Roast turkey made simple: Follow our foolproof instructions to serve up a succulent bird that will have everyone asking for seconds! 🦃🍽️
Need an easy roast turkey recipe to impress your loved ones this holiday season? Here’s the ultimate guide on How to Cook a Turkey In the Oven so you can learn to become the master of making tender turkey this Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 12-14 lbs whole turkey thawed and make sure giblets and neck are removed from cavity and reserved for the giblet gravy
- ▢ 3 onions rough chop into wedges
- ▢ 2 lemon cut in half
- ▢ 3 carrots cut into large pieces
- ▢ 4 stalks of celery cut into large pieces
- ▢ 7 cloves of garlic
- ▢ 1 whole head of garlic top quarter cut off to expose cloves
- ▢ 2 – 4 cups chicken broth
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
- ▢ Fresh herbs parsley, sage and thyme
- ▢ Salt and Pepper
- ▢ 4 tbsp butter
Instructions
Brine the turkey:
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Start 2 days ahead if you have the time by removing the turkey from its package, setting aside the neck and giblets and brining the turkey. See our notes below for more information.
Air Dry:
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If you don’t brine the bird, we still recommend an air dry over night for the crispiest skin.
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Remove from the brine and pat dry. Be sure to thoroughly dry the cavity as well.
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Nestle the turkey onto a wire rack on top of a baking sheet or dish and then air dry in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.
Cook the turkey:
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Adjust your oven racks so that the turkey, in the roasting pan will slide in and out easily.
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When ready to cook, add 2 onions, 1 lemon, carrots and 3 celery stalks to the bottomr of a roasting pan.
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Smash the 7 cloves of garlic and add them as well.
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Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaves.
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Then, Add the remaining onion and celery to the cavity of the chicken, along with the herbs tied together.
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Add the lemon lemon sliced in half and the head of garlic as well.
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Next, working with your fingers, gently pull the skin up from the breast. Do this by working with the skin at the edge of the cavity by sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat.
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Carefully slide forward, loosening the skin from the meat.
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Then, add the butter in small pieces in between the skin and the meat. It will melt over the turkey as it cooks.
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Truss the turkey by securing the legs with butcher’s twine.
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Place the turkey on the rack, breast side up, and nestle the rack into the pan atop the veggies.
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Place the pan with the turkey in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
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Baste with the drippings using a brush or turkey baster, then cover the breast with foil and roast the tureky for another 50-60 minutes.
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Remove the pan from the oven and increase the heat to 400 degrees. While the heat increases baste the turkey again.
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Remove the foil from the breast return the turkey to the oven, and cook for another 45 to 60 minutes, watching that the bird does not get too brown atop.
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Baste the bird every time you check it.
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Cook the turkey until the breast reaches 165 degrees F and the legs are at 170 degrees F. Check that the meat on the thickest part of the bottom of the bird has cooked as well.
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If the turkey is not to temp, return to oven for another 20 to 30 minutes.
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Always use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results.
Rest and serve:
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Carefully remove the turkey from the oven.
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Lift the roasting rack and carefully transfer it, with the roasted turkey on it, to a clean cutting board to rest.
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Tent the bird loosely with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 77g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 262mg | Sodium: 579mg | Potassium: 914mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2872IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg
