Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (VIDEO)
Here is everything you need to know for how to roast a turkey! Making the Thanksgiving turkey recipe feels like a big deal if you’ve never made one (or if you’ve tried and failed), but roasting a turkey is like roasting a giant chicken. It’s totally doable with the right recipe and instructions. This turkey recipe is well loved by my readers (read the glowing reviews below).
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The flavored butter is incredible and inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas Turkey. This Thanksgiving turkey recipe is simple, thoroughly written, doesn’t require lengthy marinating and it can even be completely prepped and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance so all you have to do Thanksgiving day is roast the bird!
To make sure you succeed, I have a video tutorial below on how to make a juicy and flavorful turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
Watch How to Make the Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe:
Turkeys are not terribly expensive – this 12 pounder set me back $23 or so and that was before it went on sale pre-Thanksgiving, which they always do! Some grocery stores even throw in a free turkey with $X-amount spent on groceries. It’s an economical and beautiful way to feed a crowd for the holidays. Watch the video before you begin and you’ll be well on your way to impressing everyone at your table!
Tools You Will Need for Thanksgiving Turkey:
2 Feet of Kitchen String
Heavy duty foil
A heavy roasting pan that accommodates your bird, but isn’t over-sized
An oven-safe thermometer (to ensure a fully-cooked turkey)
Turkey baster (or a large spoon)
Keep the drippings in the pan to make this incredibly flavorful and EASY Turkey Gravy.
Here’s a super handy video for how to carve a turkey from the NY Times. Also, you’ll be amazed at how much turkey meat you can recover from a turkey carcass after everyone has picked it over. You’ll be glad you saved that leftover meat when you see these leftover turkey recipes.
⬇️ Print the Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe Below ⬇️
Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
Roast Turkey Recipe Ingredients:
- 12 lb turkey, Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary – see below
- Salt & Pepper for the inside and outside of the bird
- 1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
- 4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1 lemon, quartered
For the Flavored Butter:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, not extra virgin, plus more to drizzle the top
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon, plus 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 Tbsp salt, I used sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
What you’ll need:
- Kitchen String
- Heavy duty foil
- A heavy roasting pan that accommodates your bird, but isn’t over-sized
- A temperature probe, to ensure a fully-cooked turkey
Instructions
Seasoning, Stuffing and Tying up a Turkey:
- Season inside turkey cavity generously with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine: 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash/stir with fork until combined (lemon juice doesn’t easily blend into butter, but keep mixing a few minutes and it will happen).
- Separate skin from the turkey breast by carefully pushing your fingers under skin from the front and the back of the turkey. Do not tear the skin.
- Stuff 2/3 of the butter mix under skin then massage over the top of the skin to spread the butter around.
- Quickly pat dry the outside of turkey and rub with remaining 1/3 butter mixture. Drizzle turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper for a crisp, salty skin.
- Stuff turkey with quartered lemon, 1/2 bunch parsley, quartered onion, and 4 halved garlic cloves, Tie turkey base and legs together with kitchen string; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity.
How to Roast a Turkey:
Prep: Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F with rack in the lower part of your oven.
- Fold a square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of triangle with olive oil and place it (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast to shape it into a shield. Remove foil and set aside (you'll put it back on in step 3).
- Place oven-safe meat thermometer into turkey beneath the drumstick and deep into the dark meat. Start roasting at 430˚F for 20 min.
- Remove from oven; quickly baste with liquid from bottom of pan using a baster or large spoon. Re-apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
- Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it's fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it's out of the oven).
- Transfer to serving platter and cover fully but loosely with foil. Let turkey rest at least 1 hour for it to tenderize. Keep the drippings for a most amazing gravy!
Notes
*If using frozen turkey, defrost it in its original bag in refrigerator 3 days.
*Let turkey sit at room temp 30 minutes before you begin (it will bake more evenly). *Remove the neck and bag of giblets from the turkey.
*Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Let turkey sit in on paper towels to soak up excess water.
*Fold wings behind/under the turkey or they will be the quickest to dry out.
*Cooking temps based on the USDA which now says the safe poultry temp is 165˚F but the deeper thigh parts really should be at 170˚ to be fully cooked through.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Yum yum!! All we need now is some cranberry sauce to go with that Thanksgiving turkey. If you have a great cranberry sauce recipe you could share, I’d love to hear about it in a comment below! 🙂
P.S. Turkey in gravy is my absolute favorite leftover turkey recipe – and it’s also well loved by my children, and parents and relatives. In other words, it’s a BIG WIN in our family :).
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
The BEST turkey recipe! The turkey is moist and tender with crispy deep brown skin. I made the gravy recipe too. Win Win! Thank you Natasha!
You’re very welcome, Ann!
Huge fan of every Natasha’s Kitchen recipe that I’ve ever tried and this one was no different. Simple to follow and was told this was the juiciest turkey they had ever had.
