If you’ve been wondering how to cook a turkey in the oven, you’ve come to the right place! This roasted turkey is coated with a garlicky herb butter, then baked until it’s golden, crisp and juicy. It’s a Thanksgiving turkey that is sure to steal the show, and is easier to make than you might think!
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You’ll Love This Roasted Turkey
Whether it’s your first Thanksgiving turkey or your twentieth, this recipe makes it easy to get right. The garlic herb butter packs in so much flavor, and the skin roasts up beautifully browned and crisp. Want to take it up a notch? An optional overnight brine makes it even juicier, but this turkey is fantastic either way!
Why You’ll Love It
- The meat is so moist that it practically falls off the bone as you carve it.
- The skin roasts up to a beautiful, deep golden-brown that will have everyone’s mouths watering.
- Every slice is packed with the flavors of garlic, rosemary, sage and thyme thanks to the herb butter.
- No basting required, so you can keep the oven door closed and focus on the side dishes.
Learn How To Cook A Turkey In The Oven
Never cooked a turkey before? Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through the steps. This post covers everything you need to know, including:
- Picking the perfect turkey.
- How to thaw your turkey, including a quicker method if you are short on time.
- Preparing your turkey so that it’s juicy on the inside and golden on the outside.
- How long to cook a turkey, based on its size.
- How to tell exactly when your turkey is done, with no guesswork.
Thanksgiving Turkey Ingredients
This ingredient list includes the optional, but recommended brine ingredients. This is a discussion about the ingredients. For the actual recipe with amounts, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Turkey: Make sure you pick a turkey that hasn’t been pre-seasoned, brined, or injected with flavor already. A good rule of thumb for turkey size depends on how many people you’re feeding: about 1 to 2 lbs of turkey per person.
- Water: You’ll need about a gallon for the brine and extra for the bottom of the roasting pan. Make sure at least 4 cups of the brine water is cold.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher Salt is best for a brine, but use whatever salt you have on hand.
- Brown Sugar: This gives the brine a depth of flavor and tenderizes the meat. You can swap it for white sugar.
- Garlic: You’ll need freshly minced garlic for the herb butter and a whole head of garlic for the inside of the turkey. You’ll also need a whole head for the brine.
- Onion: I prefer a sweeter yellow onion, but you can use a white onion as well. You’ll need at least 2 for the turkey and the brine.
- Lemon: Save some slices for garnishing and some for the brine. You can also swap the lemons in the brine for limes or oranges.
- Seasonings: Primarily for the herb butter, you’ll need rubbed (dried) sage, dried rosemary, dried thyme, celery salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and onion powder.
- Fresh Herbs: I like fresh rosemary and thyme. You’ll need some for both the turkey and the brine. Save some for garnishing if you choose.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best, since you’ll be seasoning it with spices and dried herbs. Make sure it’s softened completely to room temperature. It will be easier to spread.
- Olive Oil: This is optional, but great if you want the turkey to have a shiny, crispy finish.
- Broth: Chicken broth is the easiest to find, but if you can find it (usually around the holidays), you can use turkey broth instead.
How to Make Thanksgiving Turkey
This is just a visual overview of how this recipe is made to help you visualize the process. For the actual recipe directions with full details, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1: Combine and boil brine ingredients. Cool the brine and prepare the turkey.
Step 2: Submerge the turkey in the cooled brine for 12 hours. Once done, drain the brine and dry the turkey.
Step 3: Combine the herb butter ingredients.
Step 4: Dry, stuff, and butter the turkey.
Step 5: Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step 6: Let rest, garnish, and serve!
Picking The Perfect Turkey
Standing in the grocery store surrounded by different types of turkey can feel a bit overwhelming. Here are some tips for picking out the right turkey for your holiday meal.
How Many Pounds Of Turkey Per Person
Plan on about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person. This may sound like a lot, but it accounts for the weight of the bones. If you love leftovers, go ahead and get a larger turkey. This recipe uses a 12-16 pound turkey, but a larger one works as well – it will just need more time in the oven.
