Juicy Oven Roasted Turkey — 🦃🙌🧡 Learn how to make juicy, flavorful herb-roasted turkey that’s not dry! This turkey has all the flavor that grandma’s used to have, minus the hassle. No brining, no basting, and no stress! This is THE COMPREHENSIVE post to read for how to make THE BEST turkey for your Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday celebrations!
Table of Contents
The Best Herb-Roasted Turkey Recipe
The best part of any Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday meal is the turkey. Some people would argue the stuffing, but that’s another topic.
All the butter that is incorporated into this classic roasted turkey recipe adds a richness you wouldn’t get otherwise. The myriad of herbs season the skin and outside layers of meat so well.
Plus the gravy that you’ll be able to make is just a big wow! So yes, all that butter is a must.
If I had to describe the flavor of this turkey, it would be classic and traditional like grandma used to make, but amped up a notch. The best part of all is that this turkey isn’t dry!
Ingredients for an Oven Roasted Turkey
Making the best roasted turkey doesn’t mean you need a boatload of ingredients or anything tricky to find. You will need the following:
- Turkey, thawed
- Butter
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parsley
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Oregano
- Sage
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Orange
- Bay Leaves
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Prepare a Turkey for Roasting
- Remove the neck, which is often found inside the large cavity, and discard the bag of giblets. (If you want to save them for gravy, go for it, but I don’t.)
- Place the turkey in the roasting pan, pat it dry, and tuck the wings underneath the turkey. This prevents them from burning and helps the turkey sit flatter and be more stabilized.
- Place softened butter into a medium bowl and add the salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sage, mix until combined.
- Reserve about one-third of the butter mixture and place the rest of the butter mixture under the skin. Work the butter all the way under, and all the way over to the thighs and legs. Rub the remaining one-third of the butter mixture all over the outside of the skin.
- Stuff the inside of the turkey with the garlic, lemon, orange, rosemary, parsley, sage, oregano, and bay leaves.
How to Roast a Turkey
- Place the turkey into the oven on the lowest rack, so it’s sitting directly in the center of the oven. We’re baking at 325F, regular oven, NOT convection (or as some people say ‘no fan’.)
- Bake the turkey until done (see my notes below on cook times). I recommend rotating the roasting pan a couple times. It may not be absolutely necessary given your oven, but it certainly won’t hurt.
- If you notice your turkey is starting to brown too quickly before it is done internally as evidenced by the thermometer reading, you can add a loose piece of foil on top to shield the top from the direct oven heat. If you have a lid for your actual roasting pan, use that.
- Rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving your masterpiece. Who wants to fight over the drumstick?
Turkey Roasting FAQs
Purchase about 1.50 pounds of turkey per person. After the turkey cooks, the carcass and inedible parts are discarded, each person isn’t actually eating 1.50 pounds of cooked turkey meat, but when selecting a frozen turkey, plan on that ratio.
Therefore, a Thanksgiving gathering for 6 people means you’d want at least a 9-pound turkey. If you want leftovers, I’d go with at least 10 to 12 pounds. For a 12-person gathering, the minimum I would select is an 18 pound turkey, but probably 22 or 24 pounds for ample leftovers is what I would opt for.
My recipe will work, without any changes necessary, for turkeys ranging from about 10 to 30 pounds.
Plan 1 one day for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw it safely in the refrigerator, making sure to give yourself extra time by a day or so. Meaning, don’t try to start thawing your 20-pound Thanksgiving turkey on Tuesday before the big day Thursday. You need to start on Sunday, at the absolute latest, and Saturday would be better.
Make sure you place the bird on a cookie sheet, in a roasting pan, or something to catch the water. I know it’s big, awkward, and bulky. I can’t help you there – this is where you will wish you had a second fridge in the garage!
It’s not necessary to wash the turkey. That will just spread a bunch of raw turkey bacteria all over your sink and kitchen from the fine mist and droplets that will inevitably spread. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels before you get started with the butter and spices.
