Easy Juicy Roasted Turkey

This roasted turkey recipe is the perfect way to make it for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Use my no-fail tips for delicious juicy turkey every time!

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Have you ever felt intimidated by the idea of roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Roasting a whole bird can seem like a daunting task but it’s actually REALLY simple! I’m excited to be sharing this fuss-free  roasted turkey recipe with you today. Hopefully with my tips and tricks you’ll be well on your way to serving a delicious juicy turkey to your family and friends this holiday season.

I’ve always said that the best tasting foods are the simplest ones and roast turkey is no exception. It takes about 15 minutes to get this bird ready for the oven and if you follow my guide to the perfect moist turkey (the tips are below!) you’ll enjoy a holiday dinner that’s not only deliciously impressive, but simple and stress-free too!!

Speaking of stress-free, let me share with you my first and BEST turkey-roasting tip for the holidays: Did you know you can roast your turkey the DAY BEFORE your big holiday dinner??

That’s right – when I’m hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas I simply roast the turkey the day before and reheat it the day of the big dinner to save myself a whole ton of time and stress, and to keep my sanity intact. All the reheating instructions are in the NOTES section of the recipe card below in case you want to use this holiday stress-saving hack too!

 

You might be wondering, “do I need any special tools to cook a holiday turkey?” and the answer is NO! Well, certainly not anything expensive or hard to find. I’ve listed my favourite holiday turkey-inspired kitchen tools for you and you might be surprised how short the list is!

Kitchen tools you need to make a juicy turkey:

1.) A simple roasting pan with a rack inside. Check out my favourite roasting pan with a rack here, or find your own at almost any store that sells kitchen tools.

2.) Some kitchen twine for tying up the legs is very helpful, and kitchen twine is very inexpensive.

3.) An instant read meat thermometer is a MUST for any roasted turkey. Check the doneness easily by measuring the temperature of the meat to ensure the turkey stays nice and juicy and doesn’t dry out!

My second most important Turkey-Roasting Tip is to use an instant-read thermometer, not just a timer. Roasting your bird for approximately 20 minutes per pound should yield a juicy and perfectly cooked result, but a more accurate way to ensure a juicy turkey that’s not overcooked is to use an instant-read meat thermometer to test the doneness a little earlier than the recommended cooking time. This will make sure you take it out of the oven when it reaches the correct internal temperature (165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius) in the deepest part of the thigh, the wing, and the breast – it’ll prevent you from having an over-cooked and dry turkey!

4.) A good knife for carving is important for those nice, clean slices!

 

How to cook a roasted turkey

Here are all my best no-fail tips for roasting a juicy holiday turkey:

1. Use butter. Butter is the key ingredient to juicy turkey breasts and crispy turkey skin. This recipe shows you exactly how to make a simple herb and garlic butter to rub onto the turkey and under the skin.
2. Stuff it with flavour. Roasting a turkey is easier when you cook it without stuffing (because there’s one less thing to prepare!), but I like to stuff mine with lemon wedges, onions and garlic for a burst of flavour (and then I discard them after cooking)!
3. Lower the oven temperature. One of the most common turkey-roasting mistakes people making is roasting at too high a temperature. This dries out your bird like nothing else – roasting at 325 degrees Fahrenheit is best!
4. Use a timer AND a thermometer. Roast your bird for about 20 minutes per pound, but be sure to test the doneness a little early to make sure you take it out of the oven when it reaches the correct internal temperature (165 degrees Fahrenheit) in the deepest part of the thigh, the wing, and the breast.
5. Let it rest. Once the bird comes out of the oven, let it sit for about 10 or 15 minutes before slicing into it. This will ensure the juices stay in the meat, making your turkey ultra moist and juicy.
6. Save the pan juices. Making your own turkey gravy from scratch is SO easy with the pan juices left over from your roast turkey. Learn how to make gravy from turkey drippings HERE.

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I hope you love this roasted turkey recipe as much as we do!

Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite holiday dish to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas? I’d love to know!

 

Looking for holiday side dishes? You’ll LOVE these:

• Easy Crock Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Easy Vegan Green Bean Casserole
• Roasted Garlic Butter Carrots
• Apple Walnut Spinach Salad
• Roasted Beet Salad with Greens
• Maple Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes 
• Winter Berry Cocktail (Alcohol Free Version Included)
• Rosemary Dill Roasted Potatoes

Kitchen tools I recommend:

 

Want the perfect homemade gravy for your turkey? Check out my post to learn how to make gravy from turkey drippings!

 

 

 

RECIPE VIDEO

Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this delicious recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel.