Juicy Roast Turkey With A Butter Herb Rub

I spent hours and hours pouring over all the best turkey recipes online and in my cookbook collection, as well as talking with family members and friends about their favorite turkey techniques to develop this roast turkey recipe. I knew it had to be supremely juicy, with mouthwateringly tender bites of light and dark meat that were seasoned well, without relying on a river of gravy for flavor and moisture. It also had to have perfectly crispy, seasoned skin and a beautiful presentation. And finally, I wanted a turkey recipe that was easy and didn’t require any special techniques or equipment (like turkey injectors or deep fryers). Then we invited friends over to help us with the taste-testing and everyone agreed that it was easily the best roast turkey any of us had ever had! We love to entertain during the holiday season, and a succulent herb roasted turkey is always a hit. But if you are looking for other holiday centerpiece ideas, you might want to try our Garlic Herb Butter Beef Tenderloin, Rosemary & Garlic Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb, Honey Roast Duck, or Brown Sugar Glazed Ham. Being in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey can be intimidating for many home cooks, especially if this is your first time roasting a turkey. But it doesn’t need to be! Think of roasting a turkey just like roasting a chicken, only on a slightly larger scale. You can totally do this and have your turkey turn out amazing even if this is your very first try! This is hands-down the best roast turkey I have ever had, and I’ve had some pretty amazing ones over the years. But this is the only one that can rival our favorite smoked turkey and make me question which approach is right for our Thanksgiving meal. I ditched the traditional sage that is used in so many turkey recipes and went looking for a flavor profile that is more suited to my personal tastes since I don’t love sage. The combination of fresh rosemary and thyme is pretty standard for a lot of roast meats, but I added chopped fresh oregano and tarragon, which resulted in an explosion of flavor that made my tastebuds extremely happy! Whether you are a seasoned cook who, like me, has spent years searching for the BEST roast turkey recipe, or a first-timer about to try your hand at cooking a turkey on your own, my roast turkey recipe always gets rave reviews and is much easier to accomplish than you might think.

Tools for roasting a turkey

Kitchen string (also known as butcher’s twine) for tying up the turkey legs: Just about two feet is all you need to tie the legs and hold all the aromatics inside the bird while it roasts. A large roasting pan: You don’t want your turkey sitting right on the bottom of the pan in it’s juices while it slowly roasts, so a roasting pan with a rack is your best friend for the most even cooking. But if you don’t have one, never fear! Just tear off a bunch of aluminum foil and roll it into a coil, then arrange it in the bottom of whatever large pan you have and set the turkey on top. Digital meat thermometer (affiliate link): An oven safe one that can stay inside the turkey as it cooks is your best bet, although any good meat thermometer will do. Heavy duty aluminum foil: This is for making a shield to protect the turkey breasts during part of the roasting process so they don’t get overdone while the leg and thigh meat is finishing off. Turkey baster: There is nothing so satisfying as basting a gloriously brown turkey in the oven with it’s own juices to give it a crispy, flavorful skin.

How to Cook a Turkey

PRO TIP: The temperature will continue to rise about 5 to 10 degrees after removing the turkey from the oven.

How long to roast a turkey

The number one question I get asked is how long it takes to roast a turkey in the oven. The answer will really depend on the size of your turkey, so make sure to take note of your turkey’s weight, especially if you are prepping it a day or two ahead with my turkey brine.

How much turkey per person?

A good rule of thumb is to plan on about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds of turkey per person prior to cooking. This is enough for everyone to have plenty of their favorite roast meat, whether that’s light or dark, and still have some leftovers for the next day.

5-7 days before dinner: Buy your turkey if you haven’t already. If it’s frozen, a 12 to 16-pound turkey will take 3-4 days to thaw in the fridge, while larger 16 to 24-pound birds can take more like 5-6 days to fully thaw. The general approach is to plan on 1 day of thawing time in the fridge for every 4 pounds of turkey. 2-3 days before dinner: Brine your turkey (this is my go-to turkey brine recipe). This step is key to making sure every single bite of turkey is deliciously seasoned and juicy! Plus, even if you forgot to stick your turkey in the fridge and it’s still partially frozen, the cold water in the brine will help finish the thawing process for you. Plan on 24 hours for a 12-16 pound turkey, and up to 2 days for larger turkeys. 1 day before dinner or same day of the meal: Remove the turkey from the brine and pat completely dry inside and out. Stuff the cavities with aromatics like chopped onion, carrots, celery, apple, lemon, garlic, or orange. I usually just use a combination of whatever I have on hand that isn’t getting used in other dishes. Maybe the garlic herb butter and rub it under the skin. Tie up the legs using butcher’s twine. Stick the turkey back in the fridge until ready to roast, up to 24 hours. 4 ½ to 5 hours before dinner: Remove the turkey from the fridge so it has some time to take off the chill. This will help it cook more evenly. This is also when you can rub the bird with the garlic herb butter and tie up the legs with twine if you didn’t do that the day before. About 4 hours before dinner (for a 12-pound turkey): This is when the turkey goes in the oven. It will take about 3 hours to roast, followed by 30-60 minutes to rest before carving and serving. Obviously the time will depend on the size of your turkey, but you should plan on 20 minutes at 450 degrees F, followed by 13 minutes per pound at 375 degrees F for the rest of the roasting time, with 30 minutes to 1 hour to rest so the juices can redistribute for the most moist meat.

You can make your turkey a day in advance so all you have to do the day you plan to eat it is stick it in the oven! Just stuff it with the aromatics, rub it with the herb butter, then cover it up and let it sit in the fridge overnight so it’s ready to go for the big day! Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.