There is no need to brine your turkey. The reason people brine is to prevent the meat from drying out but honestly, if cooked properly, there is no need for brining. And think about it, where are you going to brine this big bird? In your bathtub? A clean never-used trash can? I personally detest owing objects or items that I use once a year, or just use once period, which is why brining isn’t in my wheelhouse. And then where are you going to store said object? Another hard no on brining.
You really don’t need to baste your turkey. Between all the butter that’s involved in this recipe, the flavorful gravy you can then make, and the fact that this turkey is roasting in a 325F oven which is more of a lower-slower oven in comparison to say how you’d cook a pizza, as long as you don’t over cook it, you’re fine.
Likely the cheapest, most convenient, and easiest will be roasting the turkey in a disposable roasting pan that you can pick up for a dollar or two each. As long as it has sides that are a few inches high, you’re good. When your grand festivities are done, toss it. You will be happy there’s one less dish to wash that day.
If you are going the disposable pan route, I recommend placing a layer of vegetables such as thinly-sliced carrots and potatoes underneath the turkey to prevent burning since disposable pans are so much thinner than an actual roasting pan.
Although this is a bit controversial, and I think the older generations used to do this more frequently before we knew as much about food safety as we do now, but stuffing your bird with stuffing is not recommended. It’s hard to get either or both to fully cook through before the outside of the bird is done and can become overcooked and therefore dried out.
It’s best to cook your stuffing separately. If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving or Christmas stuffing recipe, my recipe for Classic Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing has been a huge reader favorite for years and years.
I’ve found that the best way to roast a turkey is for about 13 to 15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches about 160F in the thickest part of the thigh. This means that for a 20-pound turkey, at 13 minutes per pound that’s 260 minutes (4 hours 20 minutes) and at 15-minutes per pound that’s 300 minutes (5 hours).
Check the turkey’s internal temperature with a thermometer. I prefer digital to manual-read thermometers, but use what you prefer. 160F degrees in the thickest part of the thigh is what you’re aiming for. Make sure that you don’t put the thermometer so deep that you hit bone because that will throw off your reading.
Allowing the bird to rest for about 30 minutes is instrumental in preventing it from drying out. You wouldn’t cut into a steak immediately after you take it off the heat because you know the juices will run right out of the steak and onto the cutting board. The same holds true for the turkey. Let it rest. You will have plenty to do while it rests. Like make gravy.
This is a definite yes! Don’t throw out one drop of those flavorful drippings. You will use them to make Easy Perfect Gravy. Save, save, save.
What to Serve with a Thanksgiving Turkey
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Juicy Oven Roasted Turkey
Equipment
- 1 large pan with roasting rack
Ingredients
For Rubbing In Between the Turkey Skin and Meat
- 1 whole turkey, thawed, giblets and neck removed
- 12 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
For Stuffing Inside the Turkey Cavity
- 1 small head of garlic, cut in half to expose the cloves
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 orange or blood orange, quartered
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- ½ cup fresh parsley sprigs
- 1 sprig fresh sage
- 1 sprig fresh oregano
- 5 fresh or dried bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F* (See Notes). Place the thawed turkey into a large baking dish (disposable or otherwise) with deep sides. Tip – If you are going the disposable pan route, I recommend placing a layer of vegetables such as thinly-sliced carrots and potatoes underneath the turkey to prevent burning on the bottom since disposable pans are so much thinner than an actual roasting pan.
- Remove the giblets and neck (both found inside the cavity) and discard (you could keep the giblets for gravy-making but I don’t and in my gravy recipe aren’t necessary).
- Tuck the wings underneath the turkey to help stabilize it, cut off any excess skin that is loose and just hanging, and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.
For Rubbing In Between the Turkey Skin and Meat:
- Place the softened butter into a medium-sized bowl. Add the salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Using your hands, very carefully separate the skin from the breast meat. Work your hand all the way down to the legs and thighs, separating the skin as you go.
