Easy, No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Are you ready for it? It’s officially November, which means all things Thanksgiving! And let me tell you, I have some awesome Thanksgiving recipes in the queue for the next couple of weeks. Before we know it, it’ll be Christmas.

With the festive season around the corner, this holiday turkey tutorial has been a L O N G time coming. I’ve been making this oven-roasted turkey recipe for years now. Basically, since I’ve been married, so 12 years to be exact! Follow my step-by-step roasted turkey recipe and learn how to make a perfect, moist Thanksgiving turkey with crispy brown skin. This is, hands over heart, the best turkey you’ll ever have! 

What Makes This the BEST Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

• Everything you need to know. I have you covered from the size of the turkey you’ll need to how to thaw, prep, and roast your bird to perfection. This is my never-fail Thanksgiving turkey that I make year after year.
• No-fuss method. Roasting a turkey is very similar to roasting a chicken, only bigger! This is my beginner-friendly approach to cooking turkey, without brining.
• Succulent, juicy meat with crispy skin. Just like a perfectly-cooked Thanksgiving turkey should be. I’ll show you how to prepare your turkey so you’re set up for success.

What Size Turkey Do I Need?

Let’s get started with the basics, shall we? When selecting my turkey, the first thing I determine is how many people will be at my Thanksgiving dinner. A good rule of thumb is that you’ll need about 1 ½ pounds of meat per person. So, the formula goes, multiply 1.5 x [insert the number of people at dinner] and that equals the size of the turkey you need.

Once you’ve brought your turkey home, it’s time to start prepping for the big day. This needs to happen DAYS before Thanksgiving, so don’t wait until the last minute.

How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey

Just like you calculated the size of turkey you needed for your dinner, you’ll need to calculate 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey to give you the time it needs to thaw. For example, if your turkey is 15 pounds, it will take up to 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator. Here’s a handy thawing calculator if you need it.

Preparing Your Turkey for the Oven

• Once thawed, place the turkey in the sink and remove it from the packaging. Hold the turkey so the cavity (hole) of the turkey is facing the sink and drain all the water out of the cavity. Remove the neck and giblets (should be in a bag) from the turkey and set aside. Hint: you could use these later to make a gravy if you’d like.
• Don’t wash your turkey. Instead, pat the turkey dry and place it on a roasting rack in a roasting pan breast side up. This is the roasting pan with rack that I use. You can also use a disposable foil roasting pan, which makes post-dinner clean-up a breeze.

What You’ll Need for This Recipe

Leading up to cooking your turkey, here’s what you’ll need. Three things make my Thanksgiving turkey recipe so moist and juicy: the use of cheesecloth, citrus fruits, and a compound herb butter. Refer to the recipe card for the printable ingredients and detailed recipe instructions. For now, let’s take a look.

• Turkey – See above for details on how to calculate the size. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed, patted dry, and the neck and giblets are removed (Pro tip: save those to flavor your gravy!).
• Large sheet of double-lined cheesecloth – We are going to use this to help seal the moisture in while your turkey is roasting.
• Citrus fruits – Orange and lemon. We are going to be placing these inside the turkey. They’ll add flavor and help keep your turkey moist.
• Chicken stock or broth – You could also use vegetable broth if you prefer.

Garlic Herb Compound Butter

This compound butter is super easy to make and adds tons of flavor! We are going to be sticking it in between the turkey meat and the skin (more on that below) for the ultimate juicy turkey.

• Unsalted butter – You can also use salted butter, but you may need to add the amount of salt used separately.
• Salt – I used black truffle salt from Sur la Table. Otherwise, any kosher salt or sea salt will do.
• Fresh herbs – Tarragon, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Try to buy them fresh; otherwise, you can use dried herbs in a pinch. You’ll need triple the amount of dried herbs than fresh.
• Garlic cloves – Finely minced so that their flavor is distributed evenly.
• Fresh lemon zest – This also adds flavor. Orange zest would also work nicely here.

