A Thanksgiving or holiday table wouldn’t be complete with a big ol’ juicy and flavorful turkey at the center! This easy, no-fail Thanksgiving turkey recipe will knock your socks off, and be the best turkey you’ll ever serve! The secret to this juicy and aromatic turkey is butter, and lots of it! I season the butter with loads of spices, such as smoked paprika, basil, oregano and garlic. This herbed butter is spread underneath the skin and over the top to add moisture and flavor to every bite! This recipe is measured for a 9 pound turkey; adjust the recipe according to the size of your bird.
*Important* – turkeys need at least 4 to 5 days to thaw in the refrigerator! Make sure you take yours out of the freezer ahead of time!
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I love to stuff my turkey with citrus, such as lemon and orange wedges, to add moisture and a fresh flavor twist. I also add loads of garlic, shallots and big bundle of fresh herbs. You’ll love the aroma of this turkey in the oven! And my second roasting tip: basting the turkey with more butter and adding chicken broth to the pan. Just brush the turkey with more butter at the 2 hour roasting mark and add a cup or two of chicken broth to the roasting pan to add more moisture to the oven so your turkey doesn’t dry out!
If you want to make your turkey even more juicy, try brining your bird for 24 to 48 hours using my ‘Apple Cider Turkey Brine’. It’s super easy to prepare and you can have your turkey brining in just 10 minutes. It’s an easy way to add more juiciness and more flavor to any turkey recipe!
Use this handy turkey roasting guide to figure out how long you need to roast your turkey based on size in a 350F oven.
The Best Gravy!
You can’t serve your amazing, juicy turkey without gravy so I’ve included the most incredible turkey drippings gravy! It’s the one and only recipe I use and it’s so easy to make! Once the turkey is done baking and it’s resting, just strain the turkey drippings using a fine mesh strainer lined with a cheesecloth. The cheesecloth will catch all the little bits you don’t want in the gravy. Use the drippings for the gravy! It’s that easy and ridiculously delicious!
Serving Your Turkey!
Presenting your turkey is as important is the baking process! Learn how to carve up your Thanksgiving or Christmas bird like a pro with my step-by-step video turkey carving tutorial! https://tatyanaseverydayfood.com/recipe-items/carve-a-turkey/
- pomegranate segments; mini apples; orange or mandarin slices; orange wedges; cranberries
- shallots, carrots, green onion
- fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage or bay leaves
More Recipes!
Enjoy this turkey with some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes!
- Check out my Thanksgiving Menu post for all the recipes I enjoy in one spot!
- ‘Pomegranate Kale Salad’ is one of my favorites! Refreshing and always a crowd favorite!
- Classic Pecan Pie – my favorite pie made without any corn syrup!
- And these ‘Garlic Bacon Potatoes’ are loaded with fresh garlic and plenty of bacon pieces!
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I love this large roasting pan with a non-stick rack – perfect for even extra-large turkeys.
Don’t forget a baster to ensure your turkey stays juicy!
Make sure to get these turkey lifters to transfer the bird from the pan onto your carving board.
This cutting board also doubles as a great carving board – my absolute favorite!!
And this Wusthof carving knife is amazing! Or, get a set with a carving fork and knife.
Hi! Long time listener, first time caller. Are the drum sticks the only bits you cover in foil? We’ve always covered our turkey with foil for baking but we’ll try anything for ours to look like this one.
Hi! 🙂 For the first 2 1/2 hours, I cover just the drumsticks. Once the turkey is nice and golden, I tent it with foil for the remainder of the time
Hi Tatyana!
I have never cooked a whole roasted turkey in my life, but my mother-in-law just asked me to make one for this Thanksgiving dinner :)) Of course, I said YES. So I found your recipe and I think I will go with it. It looks yummy and very festive. I am excited and both intimidated.. any advice to a first time turkey cook? Also I have a question about a tray to use – it is a roaster with a rack in your video – will a regular tray work? Or it is better to use something like yours?
