This Roasted Turkey Recipe turns out perfect every single time and it’s so easy to make! If you want to cook a turkey this holiday season but don’t know where to start, this is the recipe for you!
Cooking a whole turkey has always seriously intimidated me. My mama’s always turns out so juicy and delicious! Cooking a piece of meat this large seemed scary to me. Once I made it, I felt silly for being intimidated for so long! It’s SO easy!
Before we get any further, there are a few staple Thanksgiving recipes you need to add to your menu this year too. Go HERE and you can see my easy recipes for mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey gravy, desserts like my pumpkin roll and more! All just for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
How do I cook a turkey from scratch?
Step 1: Thaw the turkey.
The first step is to thaw your frozen turkey. This takes a lot longer than you think, so give yourself 2-3 days for it to thaw in the fridge (depending on size) otherwise you will panic when your turkey is still frozen.
Step 2: Remove the giblets.
Once it’s thawed, you will need to remove the giblets (which should be in a bag INSIDE the turkey), and then remove the neck (which is typically INSIDE the other side of the turkey). This is gross, but just do it. It must be done. The holidays are counting on it. Rinse the turkey under running water thoroughly, and then pat it dry.
Step 3: Prepare the turkey for roasting.
Next, place your turkey in a roasting pan. I use a big roaster, so I don’t have to fill up my oven for hours. If you don’t have an electric roaster, you can just use your oven. Preheat your oven or roaster to 325. Place your turkey in the roasting pan, and butter the inside and outside liberally. Then salt it on the inside and outside. This will take a few minutes, and your hands will get dirty, but it’s worth it. Trust me.
Step 4: Cook the turkey uncovered.
The turkey will need to cook for 8 minutes for every pound of turkey. The last 30-45 minutes of cooking will be done uncovered. Cook it covered first, either with the lid on your roaster, or cover with tin foil in the oven. If you cover it with tin foil in the oven, don’t let the foil touch your turkey, or it will stick to the skin and ruin it. Make a dome from the tin foil so the turkey is covered without being touched. Just pretend the turkey is an anti-social cousin that doesn’t want to be hugged.
Step 5: Cook the turkey covered.
After you’ve cooked your turkey for the covered time (so my turkey was 14 pounds and needed to cook for about 2 hours total. I cooked it for the first hour and a half covered, and the last 30-45 minutes uncovered), you need to uncover it to get that nice, crispy golden brown skin. Otherwise it’s a weird tan color, like the turkey in the picture. I just stuck my roaster pan in the oven and continued to cook it at 325 for 30-45 minutes and it was perfect!
Step 6: Carve, serve and enjoy!
Believe it or not, that’s all there is to it! Now all that’s left is to carve it up and enjoy! Trust me, once you’ve made this simple and delicious Roasted Turkey Recipe you’ll never be afraid to cook your own turkey ever again!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
I find that cooking at turkey at 325° F is the perfect temperature for cooking a turkey. Any higher and you run risk of drying out the turkey and any lower and you run risk of it not cooking all the way through. 325° F is just right!
How long should a 15lb turkey cook?
As a rule of thumb, cook the turkey 8 minutes for every pound of turkey. So for a 15-pound turkey, the math looks like this: 15 lb x 8 minutes = 120 minutes. Just make sure you cook it uncovered for the last 30-45 minutes so it get’s that perfectly crispy golden brown skin!
What can I put in my turkey for flavor?
I generally just put butter and salt in my turkey for flavor, but you can certainly add more to it if you’d like. I’d suggest adding some pepper, onions, carrots, celery or even apple to mix things up!
Want more Thanksgiving recipes?
-
CLICK HERE -
CLICK HERE -
CLICK HERE
- Pumpkin Pie Recipe – Make a perfect and delicious pumpkin pie, just like mama makes!
- Deep-Fried Thanksgiving Bites – Don’t let those Thanksgiving leftovers go to waste! Make these deliciously deep-fried morsels of Thanksgiving goodness!
- Foolproof Pumpkin Roll – Learn the best and easiest way to make the tastiest pumpkin dessert out there!
Voila! You now have a fully cooked, delicious, and golden brown roasted turkey recipe ready for your holiday feast! Don’t waste the juice that turkey left behind while it cooked, make some delicious gravy in five minutes by using THIS recipe!
Roasted Turkey Recipe
Don’t let those burnt turkeys in movies trick you into thinking it’s hard! Make this simple and delicious Roasted Turkey Recipe!
Ingredients
- 12 Pound Whole Turkey
- Salt (to taste)
- 2/3 Cup Butter
Instructions
- Thaw the turkey.
- Remove the giblets (which should be in a bag INSIDE the turkey), and then remove the neck (which is typically INSIDE the other side of the turkey).
- Rinse the turkey under running water thoroughly, and then pat it dry.
- Preheat your oven or roaster to 325° F.
- Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Butter the inside and outside of the turkey liberally then salt it on the inside and outside.
- Cover the turkey with either the roaster lid or tin foil if you’re cooking it in the oven.
- Cook the turkey for 8 minutes for every pound of turkey, but uncover it for the last 30-45 minutes.
- Carve and serve!
Notes
- Make sure to plan ahead give yourself enough time to thaw the turkey. It can take 2-3 days for it to thaw in the fridge, so don’t try and start thawing it the night before Thanksgiving!
- When covering your turkey with tin foil, it’s important that you don’t let the tin foil touch the turkey. Otherwise, the tin foil will end up sticking to the skin of the turkey and ruining it. Make a dome from the tin foil so the turkey is covered without being touched.
- Make sure you uncover the turkey for the last 30-45 minutes of cook time. This is how you get the deliciously crisp and golden brown skin.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
8 ounces
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1422Total Fat: 66gSaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 37gCholesterol: 782mgSodium: 896mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 194g
