Step-by-step, I will walk you through exactly how I prepare my Thanksgiving turkey. I’ve cooked a full Thanksgiving dinner for 25 to 30 people more times than I can count, and over the years, I’ve learned the simplest, most reliable way to get a tender, juicy turkey with crisp skin every time.
If you’re new to roasting a turkey or want a tested-and-perfected method, this guide will walk you through every step to ensure your Thanksgiving turkey is perfection.
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Why This Method Makes The Best Thanksgiving Turkey
- Step-by-step instructions for both beginners and experienced home cooks (with lots of tips).
- Golden brown, crispy buttery skin and tender, juicy meat.
- No brining required… optional brine instructions below if you’d like to brine.
- Use the droppings to make homemade turkey gravy!
Table of Contents
- Why This Method Makes The Best Thanksgiving Turkey
- How Much Turkey Per Person?
- Ingredients for Roasting Turkey
- Refrigerator Thawing
- Cold Water Thaw (Faster)
- Should You Brine a Turkey?
- How to Prepare a Thanksgiving Turkey For The Oven
- How to Roast Thanksgiving Turkey
- How Long to Cook a Turkey
- Should You Stuff The Turkey?
- How to Carve a Turkey
- Holly’s Turkey Tips
- Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
How Much Turkey Per Person?
When purchasing a turkey, consider if you’d like to have turkey leftovers. I love them for dishes like turkey Tetrazzini, soup/broth, and turkey sandwiches.
Plan for 1 pound of turkey per person, or 1 ½ pounds if you want leftovers, especially since there will be many Thanksgiving side dishes served too.
| Servings | 6 | 10 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey (no leftovers) | 7.5 lbs | 12.5 lbs | 20 lbs |
| Turkey (with leftovers) | 9 lbs | 15 lbs | 24 lbs |
Quick Tip: If you’re cooking for a crowd, it can be easier to roast two smaller turkeys.
Ingredients for Roasting Turkey
- Turkey: Keep a fresh turkey in its original packaging in a rimmed baking dish (to catch any leaks) in the refrigerator until ready to prepare. Thaw a frozen turkey for 1 day for each 4 to 5 pounds in the refrigerator—refer to the chart below.
- Seasonings: I use a combination of butter, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. You can also use your favorite turkey seasoning blend to lock in savory flavor—reduce the salt if needed.
- Variations: Feel free to add sprigs of fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley. Onions, carrots, and celery infuse roast turkey and the drippings with flavor; you can also add mushrooms. No rack? No problem! Place the turkey on a raft of veggies and the juices will soak into the veggies as it roasts.
You’ll Also Need…
- Twine or string to tie the legs.
- A thermometer
- Foil and a roasting pan
- A carving knife and a large cutting board with a groove
- A gravy separator, optional but recommended
Thawing Times (Refrigerator & Cold Water Methods)
Thaw a turkey in the refrigerator for one day for each 4 to 5 pounds. Always thaw turkey in the refrigerator on a rimmed pan to catch juices.
Refrigerator Thawing
| 8 – 12 pounds | 2 to 3 days |
| 12 – 16 pounds | 3 to 4 days |
| 16 – 20 pounds | 4 to 5 days |
| 20 – 24 pounds | 5 to 6 days |
If you need to thaw a Thanksgiving turkey faster, you can thaw in cold water. Keep the turkey fully submerged (breast side down) in its original packaging and change the water every 30 minutes. Thaw for 30 minutes per pound of turkey. Never thaw a turkey on the counter.
Cold Water Thaw (Faster)
| 8 – 12 pounds | 4 to 6 hours |
| 12 – 16 pounds | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 – 20 pounds | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 – 24 pounds | 10 to 12 hours |
Should You Brine a Turkey?
A wet brine or dry brine is a mixture of salt, sugar, and seasonings that the turkey is soaked in or covered in for a day or so before cooking.
I love a brined turkey because it adds lots of flavor and makes the meat extra tender and juicy.
The truth is, although I love brine, I don’t usually brine my turkey. It adds an extra day to the preparation time. If you have time, use this turkey brine recipe.
How to Prepare a Thanksgiving Turkey For The Oven
Here is an overview of the steps to prepare the raw Thanksgiving turkey for roasting—the full detailed recipe is below.
- Remove giblets: Check inside the bird and remove the bag of giblets and the neck from the thawed turkey. Remove them from the bag and add them to the roasting pan for giblet gravy (or discard them if you’d prefer). Tuck the wing tips under.
- Season the cavity: Add herbs/onion or stuffing to the cavity. Tie the legs with kitchen twine.
- Season the outside: Dab the skin dry with paper towel (this is the secret to crisp skin).
- Combine butter and seasonings and rub over the skin.
