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    Home » Holiday Recipes » Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

    Published: Nov 18, 2020 · Modified: Nov 17, 2022 by Ajoke · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

    Skip to Recipe - Print Recipe

    You have had so many roasted turkeys in the past but this easy thanksgiving turkey recipe is the only one you would ever need again. It is simply, the best perfectly roasted bird, it is delicious, juicy and this recipe is foolproof.

    Leave your family and guest wowed with this dish, let me show you how to cook the best turkey for all occasions in this easy step by step guide.

    roasted turkey garnished with herbs.

    Thanksgiving turkey recipe

    Did you know you can achieve the best and perfectly cooked turkey using only the basic ingredients in your pantry? I am sharing with you my all-time and best turkey marinade ever. 

    This recipe is not only great on your Thanksgiving turkey, but it is also great for Christmas, Easter or any other occasion.

    Trust me, it would all be worth it in the end as your guests and families would love this one, there would be no meat left at the end of the day.

    I don’t like stuffing the turkey for health and safety reasons. Most times the stuffing does not cook all the way through and that poses a huge health and safety issue. also, if you wait until the stuffing cooks through, you run the risk of overcooking the turkey. 

    Most times, if I am serving some, I make it separately using either store-bought or making a simple one at home myself. I love to serve the stuffing alongside my homemade cranberry sauce and brown sugar glazed carrots and other delicious sides.

    a platter of carved turkey.

    Why you will love this thanksgiving turkey recipe

    • You do not need to brine the turkey, this saves you an extra step of work to do. More importantly, you need not need to worry about safe handling of turkey during brining. That said, with this recipe, you are guaranteed moist, tender and delicious turkey
    • There is no need to marinade the bird overnight as it can be done on the day of roasting.
    • No need to baste the turkey, it means once you cook this turkey under the right temperature, you would have your hands free for the next 2 to 3hours. There would not be need to for you to keep opening the oven door checking and basting every 30 minutes. In actual fact, doing this would only make the oven lose heat during the cooking process and also increases the cooking time.

    That said, you can always adjust the time accordingly if you do decide to baste the turkey.

    • You do not need to truss the turkey, this is just the process of tying the turkey legs together. It is beautiful but doing this might also increase the cooking time.
    • Above all, this is an extremely easy recipe with great tasting bird.
    platter of turkey and roasted potatoes.

    Quick guide to buying a turkey

    The first question is if you want a whole turkey or turkey crown. Picture your thanksgiving or Christmas table. What do you see? Once that is decided, now ask yourself how many people would you be serving the turkey?

    Most turkey packaging would have a number of serving suggestions on it and they are mostly accurate.

    Another thing to decide is if you want fresh or frozen turkey. While you can buy frozen turkey some few weeks or months before thanksgiving or Christmas, fresh ones are only sold a few days to the time.

    You might need to give a notice in advance for fresh turkey depending on where you are purchasing it from.

    Lastly, do you want to buy ready brined or basted turkey or would you rather do this process yourself? These questions are not exhaustive but it is important to always plan ahead for the big day.

    a platter of meat, vegetables and potatoes.

    How to thaw frozen turkey

    The best and practical way to know how to thaw a frozen turkey is to follow the instructions on the package of the bird.

    Alternatively, another safe way is to do a slow thaw in the fridge letting the size of the turkey guide you. This method is the easiest and safest way of doing it provided you do not forget to put it in the fridge at the right time. A general rule of thumb is to allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey.

    My turkey was just a little bit over 8 pounds (3.8kg) so I left it in the fridge for up to 48hours. Although, it did thaw completely before then, in fact, the instruction on the back did say 39 hours in the fridge 

    It is important that you have the fridge at the correct temperature

    You can also do a quick thaw under cold running water or by submerging the turkey in water like you would if you were brining it. Make sure the turkey remains in its packaging throughout this process.

    roasted bird.

    The DO’s of thawing frozen turkey in the fridge

    • Keep it in its packaging
    • Place it in a shallow pan, that way the melted ice/water drips into the pan

    Don’ts

    • Do not remove the packaging on the bird
    • Don’t cook the turkey unless it is completely thawed.

