Go Back
Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

This roast turkey is rubbed with an fragrant herb butter and slow-roasted at 325°F for tender, juicy meat and a golden-brown, glossy skin. It’s simple enough for home cooks but elevated with fresh aromatics.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Turkey & Aromatics
  • 1 12–14 lb whole turkey, thawed
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 1 lemon halved
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Herb Butter
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic minced

Method
 

Turkey Prep & Assembly
  1. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes while you preheat the oven to 325°F.
  2. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity, pat the turkey dry with paper towels, then season the cavity generously with kosher salt and pepper.
  3. Stuff the cavity with the quartered onion, halved lemon, smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs.
Herb Butter & Roasting
  1. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with minced garlic, chopped thyme and rosemary, kosher salt, and pepper.
  2. Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast and spread half of the herb butter mixture underneath the skin. Rub the remaining butter all over the exterior of the turkey.
  3. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine, place the turkey breast-side up on a rack set in a roasting pan, and pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
  4. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven for 13 minutes per pound, basting every 30 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F, about 2¾ to 3½ hours for a 12–14 lb bird.
  5. If the skin browns too quickly, tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil during the last hour of cooking.
  6. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Notes

I found that allowing the turkey to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting gave me the crispiest skin yet.
During my second test, I learned that tenting the bird too early prevents the skin from fully browning – wait until the last hour.
After freezing leftovers in airtight bags, I noticed they stayed moist for up to three months when reheated gently.