The Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe Ever + Video
This is the Best Thanksgiving Turkey recipe for holidays and special occasions. Enjoy a moist, flavorful bird — without the need for basting!
Ingredients
- 12 pound whole turkey defrosted
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons ground sage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Prepare your turkey by removing innards and washing inside and out in cold water. Set the turkey on the rack in your roasting pan. Slide your hand under the skin to separate the skin from the meat. Tuck the wings wings under turkey.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, basil, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
- Using your hands, coat the turkey all over with your butter mixture. Slide your hands under the skin to rub the herb butter mixture all over meat. Rub the mixture all over top, side and legs as well. Pour water into the pan.
- Bake until the turkey is starting to brown nicely, about 1 hour. Loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil and continue to cook for 2 - 2 3/4 hours, or until temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F or more. Cook time should be 15 minutes per pound.
- Baste the turkey occasionally if you prefer, but this recipe doesn't require it.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and place it on a cutting board. Tent the foil over the turkey for 20 minutes.
- Slice the turkey, serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Run a checklist in your head BEFORE you put the turkey in the oven. Make sure you have added the water, smothered the turkey in the butter mixture and tucked the wings. Now, if you happen to forget to tuck the wings... Like I did once. You can use tongs to do this after it is in the oven, but be warned your turkey is less cooperative once it has started baking. (imagine that). It took me and Chad and a lot of patience to get those slippery partially cooked wings tucked.
Turkey will continue to cook once removed from the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 5535cal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 840g | Fat: 220g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Cholesterol: 2787mg | Sodium: 6692mg | Sugar: 3g | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 577mg | Iron: 38mg