- Reserve about one-third of this butter mixture; set aside.
- Place two-thirds of the butter mixture under the skin. Carefully work it all the way under and all the way over to the thighs and legs.
- Rub the remaining one-third of butter mixture all over the outside of the skin.
For Stuffing Inside the Turkey Cavity:
- Stuff the turkey with the garlic, lemon, orange, rosemary, parsley, sage, oregano, and bay leaves. They can just lay loose inside the turkey cavity or if you have poultry twine, you can tie the herbs together in a bouquet.
- Place the turkey into the oven on the lowest rack, so it is sitting directly in the center of the oven.
- Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches about 160F in the thickest part of the thigh. Please Note – The baking time of 4 hours 20 minutes is only an estimate given for a 20 pound turkey. Putting something in the field is a requirement of this recipe-writing program but your baking time WILL VARY based on the size of your turkey!** (See Notes)
- Tip – If your turkey is becoming more golden than desired before the internal temperature is going on, drape a sheet of foil loosely over it to prevent exposure from the direct oven heat. If you have a lid for your actual roasting pan, use that.
- Take the turkey out of the oven and let rest in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Discard the garlic, herbs, lemon, and orange that were in the cavity. However, DO NOT throw out any of those wonderful drippings, save them to make turkey gravy.
- Leftover turkey will keep airtight for up to 5 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipes to Make Using Leftover Turkey:
ALL OF MY THANKSGIVING RECIPES!
Easy 30-Minute Turkey Noodle Soup — Have leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Make this turkey soup! It’s easy and tastes like grandma’s homemade chicken noodle soup, but with turkey!
Turkey Tetrazzini — Wondering what to do with your leftover Thanksgiving turkey? This rich casserole features al dente spaghetti, a decadent cream sauce, tender vegetables, cheese, and of course your extra turkey!
Easy Turkey Pot Pie — Wondering what to do with that leftover turkey from the holidays? Make this easy turkey pot pie recipe! It’s hearty, creamy, comforting, perfect for chilly weather, and EASY to make!
Hawaiian Roll Turkey and Cheese Sliders — Juicy turkey, Swiss cheese, and cranberry sauce all nestled in soft Hawaiian rolls that are brushed with butter and topped with poppy seeds for the BEST turkey sliders!
Turkey Wild Rice Soup — Take advantage of leftover holiday turkey, and make this rich, creamy, and very hearty soup! Made with an array of vegetables, seasonings and herbs, and of course plenty of wild rice and turkey! EASY, ready in an hour, and made in one pot!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Crescent Rolls — Looking for a recipe to use a variety of your Thanksgiving leftovers? These stuffed crescent rolls are QUICK and EASY to make using leftovers from your Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy!
Thanksgiving Crunchwrap Supreme — Not sure what to do with all of those Thanksgiving leftovers? Turn them into Thanksgiving Crunchwraps! A soft flour tortilla and crunchy corn tostada base is piled high with your favorite Thanksgiving leftovers including turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and more before sealing them, toasting, and dunking them in gravy.
Last year I inherited the tradition of making Thanksgiving dinner. Having never made a turkey before, but being a long time reader of this site, when I saw this post I knew it was exactly what I needed. It explains everything thoroughly and beautifully, quelled some fears I had about not knowing what I’m doing and most importantly the results were delicious. I heard a lot of praise about how juicy and flavorful the turkey was. And for those that like the skin and legs they said they were perfect. When thanksgiving rolled around this year I pulled this back out and followed it again like a newbie and once again the results were amazing. I make a lot of recipes from this site – in general they are easy to follow and go exactly as described/planned. I find that they are easy enough to adjust for allergies or preferences as well. My photos almost always turn out just like her pictures too. This site is one of my go to favorites.