Aw, thanks so much for sharing, Anne! I’m
so glad this was enjoyed!
I went to prep the turkey ahead of time and part of the inside was still frozen. Can I prep the outside with the butter mixture and then in the morning prep the inside once it’s thawed?
Hi Kelly! That may work! I hope it fully thaws for you!
I brined my turkey with fresh herbs, Rosemary, thyme and sage. Is it still ok if Use the fresh herbs to roast it or would it be too much?
Hi Mary! That would be fine.
So I went ahead and prepped my turkey tonight. My fiancé had to help me separate the skin and he didn’t hear me when I told him do not let the skin rip. It did. Will it be ok to use tooth picks to keep the skin together? I don’t know what to do. Thanks.
Hi Kay, toothpicks will work. Arrange the skin the best you can so it aligns again to protect the breast from drying out.
My turkey turned out really good. Everyone loved it! Thanks again! This recipe will be the one I make every year going forward!
I’m so glad to hear that, Kay!
Can I use avocado oil instead of olive oil?
Also, do I brine the turkey and then use the juicy roast turkey recipe? or is it one or the other?
Hi Kristin, reading our reader comments I’m seeing avocado oil works well in this recipe. I hope you love it.
Natasha, am I basting this turkey only once? Thanks in advance!
Hi Ken! That’s correct. I hope you love the recipe!
Hi Natasha. I am going to try this recipe next week. I am allergic to garlic so I was going to substitute shallots instead. I am wondering if I should omit the whole onion for the inside since shallots have the flavor of both garlic and onion. Thanks!
Hi Chris! I think that would work fine.
looking for your stuffing with turkey dinner, can’t find it. Thank you,
Hi Millie! I don’t have a recipe for stuffing at the moment. Something I’m working on though.
Do you recommend using a fresh or frozen turkey? Also, if it’s frozen, how long do you need to defrost it for in the fridge?
Thank you
Hi Madeline, I address that in the recipe, I require seeing the Notes section under the instructions. I hope this helps.
I apologize if this question has been asked before, but do you have a recipe for cooking the Turkey in the instant pot?
Hi Fivi, I haven’t tried a turkey in an Instant Pot, mainly because the turkey tends to be a tad larger and harder to fit, but if you find a smaller one I bet it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Do you have a stuffing recipe? I searched under stuffing on your website and couldnt find one. I am on a quest to find a good one. If not, could you provide one in the future. Thank you.
Hello Jan, I don’t have a recipe for that yet but we get that request a lot so we’ll make sure to share if we find an awesome recipe!
Love the information about prepping Turkey. So clear in video as well as detailed instructions. I have used since first you 2019 printed I have made one change. I begin by roasting Turkey breast side down in roaster. It is not only the best tasting Turkey people have ever tasted but the most melt in your mouth tender. I love your recipes. Thankyou
Hi Michele! Thank you for your love and support. I appreciate it. So glad you loved this recipe.
So I had never roasted a turkey, mom has always been the one to cook holiday meals. This year, no special occasion but roasted a turkey today following your recipe (went with the home made stuffing). I also brined it the night before. Loved your recipe, covering with foil really helped the turkey breast not dry up. thank you for sharing your recipe and tips, loved it.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Rosie!
Is covering the turkey with a roaster lid okay, or is it better to use foil?
Hi Jen, Here’s what one of my readers wrote regarding the roasting lid: ” So delicious! My first time making turkey and it was phenomenal( 16 pounds). The turkey had amazing flavour and was so juicy! We let it rest for 1-2 hours before serving it just kept it covered and it was still warm! Instead of the foil cover we used a roasting pan with a lid. Also I didn’t have virgin olive oil so I used avocado oil” I hope this helps!
Hi Natasha. Love your cooking style. I guess using a brined turkey doesn’t change this recipe??
Hi Holly, using a brined turkey will work for this roasted turkey recipe.
I can only think that my oven temperature is of sometimes. My turkey – at least according to my digital thermometer – is always ready too early and this time was no exception. It seemed to be done 1 hour earlier than the suggested roasting time but I left it in an extra half hour just in case. The turkey was OK, nothing special and the legs were definitely overdone. I think I’ll go with spatchcock next time.
Hi Melisende, I recommend ensuring your oven is calibrated and you’re using regular bake mode and not convection mode.
Hi I’m just wondering about using the oil, I only have extra virgin olive oil and canola oil. Not sure why just regular olive oil is called for, but will canola be ok?
Thanks!
Hi Leslie, I recommend olive oil but canola oil will also work.
Hi Natasha,
So excited to try this recipe!
Does it matter if I use a convection oven or not?
P.S. I have made so many of your recipes and they are the BEST!!
Your videos are so fun to watch 🙂
Really appreciate your recipes!
Hi Johanna, we used a standard, not convection. I don’t have a convection oven to advise on temperature adjustments, but I recommend a google search or your oven’s manual.
This year it will be the fourth Thanksgiving when I am going to use this recipe! There is no reason for me to look for something better.
Thank you very much!
You are very welcome! I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try from us.
Hi Natasha,
I’ve used the baking setting using this recipe. Should I be using the roast setting? It seems that the roast is a little too crispy and it’s only been in for 1 hour…I used the foil shield, and the legs look like they will be too crispy. What do you think? Will it be okay leaving it on roast?
Hi Maria, that could be in. The roasting method tends to get more brown and crisp, the baking method seems to retain moisture.
Hi Natasha,
What side dishes would go well with this roast?
Hi Blasilla, we love to serve our turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy, a nice green salad! I have a few others listed in the recipe post I recommend reading through!
I’m excited to try this recipe for Christmas but I’m wondering why the roasting rack isn’t necessary?
Hi Debbie, you do not need a rack for this recipe – the turkey self bastes on the bottom in the flavored butter for incredible flavor and tender meat.
First I have say I have loved all of your recipes I’ve tried. This turkey recipe was amazing! I have brined my turkey the last 2 or 3 years, but this recipe was amazing! The flavored butter is key, I absolutely loved it. I will never brine a turkey again.
Thank you for your good comments and feedback, Angie. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
I rated 5 stars a few years ago and have made this turkey for every Thanksgiving since. I used a 23 lb Turkey and just doubled the recipe. I also used this recipe cut in half for a small 4 lb Turkey breast for some extra meat. I had to comment again because this recipe is just so amazing and is the most juicy and flavorful Turkey I’ve ever had. 20 family members unanimously agreed. This year I made the butter the night before to cut time, and the flavors marinated and I think made it even better!
I’m glad the favorite remains a hit! Thank you so much for sharing that lovely review with me, Allie!
I used this recipe when I made my first ever turkey and impressed my mother in law! I now need to make it to be ready shortly after noon! Can you please explain how to prepare for the night before?
Hi Cynthia, you can definitely make it ahead! I have prepped the entire turkey without baking, then covered it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil (both work well), and refrigerated it overnight. I find it tasted even better! Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour for more even baking.
OMG! This was the best turkey we’ve ever had. It was so good and moist. My husband was super impressed, which says a lot!! A friend recommended Natasha’s recipe, so I thought I’d try it for something different. It will now be my go-to turkey recipe!!
That’s fantastic feedback! Thank you for sharing that with us, Lois. Your comments mean a lot to us!
Hi Natasha
I’m trying your recipe today. I mistakenly poked holes in my turkey, will it dry out using this recipe?
Thank you.
Hi Tina, As long as the skin is still intact, it should be ok and make sure to use that shield over the turkey breast to prevent it from drying it.
I am so happy that you have a simple video! Thank you!!
I was reading comments below. You said you have cooked a couple days early.
What do you reccomend for reheat instructions for the next day?
Hi Katrina, you can reheat it in the oven, being mindful to just heat it up and not overcook it, or it’ll be dry. Fresh is always best, of course. You can also make this turkey recipe a day in advance (stuff, butter it up, cover, refrigerate overnight, then bake the next day) if it makes your life easier, and it will taste even better!
Hi Natasha,
I prefer to cook my stuffing in the bird, it this possible with this recipe? I read a gazillion comments but couldnt find the answer. Cant wait to try! I love your recipes!
Hi Victoria, I don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey because it isn’t traditional in our family, and the juices from the turkey drip into the stuffing while baking, so the stuffing needs to get to 145˚F for it to be safe for consumption and by that time, the turkey breast becomes much too dry. I’ve seen some methods pre-cooking the stuffing partially, and others make the stuffing and bake it in a separate dish and serve it on the side.
Sounds or rather tastes good 😊..i’ll try it.
My simple cranberry sauce:
1 or 2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 or 1/2 cup sugar
1-3 teaspoons lemon juice
Pinch of cinnamon or ginger..
Bring to a gentle boil
Reduce temperature and as soon as berries “pop up”: remove from stove top..let cool down..
In fridge..for few days..
😙enjoy…
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hi, how do you recommend I roast 2 turkeys simultaneously in one pan in the oven? They would probably be about 12-15 pounds each?
Hi R.M. I haven’t tried that, but I think it would be possible to do it if you had a large enough roasting pan where they wouldn’t be touching in the pan so the air can circulate. I would definitely recommend using thermometers (and preferably in each turkey) especially if they vary in size so they don’t get over or underbaked.
Hi,
I love all your recipes. Tasty but simple to follow! How would you adjust the recipe to make it Cajun flavored?
Hi RM, I Haven’t tried that but I imagine I woudl probably just add cajun spice to the butter. That sounds really tasty.
Thanks so much for the quick response! Would you still mix in parsley with the butter? Also, what is your favorite brand of Cajun spice? I find that most of them have too much salt
Hi, we use McCormick brand for cajun spice.