Thank you for your help!
Anna
Hi! Good luck with your first turkey – I know the first one is always the scariest! A regular tray will work if you don’t have a roasting pan like the one I used! Use my timing chart to determine the baking time based on the size of your turkey. I recommend tenting/covering the turkey with foil after about 2 – 2 1/2 hours, or once it reaches a nice, golden brown color. Covering with foil will prevent it from getting too dark. Other than that, enjoy! 🙂
Hi! I was wondering if you put the turkey in brine first? Thank you!
Not the one I used for this recipe, but you can definitely brine the day before. I’ve tried both brining and a combination of brine and this recipe and they were identical… 🙂
Thank you so much for your wonderful turkey recipe
It was my very first time to cook turkey and your recipe did not disappoint me. I followed every single step ?
My family and friends really enjoyed it!
Happy thanksgiving!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Hi! In the ingredients it states a 8-10 pound turkey. If I am making a 20 pound turkey do I need to double any ingredients? Or will everything, aside from cook time, remain the same?
Hi! Yes, if you have a larger turkey, you’ll need to increase the ingredients. I would double them for a 20 pound bird. And follow my cooking chart for the timing. Enjoy! 🙂
Hello! Do you have any advice for doing this recipe for a 6+ pound turkey breast instead of a whole turkey?
Thanks!
Hi! You can use the same ingredients – the garlic butter spread and the stuffing. Make sure to coat the turkey breast well and layer the citrus, onion and garlic into the roasting pan and add a bit of chicken broth. Bake until the turkey breast is done, internal temperature needs to be 165F. Make sure to bast the turkey with the juices 🙂
Hi can I season the turkey the night before?
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Absolutely! I’ll be doing the same 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi,
Your recipe looks really good. This is my first time cooking a Turkey. I bought an injecting marinate (Garlic Herb flavor). Can I use this recipe but also use the marinate Turkey overnight? I am really overwhelmed with all the suggestions. Would greatly appreciate your input.
Thank you
Hi Tina! Cooking your first turkey can be overwhelming! You can definitely marinate the turkey overnight, then use this recipe when you’re ready to put it into the oven. Just pat it dry before applying the butter so it sticks better. Good luck! 🙂
Thank you for your reply, Turkey was delicious and everyone loved it. THANK YOU. Hope you are having a great Thanksgiving also. 🙂
How much ground black pepper does the recipe require? It doesn’t say on the ingredients list. Also, can I cook this turkey in an oven bag? Thank you.
Hi! Sorry about the confusion. I didn’t add any but feel free to add some, about 1 tsp 🙂
Hi your turkey recipe turned out great for my first turkey!! I would suggest putting into the recipe tenting the turkey once its golden as I missed this step until I was leaving my review. Still turned out great just a tad dark. Thanks so much. Happy holidays!!
I’m so glad you were able to enjoy the turkey even with the small hiccup! Happy holidays!
I have made quite a few turkeys and this recipe by far was the best. Thank you so much for sharing. My turkey was absolutely delicious!!
I’m so glad to hear that! 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Hi Tatyana!
I will be using this recipe to cook my first turkey this christmas! However I still have a few questions:
Can I season (herbed butter part) and stuff the turkey (citrus, orange, shallots etc.) the day before and leave it covered in the fridge? Or can I only season it and is it better to stuff it right before cooking? Can I place potatoes and other vegetables under/next to the turkey or will these get to soft/burned because of the long cooking time? And lastly do you use a fan forced setting or a conventional setting for your oven?
Hope to hear from you soon!
Hi! I hope you enjoy the recipe! Yes, you can definitely get the turkey seasoned and stuffed the night before; that will save you some time in the morning! I would add the potatoes and veggies about half way through baking and they should be fine. I use a regular oven, no forced fan. Once the turkey is nicely browned, you can tent it with foil to prevent it from getting too dark. Happy holidays!