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–+ servings
Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

A delicious and straightforward turkey recipe perfect for Thanksgiving celebrations.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 515 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Roasting rack
  • Thermometer
  • bowl
  • knife

Ingredients
  

Roast Turkey

  • 12 to 18 pound turkey fully thawed
  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 1 lemon quartered
  • 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 to 2 sprigs fresh sage
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper

Herb Butter

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped

Vegetables Under Turkey (optional)

  • 1 onion peeled and quartered
  • 3 ribs celery roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots carrots roughly chopped

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Bring the turkey to room temperature by removing it from the fridge 1 hour before roasting. Then, remove the giblets.
  • Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with the onion, lemon, and fresh herbs.
  • In a small bowl, make the herb butter by stirring the softened butter, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme together.
  • Loosen the skin of the turkey gently and rub about ⅓ of the herb butter between the skin and turkey breasts. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey.
  • Place the turkey on a roasting rack or top of a bed of chopped vegetables. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey to prevent them from burning.
  • Place the turkey in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 158°-160°F.
  • Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. Cover it with aluminum foil to keep warm.
  • Carve the turkey and serve it up on a platter.

Notes

You can use a larger turkey than 18 pounds, needing more herb butter and longer cooking time. Verify how your oven cooks before turkey day using an oven thermometer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 515kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 70gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 249mgSodium: 528mgPotassium: 733mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 411IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 3mg
Keyword easy recipe, Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe, holiday turkey, roasted turkey, Thanksgiving, Turkey
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