The Secret to Super Moist Turkey

We’re not going to simply slather the butter onto the turkey, at which point it would quickly melt and slide off the meat. Nope. We’re going to stuff the butter UNDERNEATH the turkey skin. When you put the butter under the skin, it allows all those flavors from the butter to soak into the meat and makes the turkey extra moist. Afterward, we’ll soak a cheesecloth with butter to cover the turkey while it roasts, for even MORE flavor. Let’s get started!

How to Cook a Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

When it comes to Thanksgiving turkey recipes, there are a thousand questions. What is the BEST way to roast a turkey? Do you use brine? Do you use dry brine? How often do you baste it? How long do you cook it? 

Whew, the list is LONG. So, today, I’m giving you a step-by-step guide (with pictures) showing how to make a Thanksgiving turkey that hopefully answers all of these questions and more.

Step 1: Season your turkey and prepare it for roasting.

What do you do to a turkey before roasting it? In my opinion, you don’t have to use a brine to make a moist turkey. With these simple steps, you can add flavor to the right parts of the turkey and elements that will keep the turkey moist, like citrus. You’ll have a perfect turkey every time!

1. Season the cavity. Give the cavity of the turkey (the hole) a generous seasoning with salt and pepper.
2. Separate the skin. Using your fingers, separate the skin from the meat of the turkey. (as shown)
3. Combine the compound butter ingredients. Prepare the garlic herb compound butter. Then, use your hands to press it under the skin (as shown). Reserve some of that butter, because we’ll use it later.
4. Add citrus. Now, stuff the cavity with fresh citrus and any leftover herbs you have from making the herb butter. The juice from the citrus will keep the turkey nice and moist, and the herbs add another layer of flavor! In my opinion, this is better than traditional stuffing, which tends to draw moisture out of the meat.
5. Add the cheesecloth. Melt the leftover butter in the microwave. Take a large strip of double-layered cheesecloth and completely soak it with butter. Then, lay the cheesecloth over the turkey, covering it as much as possible. This cheesecloth will stay in place throughout the entire cooking time (basting over it). It ensures that the turkey does not get burnt AND gives it an even brown color.
6. Add 4 cups of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan. This will catch all the drippings, which is loads of flavor and great to use on the turkey as you baste it throughout the roasting process.

Step 2: Roast and baste your turkey. Don’t forget resting time too!

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
2. Roast the turkey. Once the turkey is prepped and ready to roast (according to the instructions above or in the recipe card), place the turkey in the lower third of the oven. Roast at 425ºF for 45 minutes.
3. Baste the turkey with the drippings and broth from the bottom of the pan. (Leaving the cheesecloth on.)
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. Place the turkey back in the oven. Usually, a standard Thanksgiving turkey will need to roast for 15 minutes per pound. For example, a 15-pound turkey will roast for 3 hours and 45 minutes (15 pounds x 15 minutes per pound). However, because I already roasted my turkey for 45 minutes at 425ºF, I know I only have 3 hours left. Here is an easy-to-follow chart when it comes to cooking times for turkey.
5. Baste the turkey. Do this 3-4 times during this roasting process. If you think you’ll forget, set a timer!

How to Tell When Turkey is Done

About 30 minutes prior to the turkey being done, start checking the temperature of the turkey in the thickest part of the thigh using an instant-read thermometer. Remove your turkey from the oven when the temperature reads 160ºF.

Once the turkey reaches 160ºF, tent the turkey with tin foil and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and also lets the turkey finish ‘cooking’ to a safe serving temperature of 165ºF for the thigh and 170ºF for the turkey breast. You’re ready to slice and serve!

Serving Suggestions

My homemade turkey gravy recipe is super easy to make and ready in 15 minutes. You can make it while your turkey is resting! The recipe does not need pan drippings, but you can add them if you want to. Afterward, carve up and serve your turkey and gravy with your favorite Thanksgiving sides. We love mashed potatoes, this green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce. Don’t forget pumpkin pie bars for dessert!

Frequently Asked Questions