How to Roast Thanksgiving Turkey
Now that the turkey is oven ready, it’s time to get cooking!
- Add carrots, celery, onion, neck, and broth to the pan. Top with a rack if you have one.
- Place the turkey on the rack (or directly on the vegetables if you don’t have a rack), breast side up.
- Roast according to the recipe below.
- Let the turkey rest on a plate once cooked while you prepare the gravy.
How Long to Cook a Turkey
My #1 tip for the best Thanksgiving turkey is to use a meat thermometer. Temperature, not time, is the best way to tell when a turkey is done.
Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh not touching the bone. Remove the turkey from the oven when it reaches 158-160°F. The turkey will reach 165°F as it rests (this is called carryover cooking).
A stuffed turkey will take longer to cook as you’ll need to ensure the stuffing reaches 165°F in the center. Ensure the stuffing is chilled (not warm) before stuffing a turkey.
| Size | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
| 8-12 pounds | 2 ½ to 3 hours | 3 to 3 ½ hours |
| 12-14 pounds | 3 to 3 ¾ hours | 3 ½ to 4 hours |
| 14-18 pounds | 3 ½ to 4 hours | 4 to 4 ½ hours |
| 18-22 pounds | 3 ¾ to 4 ½ hours | 4 ½ to 5 hours |
| 22-24 pounds | 4 ½ to 5 hours | 5 ½ to 6 ¼ hours |
Use these cooking times as a guide, rely on the thermometer for doneness.
Should You Stuff The Turkey?
I prefer to roast turkey without stuffing so it cooks more evenly. The stuffing needs to reach 165°F and the meat can dry out while waiting for the stuffing to reach the right temperature.
Instead cook the stuffing in a casserole dish or in a slow cooker and loosely fill the cavity of the bird with ¼ or ½ of an onion and herbs. You can also add cloves of garlic or ½ of a lemon.
How to Carve a Turkey
When I carve my Thanksgiving turkey (or any whole-cooked poultry), I remove the breast completely before slicing it. Use a sharp carving knife or an electric knife and a sturdy cutting board with a groove to catch the drippings.
Ensure the turkey has rested before carving.
- Remove legs: Hold the end of each leg and slice downward through the skin until you hear the joint pop.
- Separate drumsticks: Separate the thighs from the drumsticks at the joints using the paring knife.
- Cut dark meat: Serve the drumstick or thighs whole, or hold the drumstick vertically on the cutting board and slice the meat off with the paring knife, rotating as needed.
- Repeat for the thighs, feeling for the bone and using the paring knife to shear the meat away.
- Remove the breast: Following the shape of the breast, use the knife to slice the meat from the bone on each side and lift it away. Cut the turkey breast in even slices, skin on, against the grain.
- Remove wings: Use kitchen shears to cut the wings and place them on the serving platter.
For more tips and tricks, check out this helpful carving post with videos.
Holly’s Turkey Tips
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the Turkey does not overcook.
- Skip the basting: Frequently basting turkey adds to the cooking time as the oven cools each time you open it.
- Let it rest: The best way to ensure a juicy turkey is to let it rest before slicing. As the outer part of the turkey cools slightly, the juices circulate back into the meat. This applies to everything from a meatloaf to a pork tenderloin.
- Save that turkey carcass! You can freeze it whole or break the bones down and freeze them in zippered bags to make a rich and flavorful homemade stock or broth.
The Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Of course I pair the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe with the best side dishes!! Here are our tried and true favorites.
Did you enjoy this Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 pound whole turkey *
- ¼ cup salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion
- 3 medium carrots
- 3 ribs celery
- 1 bunch fresh herbs see notes, optional
- 2 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
Instructions
- Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 45 to 60 minutes before roasting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Peel each onion and cut into 1-inch wedges.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
- Remove the giblets and neck from inside the turkey cavity (not all turkeys have this) and set aside.
- Loosely fill the cavity of the turkey with half of the onion and a handful of herbs if using.
- Crisscross the legs and tie them together with kitchen string or tuck under the flap of skin at the tail if your turkey has one to hold them in place. Twist the tips of the wings under the turkey.
- Pat the skin of the turkey dry with paper towels and rub with the butter mixture.
- Add a rack to a large rimmed roasting pan (optional). Halve the carrots and celery (or keep whole if you aren't using a rack). Add them and the rest of the onion to the bottom of the pan along with the turkey neck and giblets. Add the broth to the pan.
- Place the turkey on the rack, breast side up.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 325°F. Roast the turkey uncovered for about 14 to 16 minutes per pound or until the turkey reaches 158 to 160°F in the thickest part of the thigh *see cooking times below. If the skin on the breast starts to brown too much, loosely tent a piece of foil overtop.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet or a platter. Loosely tent it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
- Make gravy from the drippings while the turkey rests if desired.