One note about turkey size – make sure you have the room to store the turkey in your fridge or freezer, that you have a roasting pan big enough to bake it in and that it will fit in your oven. Yes, some turkeys are too big for some ovens!
Fresh or Frozen Turkey
They are both delicious, so it really comes down to timing and convenience.
- Fresh turkeys are ready to cook right away, but they need to be purchased just a day or two before you cook them. They also sell out quickly around the holidays, so it’s best to pre-order one.
- Frozen turkeys can be bought weeks ahead of time and are usually more budget friendly. The catch is they need plenty of time to thaw, so you need to plan accordingly.
Brining Your Turkey? Check The Label
If you plan on brining your turkey, you’ll want to skip turkeys that are labeled pre-brined, injected, basted or enhanced. If you use these turkeys as well as brining, you risk ending up with a very salty turkey. Kosher turkey. While Kosher turkeys aren’t technically pre-brined, they are heavily salted.
How To Thaw A Frozen Turkey
- Thawing a turkey almost always takes longer than most people think it will, so make sure to do the math and plan accordingly.
- Thaw the turkey in the original packaging. You do not need to open the packaging until after it’s thawed and you are ready to prepare it.
- Turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature while thawing, this is why you should not thaw your turkey at room temperature.
How Long To Thaw A Turkey
A frozen turkey needs about a day of thawing in the fridge per 4-5 pounds of turkey. For example, if you have a 15lb turkey, it will take about 3-4 days to thaw in the fridge. Typically the turkey packaging will also advise on thaw times. Keep the turkey in the packaging it comes in while it thaws. Place a tray, and maybe even an extra bag under it to catch any liquid that might seep out while it thaws.
Refrigerator Turkey Thaw Times
- 4 to 12 pounds – 1 to 3 days
- 12 to 16 pounds – 3 to 4 days
- 16 to 20 pounds – 4 to 5 days
- 20 to 24 pounds – 5 to 6 days
A Quicker Way To Thaw A Turkey
If you forgot to thaw the turkey in the fridge, you can submerge the frozen packaged turkey in a sink or large tub of cold water. Most turkeys will thaw at a rate of about 30 minutes per pound. You’ll have to rotate the turkey and change the water every 30 minutes until it has thawed completely. You need to cook your turkey immediately after thawing if you use this method. This isn’t the recommended way to thaw a turkey, but it works if you are short on time.
Cold Water Thaw Times
- 4 to 12 pounds – 2 to 6 hours
- 12 to 16 pounds – 6 to 8 hours
- 16 to 20 pounds – 8 to 10 hours
- 20 to 24 pounds – 10 to 12 hours
How Long To Cook A Turkey
If you’re wondering how long to cook a turkey, the rule of thumb is about 12-15 minutes of cook time per pound of turkey. I highly recommend investing in a meat thermometer and checking the temperature of the breast occasionally in the last hour of cooking. Pull it out as soon as it hits 165°F.
Turkey Cooking Times
More Turkey Tips
Dry That Turkey: Your turkey should be as dry as it can be before you spread the butter. Since oil and water don’t mix, if your turkey still has moisture on the skin, the butter won’t stick to the turkey. Letting it sit uncovered in the fridge for a while will help.
Soak In The Seasoning: For more tips on brining a turkey, see my Turkey Brine post where I share tips and tricks specific to brining!
Take A Rest: Let your turkey rest, loosely tented with foil, for about 25-30 minutes before carving so that the juices can settle back into the meat. This helps keep the juices in the turkey, and not on the cutting board, and it’s a perfect time to make the Turkey Gravy recipe.
A Slice Of Advice: To carve your turkey, start with a sharp knife. Carefully remove the legs and thigh by cutting through the joint where they meet the body, then remove the wings. Next, slice along one side of the breastbone and carefully cut the breast meat away from the bone in one large piece. Then lay the turkey breast flat and slice it against the grain.
