Printable Recipe: Simple Roast Turkey Recipe

Simple Roast Turkey Recipe: How to Roast a Turkey

If this is your first Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey, you'll probably want to stick with a simple roast turkey recipe like this one. The turkey recipe below provides step by step instructions for roasting a turkey-- simply follow the recipe below, and you can't go wrong. The resulting turkey is moist, and flavorful, and the herb butter rubbed all over the outside makes a great roast turkey seasoning.

Make this recipe with the stuffing of your choice (we have great turkey stuffing and sausage stuffing recipes), and either classic giblet gravy or, to make your life a little easier, make-ahead gravy.

If this is your first holiday turkey, you may want to check out our instructions for thawing a turkey and buying turkey supplies. We also have a whole page dedicated to cooking your first Thanksgiving dinner. With some of our tips combined with this simple roast turkey recipe, your meal can't go wrong.

Ingredients:
1 (14 lb.) turkey, thawed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C. butter, softened
2 tbsp. dry rosemary
2 tbsp. dry rubbed sage
2 tbsp. dry thyme
1 C. liquid of your choice (wine, broth, etc.)
Stuffing recipe of your choice

Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Prepare your roasting pan. Place a rack in the bottom of the pan. If using a disposable aluminum roasting pan, be sure to set it on a baking sheet or similar to make transport easier.

3. Unwrap your thawed, whole turkey. Remove the packet of giblets/turkey neck from the inside of the bird (reserve these for making classic turkey giblet gravy, if desired). Rinse bird with cold water inside and out. Pat interior and exterior dry with paper towels.

4. In a small bowl, combine butter, rosemary, thyme, and sage.

5. Sprinkle salt and pepper into interior cavity of turkey, as well as over the turkey skin. At the breast, gently loosen turkey skin with fingers, being careful not to rip it. Rub over and under skin with butter mixture.

6. Right before roasting, stuff the bird with your favorite turkey stuffing recipe. The stuffing shouldn't be packed too tight, and should fill both the body and neck cavity of the turkey.

7. Pull the neck flap against the side of the turkey and secure it with a wooden skewer.

8. With cooking twine, tie the drumsticks together in the back. This helps to bird to cook evenly and makes for a prettier presentation.

9. Place the turkey in your roasting pan, on roasting rack. Transfer turkey to oven.

10. Bake until turkey reaches a temperature of 165-170 degrees F when a meat thermometer is inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (be sure not to touch the bone). This should take about 4 hours.

11. Every 20 minutes or so, baste turkey with the liquid of your choice. Apple cider, chicken broth, and white wine work wonderfully. A mixture of white wine and chicken broth makes for a wonderful turkey gravy from the drippings.

12. If the turkey begins to get too brown too early in the cook time, cover it loosely with foil.

13. When internal temperature has reached the necessary level, remove the turkey from the oven.

14. Move turkey to a carving platter, then tent with a large piece of foil. Let turkey sit for about 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat.

15. Meanwhile, prepare gravy from the pan drippings, if desired, and finish the rest of your holiday dinner.

16. Remove the stuffing from the turkey and scoop it into a bowl for serving.

17. Carve turkey and serve.

Note: If not stuffing the bird, overall cook time will be lower. Check here for turkey cooking times.