Name: Best Turkey Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 10-12 lb whole turkey; 1 whole white onion; 1 lemon; 2 fresh rosemary sprigs; 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs; 2 sprigs fresh sage; Extra fresh herb sprigs; ¾ cup unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 tablespoon fresh sage; 4 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Looking for the best turkey recipe? This is a roast turkey that is seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sage, and then onions, and some extra herbs and cranberries for garnish and smothered in a garlic herb butter. This is a juicy and flavorful roasted turkey that is bursting with flavor in each bite.

whole roasted turkey on a platter on table

What I love about this turkey is that it is bursting with flavor, and even the white meat is juicy as can be. Slice and serve this turkey up for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or even a weeknight meal for your family or a crowd.

turkey on a platter with garnishes around it

Turkey Recipe

Pair your turkey with loaded mashed potatoes, buttery green beans, or even this baked mac and cheese. All of these are fantastic sides for you to pair with your turkey.

holiday turkey and sides on platter on table

Reasons Why You Will Love This Turkey Recipe

A classic roast turkey recipe that is loaded with fresh herbs, and garlic butter smothered on the meat for added flavor.
Easy to find ingredients that you will be able to grab at the grocery store easily.
This turkey can be a holiday turkey for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more. Or you can serve it up for a meal during the week.
Carve a juicy turkey that everyone will enjoy.
Step-by-step directions that walk you through how to make a turkey. Whether you are new or a pro this is an easy roasted turkey recipe.

Ingredients Needed

Turkey – Reach for a whole turkey, I aim for around 10-12 pounds. If you use a larger turkey you can use extra ingredients for stuffing and buttering the turkey.

Herbs – Rosemary, thyme, and sage are what I used to flavor the turkey.

Vegetables – Onions and garlic will be used as well for adding flavor to the turkey.

Lemon – Lemons can be used for flavoring the turkey as well as garnishing.

Seasonings – Salt and pepper are used as well for adding flavor to the herb butter.

Butter – Reach for unsalted butter that is room temperature and softened. This is going to be what you slather the meat in.

Cranberries – If you want you can use cranberries to garnish the turkey once it is done. Reach for ripe and plump cranberries.

herb butter mixed together in a glass bowl on table

butterball turkey slathered with butter in a roasting pan

How much turkey per person?

Here you will find the basics for cooking turkey. You will want around 1.5 pounds of turkey per person when it comes to making a whole turkey. You have to remember the bones and such that go into a turkey.

roasted turkey on table with food around it

How do you thaw turkey properly?

The first step is to make sure you thaw your turkey the right way so you don’t run into turkey not being thawed fully before cooking.

The rule of thumb is to allow your turkey to thaw one day per 5 pounds of turkey. Then I tend to add one additional day for thawing just to be safe.

I place the turkey on a cookie sheet that is rimmed or even a pan, that way if it drips it catches the liquid.

Roasted turkey on a wooden cutting board with gravy in a white bowl and cranberry sauce in another bowl in the background

Using A Meat Thermometer

I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure your turkey is fully heated all the way through.

You want the turkey to reach 165 degrees F. Once the meat reaches 160 degrees you can remove turkey from the oven and cover in foil. Then allow it to rest and come to full temperature.

One big thing is do not touch the bone in the turkey. The bones will read a higher temperature, so make sure to check the actual meat.

Allow Your Turkey To Rest

You need to let your turkey to rest for 15 minutes before you go to slice up the turkey. Once you have removed the turkey cover in foil and then let it rest for a bit. This helps lock in the juices to the turkey, so you don’t serve up dry turkey.

Tips for Prepping Turkey

Roasting Pan

Allowing your turkey to sit in a roasting pan allows for all the juices to flow into the bottom of the pan. You can use the drippings for making gravy and such once the turkey is fully cooked.

roasted turkey on plate with cranberry and other ingredients

Remove Turkey Neck and Giblets

You will want to make sure that depending on the brand of turkey it will have a turkey neck and giblets stuffed inside the cavity of the turkey. Make sure to check and remove it before you move on to prepping the turkey.

turkey on platter with items placed around table

Coating In Butter

You will want to mix up your herb butter and then rub it under the skin and over the skin. Make sure the whole turkey is coated so that it is fully seasoned.

close up plate of turkey and sides on the table

Trussing Turkey

Grab some baker’s twine or cooking string and use twine to tie the turkey legs together. This is going to help ensure the turkey holds its shape. This is called trussing the turkey. When the legs are held in place like this you are ensured a more even roast on all of the turkey.

turkey on table with lemon slices on side

Rinsing Turkey

The only time you want to rinse turkey is if it was brined. Otherwise, you are spreading a lot of bacteria around your kitchen and it is recommended to not do this. So only rinse if you have a brined turkey.

Cooking Time

In general terms, the cooking time is around 15 minutes per pound of turkey. But, this is a general rule of thumb. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure your turkey reaches the proper internal temperature.

plate loaded with turkey, potatoes, cranberry, and bread

Tips on How to Carve A Turkey

Find the joints where the turkey legs and wings are meat. That is where there will be a point and you will start to carve.
Hold the drumstick of the leg, use a fork, and then cut through the skin and meat to remove the drumstick. Then do the other side.
Do a horizontal cut across the breast, and try to cut without slicing through the bone. Then you will work down to slice the rest of the breast in horizontal slices.
Arrange the meat on a platter with herbs cranberries, and lemon slices. Then arrange the turkey on the platter.

How To Store Leftovers

Refrigerate any leftover turkey that you do not eat. You will want to store it in a sealed airtight container for 3-4 days. Then you can reheat in the microwave or oven.

You can also freeze the turkey that you do not want to eat right away. Place in a sealed airtight bag or container and freeze for 5-6 months. Then thaw in the fridge or defrost from frozen.

Common FAQs

What do I do with the turkey leftovers?

Turkey can be used for making a turkey salad, use in casseroles, make soups, and more. You can even use the sliced turkey to make a loaded turkey sandwich. There are tons of ways to use leftover turkey.

overhead plate with turkey and mashed potatoes and more on table

How do I prevent the turkey from drying out?

Basting the turkey every 30 minutes helps to keep the turkey moist. Just take the liquid that drips out and pour over the turkey. You can also lightly tent the breast portion of the turkey to help the white meat from drying out.

Should I stuff the turkey?

You are more than welcome to stuff the turkey but just know that you will not want to eat the stuffing that is in the turkey itself. If you stuff the turkey it is meat for flavoring the turkey.