How to Roast a Turkey – A Foolproof Holiday Tutorial
In charge of Thanksgiving Dinner? Don’t stress – I’ve got a foolproof holiday tutorial for how to roast a turkey!
Roasting a turkey can be a bit intimidating, especially if you’re new to cooking or preparing your first Thanksgiving feast. But fear not! With the right steps and a little patience, you can roast a perfect turkey that will impress your family and friends.
In this easy-to-follow guide, I’ll walk you through the process. from choosing the turkey to serving it at your holiday gathering. Let’s get started on your delicious journey to a golden, juicy and flavorful turkey!
My Foolproof Tutorial: How to Roast a Turkey
There are millions of Turkey recipes on the internet. All of them claim to be the best. From deep frying to brining for 3 days – we’re skipping all of that. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. I’m going to give you an easy to follow recipe tutorial that won’t completely overwhelm you.
Bonus: it will taste amazing & become your go-to holiday recipe! Save this post for later – it’s time to roast a turkey!
Roast Turkey Ingredients
- A turkey (12-15 pounds is a good size for most gatherings)
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Your choice of herbs and spices (rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, etc.)
- Stuffing (optional)
- Kitchen twine
- Roasting pan with a rack
- Meat thermometer
Step By Step – How to Roast a Turkey
Step 1: Preparing the Turkey
- You’re going to want to thaw the Turkey (obviously). If your turkey is frozen, make sure to thaw it in the refrigerator according to the weight. As a general rule, allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4-5 pounds of turkey. If for any reason you run into an “oh shit my turkey is still frozen” moment, go to this post: How to Cook a Frozen Turkey.
- Clean the Turkey: Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavity. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Pat it dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper: Season the inside and outside of the turkey generously with salt and pepper. This will enhance the flavor. If you want to get fancy, use gourmet sea salt like Maldon.
- Herbs & Spices: I like to prepare my herb butter in advance because it’s easy to prep ahead and store in the refrigerator. I double or even triple the batch and use it in all of my holiday cooking. Just combine butter, herbs & spices in a blender or food processor. You can mix rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley and garlic for a classic Thanksgiving aroma. A lot of stores sell a poultry blend of fresh herbs that works really well.
- Rub the turkey with your prepared herb butter. Season with salt & pepper.
Step 3: Stuffing (Optional)
- If you decide to stuff the turkey, do it just before roasting to prevent any health hazards. Fill the cavity with your choice of stuffing, leaving room for expansion as it cooks. Remember to secure the opening with kitchen twine to keep the stuffing in place.
- I prefer cooking my stuffing separately & using lemon and onion inside of the turkey. I find that it’s easier & less messy! Season the inside of the turkey with salt & pepper. Cut an onion in half and peel it, as well as a halved lemon. Place them into the cavity & tie the legs.
Step 4: Preparing the Roasting Pan
- Place a rack in your roasting pan to elevate the turkey. This helps the heat circulate evenly, ensuring that the bird cooks thoroughly and stays juicy.
- I use this Caraway Roasting Pan for small to medium sized turkeys. If you’re cooking a larger turkey, I highly recommend this roasting oven that you can use & free up space in the oven!
Step 5: Roasting the Turkey
- Preheat your oven to 450 F.
- Place the seasoned turkey, breast side up, on the rack in the roasting pan. In a medium pan, heat your chicken broth. Reduce to a low heat & cover. You’ll use this throughout roasting to baste the turkey.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and continue roasting. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes with the chicken broth.. This will take approximately 3 hours and you’ll know that the turkey is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the turkey thigh registers 165 degrees F.
- To calculate the cooking time, you’ll need to roast the turkey for about 13-15 minutes per pound. So, a 12-pound turkey might take around 3-3.5 hours.
- If the turkey starts to get too crispy or looks like the skin might burn, wrap it loosely in foil.
Step 6: Checking for Doneness
- To ensure your turkey is perfectly cooked, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The internal temperature should read 165 F. If you used stuffing inside the turkey, it should also reach 165°F.
- After pulling the turkey out of the oven, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. I personally like to let it rest for 30 minutes to make it easier to handle. This also allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a moist and tender bird.
Step 7: Carving and Serving
Carve the turkey by removing the legs, wings and breast meat. If you’re not sure how to start carving, I recommend watching this video!
I’ve included the my recipe & ingredients below for whenever you need to roast a turkey! Now that you know how easy it is, you don’t have to limit your roasting to Thanksgiving. Now you can roast a turkey for Christmas or any regular family dinner party!
Easy Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter
- 1 tbs Minced garlic
- 2 tbs Fresh sage
- 1 tbs Fresh rosemary
- 2 tbs Fresh thyme
- 1/4 Cup Fresh parsley
- turkey 12-15 lbs
- 1 onion
- 1 lemon
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F. You’ll probably need to remove the top rack.
- Remove your defrosted turkey from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Combine butter, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley and salt and pepper in a food processor or blender – then blend well.
- Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper. Peel & cut the onion in half and cut your lemon in half. Then stuff the turkey with the onion, lemon and any leftover herbs you have. Using kitchen twine, tie the turkey legs together.
- Using your hands or a brush, rub the butter & herbs on the outside of the turkey. You can also rub it under the skin of the breast. Season with salt and pepper.
- Before you start cooking, place the chicken broth in a saucepan and keep it warm (low heat).
- Place your prepped turkey in a large roasting pan and bake for 45 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350 F and continue roasting. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes with the warm chicken broth, until the turkey is done. I recommend setting a reminder timer. It takes about 3 hours to roast a whole 15 lb turkey. Check to ensure it’s 165 F using a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.
- If the turkey starts to get too crispy or looks like it might burn, use foil to create a tent on top.
- Take the turkey out of the oven and place the foil tent on top. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes. You’re read to slice, serve & enjoy!
