The BEST Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (How to cook a turkey)

Whole turkey cooked on six sisters stuff

5 from 2 votes

The BEST Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (How to cook a turkey)

We’ve got the Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe for you. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to cook a moist and tender turkey.

Prep Time10

Cook Time3 30

Total Time3 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Best Turkey, Easy Turkey, Holiday Turkey, How to Cook a Turkey, Thanksgiving Turkey, turkey

Servings:

Calories: 456kcal

Equipment

roasting pan

Ingredients

12 pound turkey
salt and pepper to taste
14.5 ounces chicken broth can also use water or turkey broth
4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
Remove wrap from thawed turkey, and then remove neck, giblets, and gravy packet if one is included.
Place turkey into roasting pan breast side up.
Tuck turkey wings under and tie or clamp legs together.
Salt and pepper the inside cavity of the turkey.
Dry outside of turkey with a paper towel (don’t wash or rinse your turkey because you will contaminate your sink. The bacteria will die when it cooks in the oven).
Baste turkey with melted butter. Salt and pepper all over.
Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Meat thermometer should reach between 165 and 180 degrees and the juices should run clear.
Add broth into the bottom of the pan. (Water will also work.)
Tent foil over the turkey as it cooks. Cook in preheated oven for 3 1/2 - 4 hours (depending on the size of your turkey - see notes below to know how long to cook your turkey for).
After you remove the turkey from the oven, let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. This gives you time to get a few more things done for the big meal.
Keep turkey covered with foil to keep warm while it rests.

Notes

We used a 12 pound turkey and it fed about 12 adults. If feeding children, you would be able to feed more people.

Here is how long to cook your turkey based on weight:

8-10 pounds 3 to 3 ½ hours
10-14 pounds 3 ½ to 4 hours
14-20 pounds 4 ¼ to 4 ¾ hours
20-22 pounds 4 ½ to 5 hours
22-24 pounds 4 ¾ to 5 ¼ hours

Other seasonings you could use on turkey: thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, sage, and poultry seasoning.

About 30-40 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil tent to let your cooked turkey skin turn golden and a little crispy. You’ll have a moist and tender bird underneath the golden skin.

Nutrition