Best Recipe for Roasting a Turkey
The best recipe for roasting a turkey is actually quite simple. There’s just a little technique involved to create a crispy skin with succulent, juicy meat.
When writing this recipe, I remembered my mom hosting my family for Thanksgiving. All the grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins were coming to dinner. I was about 13 years old at the time and couldn’t resist taking a pinch of the turkey that my mom had been slowly cooking since early the morning before.
My mom used an old method of cooking the bird. You put the turkey in the oven the day before at high heat for an hour or so and then turn the oven completely off, letting the turkey sit inside of the stove until the morning. To this day, I remember how amazing that pinch was!
I’ve worked at recreating and improving on that old recipe for roasting a turkey to perfection. I share the results of the best recipe for roasting a turkey.
To learn more about all steps of turkey preparations, check out Brine and Cook a Turkey Perfectly Every Time.
6 Tips for the Perfect Roasted Turkey: Moist Turkey with Crispy Skin
Here are 6 quick tips for the best Thanksgiving turkey. Click each tip to see the details.
Most Commonly Asked Questions and Answers about Roasting a Turkey
Do you roast a turkey covered or uncovered?
Roast a turkey uncovered. However, if it begins to brown too darkly, you can tent a piece of tin foil over the turkey for the remainder of the cooking time. The loose foil will allow the turkey to completely cook and will give you a magnificent end product without too much browning.
Is turkey done at 165 degrees or 180?
The turkey is done when the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees. It will continue to cook while resting.
What temperature do you roast turkey?
Cook a turkey at 450 degrees for the first 45 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan when cooking a turkey?
Put at least a cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan while cooking a turkey. This will keep the drippings from burning the bottom of the pan and smoking up the house.
Should I baste my turkey?
Basting meat as it cooks is an ancient way of layering flavors and enhancing the texture, not to mention how it creates a shine on the food making the presentation astounding. Basting your turkey with butter or fat during the cooking process will ensure a crisp and well-browned skin.
What ingredients do you need to roast the perfect turkey?
For the dry rub, you will need Kosher salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. The basting recipe consists of melted butter, olive oil, and minced garlic.
Can you believe it is just that easy?
Turkey is fantastic just about any way you choose to prepare it. Check out these other methods:
How to Smoke the Perfect Turkey
Scroll below the recipe for more Thanksgiving recipes, including sides and desserts!
Best Recipe for Roasting a Turkey
Ingredients
Turkey Dry Rub
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
Turkey Basting Recipe
- 1 stick melted butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Mix dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
- Combine melted butter, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack inside a roasting pan. Fill the bottom of the pan with about 1 cup of water to keep the drippings from burning the pan. Brush butter mixture over the entire turkey and inside the cavity of the turkey. Liberally massage turkey rub all over turkey. Reserve some of the butter mixture for basting during the cooking process.
- Roast turkey for 45 minutes or until skin is golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to roast turkey, basting with butter mixture every 30 minutes. After the second hour, begin checking the temperature of the turkey every 15 minutes to keep from overcooking.
- Remove turkey when an instant-read thermometer reaches 160 degree when thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Allow the turkey to rest on a cutting board for at least 30 minutes to one hour for carry-over cooking and to allow the juices to redistribute.
Notes
– Happy Thanksgiving from Stacy Lyn!
Here are more of my top holiday recipes.
Thanks for these turkey tips, Stacy! My bird is in the oven for an early feast and looking beautifully browned. The tips to dry the turkey completely before rubbing with the oil and to start at higher heat made a big difference.