I know, I know! Roasting a whole turkey is intimidating! Take it from someone who cooks for a living; when it comes to turkey, the anxiety runs high! So I get it. I totally know how you’re feeling. But I wanted to change that; for myself, sure, but also for you. All the insecurities and fears you may have around roasting a whole Thanksgiving turkey – squashed. And once that happens, I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to make the turkey every year and let the guests each bring the sides. Now, I honestly feel like that’s more involved than making the turkey! How easy would that be to host Friendsgiving and only be in charge of the turkey! There are just a few things to remember when you’re roasting a turkey at home, and I’ll be sure to point them out along the way and make sure to guide you through them!
Ingredients for the best thanksgiving Turkey recipe:
Whole skin-on Turkey: I prefer to buy a whole wild turkey for this recipe so that I can prepare it with my favorite brining solution. You can use a turkey such as Butterball (or other) that are already brined and skip this step entirely. You’ll want to use 12-15 pounds of turkey for this recipe. Be sure to remove the neck and giblets. I discard them but you could also use them to make a turkey gravy! You can use a larger size turkey as well, I’ll provide instructions on how to do so in the recipe.Brining ingredients: I prefer to brine my turkey 24 hours ahead of cooking. You’ll need equal parts kosher salt, brown sugar, an orange, and a tablespoon or so of whole pepper corns. People use all sorts of stuff, such as, juniper berries, garlic cloves, and other citrus fruit. Feel free to use what you like here.Onion: We quarter the onion and add them to the belly of the turkey. They provide a delicious aroma as the turkey bakes in the oven.Lemon: We’ll zest it to add to the compound butter we’ll rub on the turkey breasts and all over. The rest of the lemon is added to the belly to add flavor and aroma.Head of Garlic + Garlic cloves: Slice the garlic head in half and add it to the inside of the cavity of the turkey. The garlic cloves are pressed or minced and used to make a garlic and herb compound butter to rub on the thighs and all over the turkey.Parsley: We’ll use parsley in the compound butter as well as in the cavity of the turkey to create an aroma.Other Herbs: You’ll need a few sprigs of sage, rosemary, and thyme. Unsalted Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature to make the compound butter. You can stir the chopped herbs, garlic, and lemon zest in a bowl or pop everything into a food processor and pulse until the compound butter is combined.
How to prepare a turkey for roasting:
Other than defrosting the turkey, they are optional steps to make the turkey even more delicious. You can skip these and go right to the next section if this is your first time preparing a turkey. But I highly suggest doing them once; they do add so much to this classic roast!
How to roast a perfect thanksgiving turkey:
Recommended Equipment:
Roasting PanOven ThermometerMeat thermometerLarge TubAluminum FoilKitchen Twine
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Amazing Cheddar Mashed PotatoesHomemade GravyCreamy Green Bean CasseroleGarlic Butter Roasted CarrotsSlow Cooker Creamed CornAnd if you’re not quite ready for turkey, try my 1-hour roast chicken instead!
Thaw: It takes 24 hours to thaw 5 pounds of turkey in the fridge from frozen. So for 12-15 pounds, so you will need to place the frozen turkey in the refrigerator 3 days before brining (or directly roasting.)
