Foolproof Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
This Foolproof Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey comes out perfectly golden, juicy, and tender every time—with crispy skin, incredible flavor, and none of the holiday stress.
Equipment
- Large Roasting Pan
Ingredients
- 11-14 Pound Turkey
- 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
- 2 Large Carrots, diced
- 2 large Onions, one diced and one quartered for the cavity
- 3 Stalks Celery, diced
- ½ Cup Chicken Broth
- 6 Sprigs Thyme half left on the sprig for the cavity and half removed
- 4 Sprigs Rosemary half left on the sprig and half removed and chopped
- 6 Sprigs Sage, half left on the sprig for stuffing in the cavity and half chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 Tbs Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbs Poultry Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 Apple, quartered
- 1 Lemon, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
- You should have already had the turkey brined using my “How To Dry Brine A Thanksgiving Turkey” instructions. Drain any liquid that accumulated at the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the chopped carrot, celery, onions, salt and pepper and mix it all together. Add the chicken broth.
- In a medium sized bowl, stir together the butter, chopped rosemary, chopped sage, thyme, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and poultry seasoning. Rub the butter mixture all over the cavity, outside and under the skin of the turkey.
- Then, stuff the cavity with rosemary, thyme, sage, onion, apple and lemon. Tie the legs together using kitchen string,
- Place it onto the lowest rack of the oven for about an hour and a half. Baste the turkey with the juices from the bottom of the pan and place it back into the oven. From here on out, baste the turkey every 30-40 minutes or until the turkey is done. Cooking times will vary. In general, an 11 pound turkey should take around 3 hours but always use a meat thermometer and be sure the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°.
- Finally, let the turkey rest for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!