How to Cook a Turkey (Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe)
Our ultimate guide on How to Cook a Turkey (Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe) is a simple, easy and delicious thanksgiving turkey recipe that the entire family will love!
Ingredients
Turkey + Basting Liquid:
- 10-16 pound whole turkey
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 small yellow onion sliced
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 tablespoons butter
- splash white wine added to the drippings (optional)
Optional Stuffing:
- 1 small yellow onion quartered
- 1 small orange quartered
- fresh thyme
- fresh rosemary
Herbed Butter:
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Basting Butter:
- 3-4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Thaw + Room Temp: Ensure a 10-16 pound whole turkey is fully thawed. Remove turkey from packaging. Take the turkey neck and any giblets out of the turkey cavity. Place turkey on a plate or in a roasting pan (breast side up) and let sit out at room temperature for approximately 60 minutes (why: this will help the oven get a jump start on raising that internal temp + allowing the skin to dry out, results in a crispier, more delicious skin).
- Oven + Roasting Pan: preheat oven to 450℉ (we will reduce later) and ensure you have a roasting pan + rack (which lifts the turkey off the bottom of the pan and allows it to cook a bit faster). Add 2 cups chicken broth, onion, 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary and 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme to the bottom of the roasting pan. Ensure turkey is sitting in the roasting pan on top of the roasting rack, breast-side up.
- Prepare the Turkey: Combine the Herbed Butter ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Pat turkey dry (outside and inside the cavity) with paper towels. Season the inside of the cavity with kosher salt + ground black pepper. If stuffing, add the onion, orange and herbs to the cavity. Using your fingers gently separate the skin from the turkey breasts as much as you can. Push 4 tablespoons butter underneath the skin. Take the Herbed Butter mixture and spread all over the outside of the turkey skin. (sprinkle a little extra salt and pepper all over the turkey, on top of the butter)
- Place Turkey in Oven: place seasoned turkey inside the preheated oven and turn the temperature down to 325℉. Do not cover the turkey initially with aluminum foil - allow it to cook and once it starts to turn brown, tent a large piece of foil over the top, as-needed.
- Roast: Let turkey roast for 13-16 minutes per pound. For example, a 10 pound turkey would take about 130-160 minutes of total cook time.
- Baste: Melt 3-4 tablespoons butter in a separate bowl and use that to baste the turkey with a brush every 30-40 minutes. Once the Basting Butter is all used up, simply use the basting liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Internal Temp: A turkey is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temp of 165℉ at the thickest part of the meat (usually the thigh + breast). About halfway through the estimated cook time, start checking the internal temperature so you can project how much longer will be needed. Again, if you notice certain parts of the turkey skin browning too quickly feel free to place a piece of foil over a specific area or tent the whole turkey if the whole thing is browning.
- Rest: Once the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 160℉ remove from oven. Lift the roasting rack up and out of the roasting pan and place on a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest 20-30 minutes. The turkey will continue cooking and residual heat will continue to raise the internal temperature 5 degrees. Transfer any liquid remaining in the bottom of the roasting pan to a glass measuring cup or fat separator and use it to make homemade turkey gravy. Don't forget to save the carcass to make homemade turkey broth.
- Carve + Serve: Follow this tutorial to learn how to carve a turkey, then serve with homemade turkey gravy and all of your other favorite thanksgiving side dishes!
Video
Notes
- Roasting Rack/Foil Roasting Pan: if you are using a disposable roasting pan then I would recommend using either carrots or celery stalks as your "roasting rack" - just line them up in the bottom of the pan and place the turkey breast-side up on top of them.
- Tin Foil: you can start with the foil tented over the turkey and then remove it halfway through the cooking process, if you prefer, but we tend to favor starting without it and adding it as-needed as the turkey browns.
- Storage: store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Leftovers: we love making these quick and easy Turkey Cranberry Wraps or this Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup!
- Servings + Cook Time: the servings + cook time listed in the recipe card are assuming you are using a 12 pound turkey. Prep time also assuming you are not brining your turkey, which would take additional time to complete.
Nutrition
Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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