Simple Roasted Turkey is a hassle-free turkey recipe! With no brining required, the turkey is rubbed down with a garlic herb butter and roasted until perfectly golden brown. Make roasting a turkey a breeze with this Simple Roasted Turkey recipe! Perfect main dish for any holiday table.
Turkey Roasting Tips
I know that roasting a turkey can seem like an overwhelming task, but I’ll walk you through what you need to be able to pull off roasting your own holiday turkey!
Here are a few essential items to have on hand when roasting a turkey:
- A large roasting pan – a turkey is big! Having a good, sturdy roasting pan with a wire rack will save you so much hassle down the road. Plus, you don’t have to worry about it caving into the weight of the turkey. PS: you can still use these roasting pans for every day cooking! Try it out with a chicken or pot roast!
- A meat thermometer – the easiest and best way to tell if your turkey is done: the temperature! You want an internal temperature of 165 degrees at the deepest part of the meat. I typically insert my thermometer into the deepest part of the leg/thigh and breast to see where I’m at.
- A sharp knife – nothing is worse than trying to carve a turkey without a good knife, trust me!
- Time – give yourself plenty of breathing room and time! I’d rather have my turkey get done before my guests arrive and it just keep it warm than having my guests sitting around waiting for my turkey to get to 165 degrees. Plus, if you give yourself plenty of time, then it helps you not feel stressed or overwhelmed!
If you need to know how much turkey you need for your crowd, this chart is very helpful.
Remember to defrost your turkey in advance! Look here for the best recommendations.
Garlic Herb Butter
After the turkey has been patted dry with a paper towel, rubbing it down with a garlic herb butter not only helps add flavor, but keep the turkey moist!
Create a garlic herb butter by mixing together very softened butter, fresh herbs, chopped garlic and seasonings. Then it’s time to get your hands dirty! Generously rub the entire turkey down with the butter mixture to coat it completely.
If the butter isn’t soft enough, it will clump up and won’t spread across the turkey. A simple solution to this problem is quickly microwaving the butter mixture for a few seconds to help soften it.
Recipe Video:
Looking for other Turkey Recipes? Check these out!
Cranberry Pomegranate Glazed Turkey
Pumpkin Beer Brined Smoked Turkey
Simple Roasted Turkey
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 5 hours, 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
Simple Roasted Turkey is a hassle-free turkey recipe! With no brining required, the turkey is rubbed down with a garlic herb butter and roasted until perfectly golden brown. Make roasting a turkey a breeze with this Simple Roasted Turkey recipe! Perfect main dish for any holiday table.
Ingredients
- 14–15 pound turkey, defrosted
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, very soft
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 32 oz chicken stock
- 1 large onion, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. Pour the chicken stock and the onion pieces into the bottom of a large roasting pan with a wire rack. Place the turkey on top of the wire rack.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, rosemary, thyme, seasoned salt and garlic until smooth. Use your hands to evenly rub the turkey down with the butter mixture.
- Loosely cover the turkey with foil and bake for 2 hours.
- Remove the foil, baste the turkey with the juices from the bottom of the pan and bake for 2-3 hours, basting occasionally until an internal temperature of 165 is reached in the thickest part of the turkey meat.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- A meat thermometer is the easiest way to know when the turkey is done – an internal temperature of 165 degrees should be reached.
- Make sure the turkey is completely and properly defrosted prior to baking.
- Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 480
Keywords: Simple Roasted Turkey
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Hi, I’m KJ!
Here you’ll find simple, delicious recipes for the home cook. I strive to make wholesome meals with easy-to-find ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen—but I won’t shy away from a few indulgences! (I see you: butter, bacon, cookies!)
