How To Make A Thanksgiving Turkey

Published 7/15/2023 • Updated 11/8/2023

Let’s Make a Thanksgiving Turkey!

Raise your hand if you’ve accidentally roasted a turkey with the innards inside (paper, gizzards, and all). Have no fear, you will never have that issue again after reading this guide to making a Thanksgiving turkey. I grew up watching and helping my mom with our family Thanksgiving dinner. Her roasted turkey always came out so juicy and perfectly cooked and I’ve applied some of her methods to this recipe. Our turkey recipe serves 8-10 people and starts with a 15 lb. turkey that is brined in salt and citrus overnight and then dry-rubbed in the morning. Then, it’s roasted in the oven at 325ºF for around 3.5 hours, basting every so often for a perfectly crispy outside with juicy, tender meat.

What is in this turkey recipe?

Whole turkey: be sure you find an untreated 12-15 pound turkey for this recipe. Kosher salt: kosher salt is important for both the brine, and turkey, and for the overall flavor for the bird. Turkey seasoning: we say this time and time again, but this turkey dry rub is our favorite. If you don’t have time to make homemade seasoning you can use store-bought turkey seasoning, too. Aromatics: onions, garlic, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, fresh oregano and other aromatics in this recipe are very important for flavor. Don’t skip it. Broth: any broth will do for the basting liquid, whether it’s homemade or store-bought. Wine: a bit of white wine in the basting liquid makes all the difference. Try to find a dry white wine rather than a sweet white wine.

How to Prepare a Turkey for Roasting

To prepare your turkey for brining and roasting, we suggest sanitizing your kitchen sink and placing a baking sheet in the sink. Place your turkey on the baking sheet and remove the wrapping from the turkey.

THAW TURKEY

It is very important that you thaw your turkey fully before beginning this process. Thawing a 12-15 lb. turkey takes longer than you’d think. We thawed ours in the fridge for 2 days until fully thawed. Make sure to keep an eye on your turkey. You can always bring it to the countertop to thaw faster than in the fridge.

REMOVE TURKEY INNARDS

Before starting anything, be sure to remove the innards from the cavity of the turkey before preparing the brine for the turkey. You can discard the giblets and innards or save them for a yummy turkey soup later on.

wet TURKEY BRINE

After your turkey is prepped and ready to go it’s time to prepare the ‘wet’ turkey brine. We have an entire post about a wet turkey brine, but essentially you are preparing a salty water bath for the turkey to sit in overnight. If you prefer a turkey dry brine, you can do that, too!

Turkey Dry Rub

The next thing you have to do to your turkey before putting it in the oven is carefully rinse the turkey under water, pat it dry with a paper towel, and then douse it in our delicious turkey dry rub. Make sure to get that rub in every nook and cranny! We highly suggest making our dry rub because it’s truly what adds amazing flavor to this recipe. You’ll likely use around 1/2 to 3/4 cups of our turkey seasoning. Here’s what it’s made of:

Dried thyme Dried rosemary Dried oregano Brown sugar Garlic powder Salt Ground pepper Chili powder Smoked paprika

Basting Liquid

The basting liquid used for this Thanksgiving turkey recipe is made with broth, wine, onion, and garlic. You will baste the turkey throughout the roasting pan to keep it moist. Do not skip the basting! While the turkey roasts the turkey drippings drip into the bottom of the pan adding great flavor. Turkey Seasoning

How Long to Roast a Turkey?

This 12-15. lb turkey is roasted for 3-3.5 hours. If you have a larger turkey you will need to roast the turkey longer. Just check the internal temperature. Roasting Pan Remove the turkey from the oven and let the turkey rest for 15-20 minutes to retain all the moisture back into the meat. Then use a carving knife to slice your turkey. Can I roast a bigger turkey? Yes, you can roast a larger turkey, but the roast time will be longer.

Internal Temperature of a Whole Turkey

The internal temperature of turkey should be 165ºF. Some people follow the rule that the chicken thigh temperature should be 175ºF and the breast meat should come out to 160ºF or 165ºF. Generally, we make sure the whole bird is about 165ºF. Our rule of thumb is to keep the probe of your smoker in the thickest part of the bird to watch the temperature of the turkey throughout smoking.

Top Turkey Tips

Tip 1: Thaw your bird. There is nothing worse than getting your turkey out the day of and realizing that it’s still frozen. Thermoworks Thermapen Tip 2: Always use a brine; dry or wet. You get a juicy bird every time. Tip 3: Use a roasting pan that catches drippings for both basting and for gravy.

Storage

Store your turkey leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Can I freeze turkey?

Yes, you can freeze leftover turkey for soups, salads, or any other recipes. Let the turkey cool completely and then place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.

What to Serve with a Thanksgiving Turkey

Butternut Squash Risotto: This butternut squash risotto is the perfect dish for any fall meal! You’ll absolutely love the rich, savory flavors of this dish.

Thanksgiving Recipes

Herby Mashed Potatoes Green Beans Almondine Vegan Green Bean Casserole Lemon Ginger Cranberry Sauce Sweet Potato Casserole

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes: Get ready for the ultimate crockpot mashed potatoes recipe that you’re going to want to serve at any and all holidays Green Beans Almondine: this recipe is a fresh, buttery holiday side made with blanched green beans, a delicious slivered almond topping, and fresh lemon zest! Pumpkin Bread Pudding: This pumpkin bread pudding recipe comes out tender and sweet and is made with an entire loaf of pumpkin bread for the ultimate fall dessert.