Storage Tips
Storage: The easiest way to store turkey leftovers is to carve the turkey into slices first, and then store the meat in airtight containers. I like to separate the white breast meat from the dark thigh and leg meat. Store for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Reheating: The easiest way to reheat turkey is to cook a serving in the microwave until warmed through. You can also reheat in the air fryer! Leftover gravy really helps add moisture as the turkey will dry out over a few days in the fridge.
What to Serve With Thanksgiving Turkey
Need some show-stopping side-dish options to pair with your Thanksgiving Turkey? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Here’s what’s on my Thanksgiving Menu:
Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes
Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without a delicious dessert! Here are some of my top recommendations!
Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
Turkey Brine Ingredients
- 1 gallon cold water (divided)
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 head garlic (halved crosswise)
- 1 large yellow onion (quartered)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 lemon (sliced)
- Ice
Turkey Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (12 to 16 pounds, thawed)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 6 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (ground)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 large yellow onion (quartered)
- 1 head garlic (halved crosswise)
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- lemon slices, rosemary (for garnish)
Instructions
How to Brine a Turkey
- Start by adding 8 cups of water to a very large pot over medium heat. To the water, add the kosher salt, brown sugar, a whole head of garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, and sliced lemons. Stir well, and allow it to come to a boil. Let the brine simmer for a few minutes to ensure the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the liquid come to room temperature. If you need to speed up the cooling process, add a bit of ice. Once it’s completely cooled, add 4 more cups of cold water to the brine.
- Prepare the thawed turkey. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavities. Either discard these or save them in a separate container in the fridge to cook them later.
- If it fits, you can place the turkey in the pot with the brine, OR place it in a brining bag and pour the brine into the bag with the turkey. Let the turkey sit in the brine in the fridge for no less than 12 hours, preferably overnight, to roast the next day.
How to Roast a Turkey
- About 2-3 hours before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine. Pat the turkey dry very well using paper towels. Grab your roasting pan. Place the turkey on the rack, breast side up, and dry off any remaining wet spots. Place the roasting pan with the turkey in the fridge, uncovered, to dry while you prepare your herb butter.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the softened butter, fresh, minced garlic, rubbed sage, ground rosemary, dried thyme, celery salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and onion powder. Mix really well until combined into a paste.
- Remove the turkey from the fridge and pat dry once more to get all the remaining liquid off the surface of the turkey. Stuff the quartered onion, head of garlic, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme into the center cavity of the turkey, then tie the legs together with twine.
- To the basin of the roasting pan beneath the rack, pour in the water and broth. Add the neck and giblets to the bottom of the pan, if you choose to use it for the gravy. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- While the oven preheats, use your hands to loosen the skin of the turkey from the meat. Take half of the herbed butter mixture in your hands and spread it underneath the skin, covering as much surface area as you can. Spread the rest of the herbed butter mixture on the exterior of the turkey, covering the whole thing as best as you can.
- Place the buttered turkey in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, uncovered. After 30 minutes, lower the temperature of the oven to 325°F, and loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil. Let the turkey cook for 3 more hours if it’s a small bird, and 4 more hours if it’s a large bird. (The rule of thumb is about 12-15 minutes of cook time per pound of turkey.)
- Check the turkey 1 hour prior to when you expect it to be ready, and make sure the bottom of the roasting pan still has plenty of liquid in it. You’ll know it’s ready when the thick part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, and the thigh/leg part about 170°F. Many turkeys have a thermometer that will pop, but I recommend checking it yourself as well.
- Optional step, but once it’s ready, remove the foil and baste the top of the turkey with some olive oil. Let it sit under the broiler for a few minutes (watch closely so it doesn’t burn) to get a crisp skin with a beautiful, shiny golden-brown color.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, and transfer it to a large cutting board to rest for about 25-30 minutes. Keep it loosely tented with foil to retain warmth. Save the juice from the bottom of the pan to make a turkey gravy. Learn how to make one here.
- Place the turkey on a large serving plate and line it with herbs, lemon slices, and any other garnishes you see fit. Carve out slices to serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
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Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