    How to know that the turkey is completely thawed

    The breast side would spring back when pressed into it. Also, the leg would wriggle freely when moved.

    How much turkey per one person?

    Most turkey packaging gives you the idea on how many people the bird can feed depending on its size. The general rule of the thumb is to allow one pound of meat per person. My 3.8kg (8.3lb) says it would feed between 4 – 7 people which is accurate and you are also guaranteed some leftovers as well.

    Ingredients

    Completely thawed whole turkey

    Rosemary

    Thyme

    Smoked paprika

    Onion powder

    Garlic powder

    Parsley

    Salt

    Fresh black pepper

    Butter

    Fresh spring of rosemary

    Fresh spring of thyme

    Water/wine/stock: this stops the vegetables from burning and also intensify the flavours for the gravy.        

    Vegetables: This will enhance the flavour of the gravy if you do decide to make one. More importantly, elevating the turkey over these vegetables during the cooking process would allow air to circulate uniformly and cook the bird perfectly.

    Celery

    Carrots

    Onions

    Fresh garlic

    Lemon

    Orange

    ingredients.

    How to cook a turkey

    Remove the giblets and turkey neck from the bird cavity. You do not need to wash your bird. Think about it, whatever bacteria lurking around it would definitely be dead after passing through the heat from the oven. Check the cavity and be sure to have removed any unwanted bits in it.

    Pat the turkey dry with a kitchen towel, including the cavity then generously season with salt and black pepper. Make sure you rub it in and all around the bird, including the cavity. Set the turkey aside for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can return it into the fridge but make sure to bring it out 30 minutes before cooking so it comes to room temperature.

    seasoned turkey on a roasting pan.

    Preheat the oven to 190C/375F for a conventional oven or 170C/350F for fan oven pr Gas mark 5

    In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, sage, thyme, garlic granules, onion powder, parsley and softened butter. Also while you wait, prep the veggies, cut carrot, onions, celery into large chunks, then the lemon and orange into segments, lastly cut the garlic bulb into two.

    a plate of vegetables and a jug of stock.

    Arrange the chopped vegetables in the roasting pan, place turkey breast side down on the bed of vegetables and rub the butter mixture all over it. carefully flip the bird so it is breast side up and truck the wing tips under the back. Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin on the breast by sliding your fingers in between the skin and the turkey breast.

    bed of vegetables in a roasting pan.

    Rub the remaining compound butter on the rest of turkey and under the loosened skin. Finally, stuff the cavity with 2 oranges and lemon segments and the fresh rosemary and thyme.

    turkey rubbed with butter place in a roasting pan.

    Place the turkey in the centre of the oven and roast for 12 - 15 minutes per pound. When the turkey is cooked halfway through, check that the skin is not browning too quickly, if so, tent the bird with a foil and continue to cook until fully cooked and skin is golden brown. To ensure that the turkey is fully cooked, insert meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, if the juice runs clear and not pink then it is done, also the internal temperature should read 165F/73C

    roasted turkey in a pan.

    PS: the turkey can be taken out of the oven once the internal temperature reaches 160F/ as it continues to cook as it rests under the foil.

    Rest the turkey for about 30 to 45 minutes before carving.

    A platter of turkey with the turkey leg at the centre.

    Tips to making the best thanksgiving turkey

    Take out the turkey from the oven once the internal temperature reaches 160 – 164F because the turkey continues to cook as its rest.

    Make sure you pat dry the turkey before seasoning. This is important in other to achieve crispy yet tender skin and moist turkey

    You do not need to truss the legs of this bird as doing so might not let it cook evenly. I was able to put the turkey legs together after roasting it to make it aesthetically pleasing for presentation but it is not needed for perfect roasting.

    Don’t forget to rub the butter mixture under the skin of the bird before roasting as it adds tons of flavours and also helps crisp up the skin as it cooks.

    The best meat thermometer for turkey is the probe, that way, you can stop cooking the turkey once it registers the right temperature. In this case 165F/73C for turkey or any other type of poultry.

    If you don’t own a roasting pan, simply use disposable foil roasting pan

    platter of carved bird.

