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4.8 from 90 votes

Best Roast Thanksgiving Turkey

The best classic roast Thanksgiving turkey recipe you will find! This recipe and guide will help you cook a flavorful, moist turkey every Thanksgiving with time and temperature guides, tips on brining for a super juicy bird, and a flavorful herb compound that not only gives great flavor but makes beautifully brown, crispy turkey skin.

Prep Time
8 hrs 10 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs 10 mins
Total Time
11 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 1 whole turkey
Calories: 161 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 14 pound turkey, thawed with giblets and neck removed
Easy Dry Brine
  • ⅓ cup kosher salt
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
Aromatics
  • 2 medium-sized apples quartered
  • 1 yellow onion quartered
  • 3 heads garlic halved horizontally
  • As many fresh herbs as you can fit
Lemon Herb Mayo Compound Spread
  • 1 cup Duke’s Real Mayonnaise
  • Peel of 1 lemon
  • Leaves of 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • Leaves of 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 stalk of sage

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Put the turkey onto a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
  2. Brining
  3. Mix together the brining ingredients then pat the turkey completely dry, inside and out. Rub the mixture generously over the skin of the turkey and inside the cavity. 
  4. Put the turkey bare into the fridge overnight and up to 18 hours to dry brine.
  5. Roasting Turkey
  6. An hour before you want to roast the turkey, take the brined turkey out of the fridge to rest on the counter.
  7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  8. Place the turkey into a roasting pan with a rack or prepped with aluminum foil, then pat the turkey dry of any moisture that may be lurking on the skin or in crevices.
  9. Stuff the inside of the turkey with the aromatics until completely full. Truss the legs with butcher’s twine if they’re not already trussed.
  10. Chop the herbs and lemon zest for the compound spread finely, then mix into the mayonnaise well.
  11. Generously spread the compound mixture all over the dry skin of the turkey just before placing the turkey into the oven, every single part of the turkey. Use your fingers to pull the skin from the meat of the breasts and smooth some of the mixture under the skin. Tuck the wings under the turkey.
  12. Roast the turkey at 325 degrees F, at about 15 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer in the breast reads 160 degrees F.
  13. Check the turkey about halfway through cooking, and once the skin gets golden brown cover the turkey breasts with aluminum foil to protect it from overcooking and the skin getting burned.
  14. Let the turkey rest on the countertop for at least 25-30 minutes.
  15. Reserve the drippings from the roasting pan to make a pan gravy.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 161kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 15g (5%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 8g Cholesterol 55mg (18%) Sodium 3829mg (160%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 9g (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1whole turkey

Amount Per Serving

Calories 161

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 161kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g 47%
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 3829mg 160%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 9g 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.