I used this recipe last year and it was FANTASTIC! However, no one in my family likes dark meat, so this year I‘ve just purchased Turkey breast. Can this same recipe be used?
Hi Gerri, I haven’t tested that with a turkey breast only. I would highly recommend using a thermometer to check the temperatures. It would definitely bake faster versus a whole turkey.
Hi Natasha,
I made this recipe this week to try it before Thanksgiving. The video was so helpful but I made a 12 lb butterball turkey – follow exact directions but the turkey breast was dry…everything else was perfect. I still want to try to make it for thanksgiving so a couple questions… It did go to 180 at the thigh in that amount of time and I wonder if I had the breast to close to the top heating elements. I have always made my turkeys in the bag so doing it this way is new to me. Thank you for any suggestions.
Hi Kathy! I’m glad you gave this recipe a try! Having the turkey too close to the heating may have caused that. Also, be sure you are not baking in convection mode.
I made turkey for the first time this year using your recipe and it was an absolute hit! The only thing that didn’t work out was that the bottom part of the turkey did not cook as well as I’d like. Any ideas why this might have happened? I cooked it for a big longer (1.5 hrs extra) according to the turkey package instructions and the bottom still cooked a tad red :/
Hi Kristie, usually the bottom of the turkey cooks through pretty well since it’s sitting in the pan drippings. Could it have been the natural color of the dark meat which can look pink when it’s well done? I highly recommend checking the internal temperature of the turkey to be safe if you are concerned.
I made this recipe using a turkey breast. The flavored butter was really good. I love to add sage, dill and thyme to chicken/turkey dishes sometimes for added flavor which is what I did to the butter. Also had some butter mixture left over after spreading over turkey. This I added to the gravy and that went from tasty to delicious!! Thanks Natasha for a great go-to turkey recipe!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Connie!
There are no words!!! I’ve always stuffed my Turkey with sausage, sage, bread etc… really needed a recipe for my lazy side and BOY!!! Look no further!!! Fantastic!!!
Yay, fantastic! I’m so glad you loved this recipe.
WOW! This was my first time hosting for the holidays/making a turkey and it was the best turkey I’ve ever had! I used several of your recipes (including the IP mashed potatoes – AMAZING) but this one was my favorite. I used an 8lb turkey breast so I followed the instructions exactly except cooking time (I kept it at 350 F throughout the process). It was SO juicy and flavorful!! My family could not stop talking about it, I can’t wait to make it again!! It was so easy!! Thanks for always making my holidays/family gatherings great!!!
Hello Kianna, I’m so glad to hear from you, and thank you so much for sharing your awesome experience with us. I’m happy that you loved this recipe so much!
Thank you for sharing this. I researched a lot which one to go for and yours was the most appealing and easy to do!! Was my first ever attempt and I cant believe how easy it was. Thank you and all the best to you and your family x
So nice to know that, thank you for sharing that with us!
The best!!! My second year making it, hit as always! Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I love all your recipes. Can you cook the turkey ahead of time and reheat the next day
Hi Dee, yes you can make this ahead and reheat. You don’t have to change a thing when you make it ahead. I’ve made it 3 days ahead before and it turned out great 🙂
Made it today. It was perfect! The white and dark meat were so moist and flavorful. Easily the best Turkey we’ve ever tasted. Thank you!
You’re most welcome, Greg. Love your feedback, thank you so much!
So our family is kind of funny about turkey. Everyone prefers it a specific way so we ended up with 3 variation at the dinner table. The consensus was that your roast turkey was the winner!! This was my second time cooking a turkey and this method couldn’t be easier.
Yay, amazing! That’s awesome, imagine having 3 variations of turkey in one day.
It was my first time cooking the whole turkey, and it turned out AMAZING!!!! So super juicy!!!! We absolutely love it!
Thank you Natasha and the team😉
That makes me so happy and inspired. Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
Hi! Do you recommend basting it periodically??
Thank you and happy Thanksgiving!!
Happy Thanksgiving, Veronica! Yes, you can definitely baste it periodically!
Hi Natasha,
Thanks for the great recipe. Should I cook with convection? If so how should time and temp be adjusted? Thank you!
Hi Fred, we used a standard, not convection. I don’t have a convection oven to advise on temperature adjustments, but I recommend a google search or your oven’s manual.
Wish me luck. Nothing worked out as easy as it did for you. My butter had way too much lemon. I tried dumping it out but the butter was still too watery. I used exact measurements. All the stuff you put on the turkey didn’t fit (my bird is 16lbs) I hope it comes out good. This is my first time 🤞🏽
Hi Renee, I hope you love it! Also, just in case, but make sure to remove the bag of giblets from the inside of the turkey. Also, to give you peace of mind, it isn’t critical for all of the lemon to blend into the butter. Be sure to check the internal temp as directed above to ensure it reaches the right internal temperature. Happy Thanksgiving!
