Description
This Easy, No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey recipe offers a simple and flavorful way to roast a tender, juicy turkey with aromatic herb butter and classic stuffing ingredients. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it requires minimal prep and delivers delicious results with basic kitchen equipment.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Stuffing
- 1 12-20 pound turkey
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 apple (your favorite kind), quartered
- 0.75 ounce container fresh rosemary
- 0.75 ounce container fresh thyme
- 0.75 ounce container fresh sage
Herb Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary (for herb butter)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme (for herb butter)
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped sage (for herb butter)
Instructions
- Thaw Turkey: If frozen, thaw the turkey in the fridge allowing 24 hours per 5 pounds plus an extra day to be safe.
- Bring to Room Temperature: Remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting to allow it to come to room temperature evenly.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Rack: Adjust the oven rack to the center and preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Make Herb Butter: In a bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh chopped rosemary, thyme, and sage. Set aside, reserving leftover herbs for stuffing the cavity.
- Prepare Turkey: Remove the turkey from packaging, take out neck and giblets (reserve for gravy or discard), and pat the turkey dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Season and Stuff: Season the inside cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff with quartered lemon, onion, apple, and remaining fresh herbs.
- Apply Herb Butter Under Skin: Gently loosen the skin over the breasts and smooth several tablespoons of the herb butter beneath the skin with your fingers.
- Position Turkey: Tuck the wings underneath the turkey and place it breast-side up on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan.
- Brush Outside with Herb Butter: Microwave the remaining herb butter 30 seconds until softened, then use a basting brush to coat the outside, legs, and wings thoroughly.
- Roast Turkey: Roast at 325°F for 13-15 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when checked in the thickest part of the thigh and breast.
- Tent to Prevent Over-Browning: When the skin turns golden brown about halfway through cooking, tent the turkey loosely with foil to protect the breast meat. Alternatively, start with foil tenting and remove during the last hour to brown.
- Rest Turkey: Once roasted, let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes, tented, before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
- Save Drippings: Reserve pan drippings for making flavorful turkey gravy if desired.
Notes
- Turkey Size: For smaller crowds or preference for white meat, adjust turkey size accordingly.
- Herb Substitutions: Use 1 teaspoon dried herbs to replace 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs.
- Tinfoil Tips: Start roasting turkey uncovered. Once golden brown, tent with foil or use the roasting pan lid to prevent over-browning.
- Roasting Pan Tip: Place chopped celery and carrots under turkey if using a disposable pan to elevate and add flavor, though they’re not recommended for eating or gravy.
- Electric Roaster: Same instructions apply.
- Convection Oven: Check temperature sooner since cooking is faster; start checking after 2 hours.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 6 oz cooked turkey)
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
