquid from inside the cavity.
- Place turkey in a roasting pan on the rack. Tuck the wings under the body of the turkey. (This usually requires a little elbow grease - just shove them under there!) If the legs aren't tied together already, tie together the legs using some bakers twine (or dental floss, in a pinch).
- Place onion, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, and sage leaves inside the cavity.
- Use your fingertips to loosen the skin from the top side of the turkey. Rub half of the butter mixture under the skin as far as you can reach without tearing the skin.
- Season the outside of the turkey all over with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Rub remaining garlic butter over the outside of the turkey.
- Use two long sheets of foil to create a "tent" over the turkey. (But sure to just create a loose covering, do not press the foil tightly onto the turkey. You want the foil to be touching the turkey as little as possible.
Cook the Turkey
- Transfer turkey/roasting pan to a rack in the lower third of your oven.
- Cook for two hours on the BAKE setting at 375 degrees.
- Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (don't pour it over the turkey).
- Continue to cook another 45 minutes or until internal temperature (using a meat thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the turkey thigh) reads 160 degrees (*if your turkey becomes completely browned all over and has not yet reached 160 degrees internal temperature, tent with foil again to keep the skin from burning while the turkey finishes cooking through.)
- Allow the turkey to rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving (this is important to keep your turkey juicy and not dried out!). Serve with gravy and/or cranberry sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook time: As a rule of thumb, you'll need about 13 minutes in the oven for every pound of turkey. Plan on about 3 hours for a 12-13 pound turkey and add another 13 minutes to your planning time for each additional pound.
***The cooking time listed at the top of this recipe card is the estimated time for a 12-14 pound turkey. Please account for additional time if you are cooking a larger turkey.
Nutrition
Calories: 463 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 70 g, Fat: 19 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 233 mg, Sodium: 373 mg, Potassium: 746 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 209 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 51 mg, Iron: 3 mg