I made this last year and it was very good. I am not a huge turkey fan but it’s a must have for Turkey day. I had problems with my lemon juice not incorporating fully with the butter has well. Do you have any tips for us Natasha? Happy Thanksgiving!!
Hi Jennifer, for the most part, it takes well-softened butter and also patience to blend it in. I have tried in a food processor and that was helpful also. If all of the lemon juice doesn’t fully incorporate, it will still be delicious and work well.
Hi, I have tried your recipe before and it’s truly delicious! I have a 16lb. turkey this time and I am not sure how much salt should I use on the outside. I noticed you give specific amount for the butter mixture but for the outside just says to generously apply. How much should I use? Thank you.
Hi Brenda, we have that listed under step #1 of the recipe instructions: “Season inside turkey cavity generously with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.” I hope that helps.
I am going to make my first turkey tomorrow but I don’t have parsley. Could I substitute it with rosemary, thyme and sage? Thank you.
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tried that combination but I think it could work well.
Thank you Natasha for the awesome recipe! That was all I had and it worked! I will try it with parsley next time. I also made the gravy with your recipe and it was a hit! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Nancy!
Natasha, this is my second time using your recipe; I was wondering if I can do all the prep today, put it back in the fridge, and just stick turkey in the Owen tomorrow morning without compromising the taste? Thank you
Hi Natalie, I have prepped the entire turkey without baking, then cover with either plastic wrap or aluminum foil (both work well) and refrigerate overnight. I find it tasted even better! Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour for more even baking.
Natasha, i noticed you put the neck in the roasting pan. Why? For extra flavor for the drippings, or to use in making broth later, or for another recipe? Thx!
Hi Donna, it is for extra flavor but there are always a couple of people in our family that love the turkey neck.
Do you use flat leaf parsley or curly parsley>
Hi Mary, I have done this with both and either one works.
I am making my first ever turkey and I’m so glad I came across your video! It helped so much! I’m going to try it this thanksgiving but I don’t have a heavy duty pan? What else can I use please??? I have a similar one to yours but much thinner and I also have a disposable foil one? Please advice!!! Thank you again! Oh and I’m going to try to make the gravy too!!
Hi Linda, that would be ok but I would probably rest it on a baking sheet to give it a sturdy base since those foil pans can be a little flimsy to carry or transfer in and out of the oven.
Hi Natasha,
I made your Turkey last year and it was great! This year we want to smoke our Turkey. Have you or one of your followers tried this recipe smoked instead of roasted?
Hi Carole, we haven’t tried smoking the turkey. We have it on our list for this year to test it but probably won’t get it done before Thanksgiving at this point.
Hi Natasha,
I plan on making this on Thanksgiving. I won’t be buying a frozen turkey. I’ll be using a fresh turkey from the butcher we preordered. Would this recipe work the same with a fresh turkey? Love all your recipes thanks in advance!!
Hello Karyn, yes, I imagine it will work great too!
Do you recommend brining the turkey? If so, do you have suggestions? Wet or dry?
Hi Bonnie, brining is not necessary for this recipe but you can brine if you prefer to brine. Also, some turkeys are sold already brined which also works.
Hi Bonnie, I tried brining(dry) and also substitute lemon juice with pineapple juice because my mother in-law is allergic to any citrus, keep in mind also that the drippings in the pan will be a little salty. But brining it will make it more delicious.
Hi Natasha,
Excited about trying this recipe for the first time!
Do the lemons give the turkey a lemony taste?
Hi Michelle, the turkey has just a mild hint of lemon. If you want less lemon flavor in your drippings for gravy, you can omit to stuff the bird with the lemon.
Hi Natasha, how much salt & pepper should go inside the turkey?
Hi Kristen, we have that listed under step #1 of the recipe instructions: “Season inside turkey cavity generously with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
I’m so excited to try this recipe for Thanksgiving. I’m using a 12 lb turkey this year. Does the cook time change at all if the turkey is organic and free range? Is brining going to be necessary?
Hi Erin, I don’t think having an organic or free-range would change anything. We did not brine this recipe, but several of our readers have reported great results with that. I recommend reading through the comments.
Hi Natasha,
If I marinate the turkey 2 days ahead, what should I omit and do right before roasting? Do I put the ingredients you put inside the turkey right before I roast it or when I marinate it (2 days prior)? Also, if I marinate it 2 days ahead, should I put the turkey in the roasting pan or a different plate (and then transfer to pan later)? For roasting, is there anything I can use besides kitchen twine?
Thanks!