Last year I inherited the tradition of making Thanksgiving dinner. Having never made a turkey before, but being a long time reader of this site, when I saw this post I knew it was exactly what I needed. It explains everything thoroughly and beautifully, quelled some fears I had about not knowing what I’m doing and most importantly the results were delicious. I heard a lot of praise about how juicy and flavorful the turkey was. And for those that like the skin and legs they said they were perfect. When thanksgiving rolled around this year I pulled this back out and followed it again like a newbie and once again the results were amazing. I make a lot of recipes from this site – in general they are easy to follow and go exactly as described/planned. I find that they are easy enough to adjust for allergies or preferences as well. My photos almost always turn out just like her pictures too. This site is one of my go to favorites.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am so glad to hear that my site is one of your go-to sites for favorites! And that this recipe in particular was a total keeper for Thanksgiving 2022 and 2023! I know what you mean about having to go back to a recipe like a newbie the next year, even though you’ve made it before. I still have to consult my own site for certain recipes like turkey, gravy ratios, or things that I don’t make more than a couple times a year myself :)
Absolutely delicious even though I messed up turning up the heat after 20 minutes to 450 instead of 350. I was so disappointed at first thought my turkey was ruined. To my surprise it wasn’t thank God. It was moist, tender and very flavorful. No need to look for another turkey recipe this one is it from now on. Only thing I did was add more garlic & thyme to butter mixture. And added fresh Rosemary sage, & thyme to the cavity aromatic
Absolutely delicious even though I messed up turning up the heat after 20 minutes to 450 instead of 350. I was so disappointed at first thought my turkey was ruined. To my surprise it wasn’t thank God. It was moist, tender and very flavorful. No need to look for another turkey recipe this one is it from now on. Only thing I did was add more garlic & thyme to butter mixture. And added fresh Rosemary sage, & thyme to the cavity aromatic
Absolutely delicious even though I messed up turning up the heat after 20 minutes to 450 instead of 350. I was so disappointed at first thought my turkey was ruined. To my surprise it wasn’t thank God. It was moist, tender and very flavorful. No need to look for another turkey recipe this one is it from now on. Only thing I did was add more garlic & thyme to butter mixture. And added fresh Rosemary sage, & thyme to the cavity aromatic
Perfect. Crispy skin and even the breast meat was moist. Did 4.5 hrs for an 18 lb bird
Perfect. Crispy skin and even the breast meat was moist. Did 4.5 hrs for an 18 lb bird
Thanks for the 5 star review and that is wonderful that your turkey was perfect! Great to hear!
What are your thoughts on roasting low and slow? Say 200*
Thank you!
I have never experimented with that method so really can’t comment based on experience. Although I would stick with a very tried and true method, i.e. follow the recipe as written, for a big event/meal like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
great
great
great
Thank you for the lengthy post! I plan to use this outlined wisdom for this years holiday. My one question: would you suggest using a rack in the roasting pan?
You’re welcome!
I don’t think it’s necessary. If you have a pan that has that feature, sure, go ahead and use it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to use that type of pan or buy one if I didn’t have it.
Amazing, Avery, thank you so very much! This is so heartwarming and nostalgic, especially this year of COVID. Most of us won’t be able to make this year’s celebration shine as usual, but reminiscing about past celebrations and hoping and planning for future ones is surely so much more encouraging when looking at these beautiful pictures of yours and reading your awesome recipes. God bless.
I think during this year especially it’s nice to think about a special meal and have some nostalgia. Glad you appreciate this post!
Sorry, but you are WAYYYY off base about NOT brining a Turkey. It adds SO much moisture and plumpness, not to mention flavor, that skipping this step is unheard of. Get a large pot or bucket, brine the Turkey, and keep it outside in the cold or find SOME way to brine it because you will have achieved roasted turkey perfection. This step is CRUCIAL when it comes to the BEST Thanksgiving Turkey ever!
Hello Pam, it’s actually not ‘unheard of’ because you can see from these photos that this turkey isn’t dry and still has tons of flavor. To each their own of course but for me, I didn’t brine this turkey and it turned out perfectly. But everyone especially on something like turkey will have their own opinions of how to do things.