Description
A juicy, flavorful, and foolproof 12-pound roast turkey recipe, perfect as a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner. This classic holiday main course features an herb-butter rub, a simple stuffing, and a low-and-slow roasting method for tender meat and crispy skin.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole turkey (12–14 lbs), patted very dry
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cups chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out.
- Mix the softened butter with salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, and paprika to create a paste.
- Rub this herb butter mixture under and all over the turkey skin.
- Stuff the turkey cavity with the chopped onion, carrots, and celery.
- Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour the chicken or turkey broth into the bottom of the pan.
- Roast for 3 to 3.5 hours, basting every 45 minutes with the pan juices.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it’s ready when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey is cooked to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Basting every 45 minutes helps keep the meat juicy.
- Adjust cooking time based on turkey weight, approximately 15 minutes per pound.
- If you don’t have a roasting rack, create a base with chopped carrots, celery, and onions in the pan.
- For dairy-free, use olive oil instead of butter and baste more frequently.
- Broth can be substituted with vegetable broth or a white wine and water mixture.
- Fresh herbs can be used in place of dried; double the amount.
- If you don’t have garlic powder, use 4 cloves of minced fresh garlic in the butter paste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 6 oz)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
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