Video
Notes
– A larger turkey may need extra butter/seasoning.
– If you do not have a rack, the turkey can be cooked directly on the vegetables.
– For even cooking, I recommend cooking the stuffing on the side.
– Fresh herbs can include parsley, thyme, rosemary and/or sage. Cooking Temperature Place a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, ensuring it doesn’t touch the bone. The turkey should reach 165°F—remove it from the oven at 158 to 160°F as it will continue to rise in temperature as it rests. Cooking Times (approximate)
- 8 to 12 pounds Unstuffed: 2 ¾ to 3 hours, Stuffed: 3 to 3 ½ hours
- 12 to 14 pounds Unstuffed: 3 to 3 ¾ hours, Stuffed: 3 ½ to 4 hours
- 14 to 18 pounds Unstuffed: 3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours, Stuffed: 4 to 4 ¼ hours
- 18 to 20 pound Unstuffed: 4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours, Stuffed: 4 ¼ to 4 ¾ hours
- 20 to 24 pounds Unstuffed: 4 ½ to 5 hours, Stuffed: 4 ¾ to 5 ¼ hours
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Turkey
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If the turkey is done early, remove it from the oven and let it rest. It can rest on the counter safely for up to 1 hour. If you need to keep it warm longer, slice the meat, drizzle with broth and cover. It can be kept warm in the oven at a low temperature.
If the skin is browning too quickly, tent the turkey loosely with foil. Remove the foil for the last 20 to 30 minutes so the skin crisps.
The chart above is a guideline and can vary based on the turkey itself, the roasting pan, and your oven. If the thermometer is below 158–160°F, return the turkey to the oven and continue to check the temperature. If the skin is dark, tent it loosely with foil so the meat continues cooking without over-browning.
-Keep an eye on the temperature earlier than you expect the turkey to be done cooking.
-Be sure to remove the turkey from the oven at 160°F as it will continue to rise in temperature as it rests.
-Don’t skip the resting time.
It is normal to have some pink, especially near the dark meat and joints. If the temperature is 165°F it is safe to eat.
My turkey was beautifully browned and looked perfect. A 22 pounder. The breast meat was a little dry. But I think that was because I put it on the next to the bottom oven rack. After about an hour and a half in, I realized and moved it to the bottom rack. I did have to tent it about an hour later. But the flavor was good and it was a beauty!! Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Judy!
Thank you for this helpful recipe! Turkey turned out moist and tasty.
I’m so happy to hear that Michelle! You’re welcome!
Many stores sell “cook from frozen” turkeys. Would you follow your recipe the same way? Or should I actually thaw this type of turkey
You can cook from frozen using the cooking times and temperature on the package. The method will be a little bit different, since the turkey is frozen you won’t be able to stuff the cavity. I still recommend the broth and vegetables underneath to make a flavorful gravy. If the skin begins to brown too much, loosely cover it with foil.
If you are making a larger bird then the 12-16 pound one in the recipe, do you increase the butter and seasoning mixture? Like for at 20-14 pound bird, would you double the ingredients in recipe?
Yes, I would suggest increasing the butter and seasonings a little bit so the skin is nicely seasoned. For a 20 pound turkey, I would suggest about ⅓ to ½ cup of butter, 1 ½ teaspoons each poultry seasoning and salt.
Can you do the butter and seasoning ahead of time like the day before? And keep in refrigerator?
Yes you can.
Holly, I have a question. I’m making thanksgiving for 25-30 ppl. I want to keep the turkey the best I can because people will be coming & going. What is the best way to keep a cooked turkey as fresh & moist for a couple of hours? Should I put it in gravy, or broth or a low roaster? I just don’t know the best thing to do. Thanks!
I would suggest keeping it on warm in a slow cooker or electric roaster spooning warm broth overtop as needed. The FDA recommends that it is kept at 140°F. I often make turkey neck broth from this gravy recipe to use for this.
Awesome! Thank you very much. By the way, I have used so many of your recipes & the NEVER fail!! Your site is my go to whenever I need a recipe!!
I love all your recipes! I will be purchasing your cookbook. You’re my go to for all my recipes.
Thank you so much for following and for your support Pamela, it means the world to me!
Great food.
So glad you loved it Judy!
I didn’t see where you rinsed the turkey after unpacking it from package. Oh well ♀️
I don’t rinse it. I pat it dry.
I’ve been roasting turkeys for years (I’m 76) And I love this recipe for them. I do prefer to stuff the bird because of the added flavour and moistness, but I am definitely going to use the butter and seasoning mix on the outside. Thank you!
Stuffing is good any way you cook it!! :) I can’t wait to hear how you enjoy the seasoning mix.
YES! I love the idea of rubbing the seasoning mix with butter all over the turkey… Can’t wait to try it!