    Perfect sides for your thanksgiving turkey

    Creamy garlic mashed potatoes

    Brown sugar glazed carrots

    Crispy roasted potatoes

    Roasted broccoli and cauliflower

    Roasted Cauliflower steaks

    You honestly don't want to miss these Scalloped potatoes or garlic butter smashed potatoes on your Thanksgiving table this year. It is an absolute delight!

    If you made this easy thanksgiving turkey recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback and rate it 5 stars. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox

    roasted turkey in a pan.

    Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

    Ajoke
    You have had so many roasted turkey in the past but this easy thanksgiving turkey recipe is the only one you would ever need again. It is simply, the best perfectly roasted bird, it is delicious, juicy and this recipe is foolproof.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins
    Total Time 2 hrs 40 mins
    Course Main Course, Thanksgiving
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 people
    Calories 580 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 8 – 12 pound whole turkey
    • 1 teaspoon Rosemary
    • ½ tablespoon thyme
    • ½ teaspoon sage
    • ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
    • ½ tablespoon onion powder
    • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon parsley
    • 1 tablespoon salt You wouldn’t be using all
    • 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper You wouldn’t be needing all
    • 125 g butter softened
    • 2 Fresh spring of rosemary
    • 2 Fresh spring of thyme
    • Water/wine/stock: this stops the vegetables from burning.

    Vegetable bed ingredients

    • 3 celery stalks chopped
    • 2 large carrots chopped
    • 1 large Onion chopped I used a mixture of red and yellow onions
    • 1 garlic bulb halved
    • 1 Lemon quartered divided
    • 1 Orange quartered divided

    Instructions
     

    • Remove the giblets and turkey neck from the bird cavity. You do not need to wash your bird. Think about it, whatever bacteria lurking around it would definitely be dead after passing through the heat from the oven. Check the cavity and be sure to have removed any unwanted bits in it.
    • Pat the turkey dry with a kitchen towel, including the cavity then generously season with salt and black pepper. Make sure you rub it in and all around the bird, including the cavity. Set the turkey aside for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can return it into the fridge but make sure to bring it out 30 minutes before cooking so it comes to room temperature.
      seasoned turkey in a roasting pan.
    • Preheat the oven to 190C/375F for a conventional oven or 170C/350F for fan oven pr Gas mark 5
    • In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, sage, thyme, garlic granules, onion powder, parsley and softened butter. Also while you wait, prep the veggies, cut carrot, onions, celery into large chunks, then the lemon and orange into segments, lastly cut the garlic bulb into two.
      a plate of vegetable with a jug of liquid and butter mixture in a bowl.
    • Arrange the chopped vegetables in the roasting pan, place turkey breast side down on the bed of vegetables and rub the butter mixture all over it. carefully flip the bird so it is breast side up and truck the wing tips under the back. Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin on the breast by sliding your fingers in between the skin and the turkey breast.
      turkey rubbed with butter place in a roasting pan.
    • Rub the remaining compound butter on the rest of turkey and under the loosened skin. Finally, stuff the cavity with 2 wedges oranges and lemon segments and the fresh rosemary and thyme.
    • Place the turkey in the centre of the oven and roast for 12 - 15 minutes per pound. When the turkey is cooked halfway through, check that the skin is not browning too quickly, if so, tent the bird with a foil and continue to cook until fully cooked and skin is golden brown. To ensure that the turkey is fully cooked, insert meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, if the juice runs clear and not pink then it is done, also the internal temperature should read 165F/73C
      roasted turkey in a pan.
    • PS: the turkey can be taken out of the oven once the internal temperature reaches 160F/ as it continues to cook as it rest under the foil.
    • Rest the turkey for about 30 to 45 minutes before carving.

    Video

    Notes

    Note: Please use your own nutritional calculator for an accurate nutritional fact per each serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 580kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 70gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 265mgSodium: 1475mgPotassium: 787mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3424IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 3mg

    Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

    Keyword christmas turkey, Thanksgiving turkey, thanksgiving turkey recipe
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    Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Main Dishes Tagged With: butter

    About Ajoke

    Hello, Nice to meet you! Welcome and thanks for visiting my food blog "The Dinner Bite". Feel free to browse through, you are guaranteed nothing here but a yummy experience

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