Hi Ashley, you can fully assemble and stuff 2 days ahead. I would let the refrigerated and prepared turkey sit at room temperature for about an hour before roasting so it cooks more evenly. To tie the turkey if you don’t have kitchen twine, you can use a normal string or, you can simply use twine, kite string, or unwaxed dental floss to hold the legs together
Hi Natasha,
I will be doing my first turkey ever!!! I Noticed you didn’t use the rack in the roasting pan? Also would you put vegetables around the turkey in the pan while it’s baking?
Hi Karen, you do not need a rack for this recipe – the turkey self bastes on the bottom in the flavored butter for incredible flavor and tender meat.
I love all of your recipes! Everything I have tried my family has loved! I was wondering if the juicy turkey and thanksgiving turkey are the same recipes? It looks like everything is the same but just wanted to make sure i wasn’t missing something 🙂
Hi Leigh, yes, that was the only way in the past that we could share a new video and bring the video to the homepage was by making a new post. They are the same. I hope you love the Thanksgiving turkey recipe!
Hi Natasha,
I love all of your recipes, you’re definitely my go to for any recipes. I wanted to ask, which turkey recipe do you recommend for Thanksgiving. I see you have the “Juicy Roast Turkey” and “Thanksgiving Turkey” are there any major differences?
Hi Ana, either of the two recipes should be fine. They’re both delicious and tasty, I suggest checking out both recipes and see which one you prefer.
Can I do this( butter mixture) with a brined turkey or will the flavors fight each other.
Hi Gisele, that should work fine with a brined turkey. It will have even more flavor.
Hi Nastasha, We are a family of 4. How big of a turkey should we get and how long long should we bake with a smaller bird say a 8lb or a 10lb turkey. Our first Thanksgiving Turkey. This seems so delicious and easy and I want to try it!
Hi Linda, as a general rule, once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey. I would highly recommend using a thermometer to double-check.
This was awesome! I was super intimidated to cook my first turkey but it came out great! The directions were really easy to follow and made me feel confident! The flavor was so good…ohhh the skin–holy yum!! The turkey gravy recipe was a last minute decision because I had bought a jar. Wow…so flavorful and EASY! I had so many compliments over this meal. Thanks so much Natasha!
You are most welcome, Ann-Marie. Thanks also for trying out this recipe! I’m so happy to hear that you really enjoyed it.
Hi Natasha, I’m excited to try this recipe for my first Thanksgiving turkey this year! Should I brine or do anything to the turkey beforehand?
Thanks!
Hi Robyn, we make it exactly as written in the recipe and love it. We did not brine this recipe but several of our readers have reported great results with that. I recommend reading through the comments.
I look forward to making this. It looks so delicious. What kind of roasting pan did you use?
Hi Dianna, we used a Dark Blue Staub Baker roasting pan. We have it linked to our Amazon Shop HERE.
I am making a turkey for the first time and look forward to using your recipe! I am looking to use a Crock Pot Artisan 13 Inch Enameled Cast Iron Lasagna Pan, is that okay to use?? I can’t afford a the Staub pan you recommend.
Hi Krys, that should work as long as it is safe for the cooking temperatures and the turkey fits inside of the pan.
Natasha- I am a longtime fan and love your recipes but this one takes the cake!!!! I have never been a huge fan of Turkey because it is alwaysssss dry but this was just fabulous!! Soo easy and so juicy! I just couldn’t believe it. Thank you so much. My family will be thanking you this thanksgiving also!! ☺️
Hello Brittany, that is so great to hear! I’m glad you loved this recipe and I hope this becomes a family favorite. Thanks for sharing your great experience with us!
I’d like to make this using a 8lb turkey breast. I know its impossible to include stuffing, but how can I adjust cooking time? Thanks!
Hi Debbie, I haven’t tested that with an 8lb turkey breast only. I would highly recommend using a thermometer to check the temperatures. It would definitely bake faster versus a whole turkey.
Happy Easter! Many thanks for the delicious juicy turkey. I added 1 cup of water to pan and 1/2 cup of white wine. Family truly enjoyed.😍😋great video and easy to follow instructions.
Happy Easter, Sandra. Thank you for sharing that with us and for your compliments!
Natasha
I noticed you didn’t use a rack with the roasting pan. Our pan has a rack but I didn’t use it either. Should we have?
Hi Josh, you do not need a rack for this recipe – the turkey self bastes on the bottom in the flavored butter for incredible flavor and tender meat
I made my 2019 Thanksgiving turkey using this recipe. I must say, that foil triangle is the key! It came out perfect!
I’m making the same turkey for the Super Bowl – Fresh Turkey Sandwiches are a Super idea for a Super Bowl meal!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Jake!
I love your cooking videos I know people have asked if you have cooked this recipe in a roaster oven . I have a very large crowd and need to cook two turkeys would it be possible for you to do a roast oven turkey someday . The ones on many site don’t look that good . Thank you if it’s possible .
Hi Patricia, thank you so much for that suggestion.
thank you for sharing. Look very hummy
This was super delicious! Made it for my in laws on Thanksgiving. They all loved it! Thank you, Natasha
Yay! That’s just awesome! Will you be making it for Christmas or New Yeards also?
I made this for our Thanksgiving 2019 – it was amazingly juicy and tender. I had cut my finger, so my son “stuffed” the butter mixture under the skin and “massaged” the outside too. We all said we should make this more often during the year and not just @ holiday time. Thank you so much! My other son made a video of the “stuffing”! It’s pretty funny!
That’s amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing that BarB! I hope your fingers heals soon!
Made this for Thanksgiving yesterday, turned out amazing! This was the most moist bird we’ve ever had, meat was literally falling off the bone and the flavor was amazing too!! I used a 21lb bird and cooked in a cooking bag at 325 for 4.5 hrs. Perfection!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Jackie!! That’s so great!
Made this turkey recipe for my husband and I’s first thanksgiving with our parents and siblings. Everyone loved it and couldn’t stop raving about how moist it was. Thank you for this recipe, you made our first thanksgiving a huge success
That’s so great, Nadia!! Sounds like you found a favorite!
Hi Kathleen, thank you so much for sharing your recipes and ideas!
Thank you, Natasha! The best turkey Recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Used this recipe on our 18 pound Thanksgiving turkey. Everyone raved about it. Best turkey I ever made! Thank you for sharing it with us.
You’re welcome, Susan! I’m so glad you all enjoyed this! Happy Thanksgiving!
Can you make this with a 20 pound turkey with a longer cooking time !???
Hi Brittany, I would recommend more seasoning/ butter mixture for that size you will need it. One of my readers, Shannon, shares her experience with a 23 pound turkey (Thanks Shannon!): “Used this recipe last night with a 23 pound turkey and it was superb!! I used 3 sticks of butter instead of the 2, about 1 cup of parsley, kept the zest and juice of 2 lemons and quartered them for the stuffing. Kept 1 large onion peeled & largely sliced, used about 8 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced in half.
Cooked at 430 for 20 minutes and then 350 for about 5 1/2 hours, basting occasionally. I used the tin foil hat and had to made a couple other tin foil accessories for the legs that started to scorch. Took the tin foil hat off when it had 10 minutes of cook time left to ensure a nice browned top. Had tons of drippings to make a delicious gravy with. Will use this recipe every year! So flavorful and yummy. Thank you”
This is what I was going to ask !! Thanks ladies!
My family is enjoying all your recipes…they’re great and easy to follow.
This year for Thanksgiving I will be using your Turkey Recipe.
What kind of oil can I use instead of olive oil?
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Hi Lilly, If I had to choose I would recommend canola oil.
Thank you!
I am so looking forward to roasting my turkey this way.
I hope you love it! We look forward to your feedback!
I used this recipe for Thanksgiving dinner and it was absolutely delicious. I had a 20 lb turkey and multiplied the recipe by 1.5. It was the best, most flavorful turkey my family has ever had! Everyone was raving about it and is now asking for left over turkey sandwiches. Thank you for this recipe and the video. It was my first time making a turkey, so the video was extremely helpful!!!
That’s just awesome, Allie! I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you!
Hi Natasha!
I made this last year and plan on it again this thanksgiving too. This year I am making a 23lb Turkey so I am a little nervous. Can I use a string digital thermometer that stays out of the oven so I can have continuous watch on temp? This way I don’t have to keep opening the oven to check the thermometer.
Also, ANY tips for cooking a bird this large is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!
Wow! A 23lb turkey sounds impressive! I bet it will turn out great, be sure to give yourself enough time to cook it through. If the thermometer is oven-safe, that will work great. We use this one here regularly. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hands down best turkey recipe ever. I tell everybody about it. Fantastic! Every year my husband always sez–make sure you follow Natasha’s recipe to a T. Will never make turkey any other way. Thx Natasha!!
Hi Lisa, I’m so happy to hear that! thank you for the wonderful review!
This has become my go-to Turkey recipe! I found it 3 years ago after many different attempts (Alton Brown’s brined bird, Ina Garten’s recipe, my husband even tried smoking a turkey one year). It was just never that great. Then I came across your recipe and I’ve never looked back (and sorry, but for us, the brining was not at all worth the trouble). Stick with this recipe. It’s so easy compared to most and the results are SO much better! Last year I used a Jennie-O turkey and Kerrygold butter and it was out of this world delicious. Another key is making sure to use a meat thermometer that you can set to alert you when the turkey reaches the proper temp. That way, you’re not overcooking. I can’t wait to make this again this year!! Thanks so much for this recipe, Natasha!
You’re welcome, Amy! I’m so glad you found a favorite on our blog! Thank you for that amazing review!
Hi Natasha ,
I am planning to follow your recipe and prep it the day before . Any tips or special instructions in prepping a day before baking ? Do I cover it with plastic wrap in a roasting pan or aluminum foil ? Thanks .
Hi Maria, I have prepped the entire turkey without baking then cover with either plastic wrap or aluminum foil (both work well) and refrigerate overnight. I find it tasted even better! Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour for more even baking.
Hi Natasha!
I am excited to try your recipe. I have a question about prepping the turkey the day before. When the butter gets cold, it will fall off the outer skin. Any suggestions on how to prevent this? Should I wait to do that part until Thanksgiving Day Thank you!
Hi Marlene, I haven’t had that happen but if you let it sit at room temperature (per the recipe) for about an hour that will allow for more even baking and for the butter to soften again allowing you to spread it again if it happens to fall off.
Hi Natasha!
This recipe looks amazing! My family is not a fan of dark meat, so we usually just by large turkey breasts. Would this recipe still work with just the breast?
Thank you!
Hi Cindy, yes that should work fine, but I would suggest using a meat thermometer since it will bake faster with just the turkey breast and not the full turkey.
this looks delicious! Do you think it would be okay to use this along with a brine?
Hi Bree, several of our readers reported great results using a brine. I hope this helps.
Can you use this recipe and cook in an electric roaster?
Hi Danielle, I honestly haven’t tried making this in an electric roaster so I can’t advise on that. If someone else has tried, please let us know and thanks in advance.
Can you use this recipe with a fresh turkey or is it best with frozen?
Thanks!
Hi Amy, a fresh turkey would be great. You can just skip the thawing step.
Looks awesome! And for fresh cranberry sauce, here’s my simple, tangy sweet one:
Made this as a trial run for Thanksgiving and it is what will be for dinner that day!! Question though on the being able to prep this the day before Natasha. So do you do everything, stuff it and all then just cover it and put in the fridge? Do you need to let it sit out longer than the 30 min. the next day? Thanks!!
Hi Kim, if the parsley is fresh when you put it in, it will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days without withering since it will be chilled, it should stay crisp and fresh.
So delicious! My first time making turkey and it was phenomenal( 16 pounds). The turkey had amazing flavour and was so juicy! We let it rest for 1-2 hours before serving it just kept it covered and it was still warm! Instead of the foil cover we used a roasting pan with a lid. Also I didn’t have virgin olive oil so I used avocado oil
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Thanks for this recipe. I’d like to try this out for Thanksgiving this year. I will have a large group though so do you think this recipe would work if I doubled it on 20 plus pound turkey?
Wow! That’s quite the party! I would recommend more seasoning/ butter mixture for that size you will need it. One of my readers, Shannon, shares her experience with a 23 pound turkey (Thanks Shannon!): “Used this recipe last night with a 23 pound turkey and it was superb!! I used 3 sticks of butter instead of the 2, about 1 cup of parsley, kept the zest and juice of 2 lemons and quartered them for the stuffing. Kept 1 large onion peeled & largely sliced, used about 8 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced in half.
Cooked at 430 for 20 minutes and then 350 for about 5 1/2 hours, basting occasionally. I used the tin foil hat and had to made a couple other tin foil accessories for the legs that started to scorch. Took the tin foil hat off when it had 10 minutes of cook time left to ensure a nice browned top. Had tons of drippings to make a delicious gravy with. Will use this recipe every year! So flavorful and yummy. Thank you”
Hi Natasha, I want to make this turkey recipe this Christmas, but I am confused, you have two recipes, this one and Juicy Roast Turkey, are they the same?
Hi Cristina, they are the same recipe – it was before we had an easy way to add a video to a recipe so we had to publish a new post but yes its the same 🙂
Just did it for Canadian Thanks Given holiday. Amazing recipe!
Thank you Natasha!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Natasha – thanks so much for this. I made this last week for our family get together and it was delicious – Joe
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it
Got such rave reviews on the turkey I cooked with your recipe. Very moist and tasty
That’s so great, Pam! Thank you for sharing that with me!
This was the best turkey recipe ever!!! It was so easy with your video. I’m so happy that I found your blog. Thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This was the best turkey I’ve made–loved this recipe and will be using it in the future! Very juicy and lots flavor. So glad to have found your site and look forward to trying other recipes!
I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying my blog! Thank you for sharing that with us 🙂
Oh my goodness, this was the best, juiciest most flavorful turkey I have ever made for Thanksgiving! So glad to have found this recipe when searching and was very thankful for your video to go along with it. This will be our turkey recipe from here on out! Thanks for sharing and now that I have found your site, I look forward to trying other recipes!! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so happy you discovered our blog. Welcome! 🙂
I tried this and I cannot tell you how incredibly delicious it is! It was a little more time but worth every bit. I have never been the biggest fan of turkey because it’s such a dry meat, but that is no longer true! Moist, tender, flavorful and delicious is how the turkey came out! Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
This was an amazing turkey and easy to make for even a rookie like me! The gravy from it was incredible. Thanks so much for this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!