Easy Roast Turkey

5 from 5 vote

If you're searching for a fail-proof turkey roasting method, try this Easy Roast Turkey Recipe. It roasts up perfectly and is truly no-fuss!

Prep Time10

Cook Time3

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Thanksgiving

Servings: servings

Calories: 50kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

1 15 pound whole turkey neck and giblets removed fully thawed
1 onion peeled and quartered
3 stalk celery peeled and cut into large pieces
1 carrot cut into large pieces
1 lemon quartered
2 Tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
¼ cup vegetable oil or olive oil, or butter
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
2-4 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ cup fresh sage leaves
1 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

If the turkey is frozen: Thaw in the fridge, 24 hours for every 5 pounds of Turkey (so if it’s 15 lb turkey, will take 3 full days to defrost in the fridge).
Bring turkey to room temp: Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting, and let it come to room temperature.
Prep and heat the oven: Adjust your oven rack so the turkey will sit in the center of the oven. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
Remove turkey from packaging: Put your hand deep in the cavity and remove the neck and giblets. (Reserve them for gravy, if you want, or discard them).
Place turkey in pan: Place the turkey, breast side up in the roasting pan. You could place the turkey on a roasting rack in the pan (it’s fine if you don’t have one) or even on top of carrots and celery to elevate it a little. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey to prevent them from burning.
Dry the turkey: Pat the outside and inside of the turkey very dry with paper towels.
Season the turkey: Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper (I give amount above in ingredients, but use more, to your taste). If you have sweet paprika on hand, season the turkey with 2 teaspoons (optional). Drizzle on the oil and massage it into the skin.
Stuff the cavity: Stuff the inside of the turkey with the quartered lemon, onion, carrots, celery, and herbs. Keep in mind if you have a smaller turkey, use less to stuff the cavity as you do want airflow to help cook the turkey evenly.
Cook the turkey: Place the turkey in the oven and roast uncovered for about 15 minutes per pound, or until a or until the internal temperature reaches 158°-160°F. The turkey will continue to cook once it's removed from the oven and will rise in temperature to 165°F, after it's rested.
Let the turkey rest: Remove the turkey from the oven and let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. Letting the turkey rest lets the juices redistribute, which makes the turkey very juicy (be patient and make some sides while it rests). To keep the turkey warm, cover the turkey with aluminum foil on the counter.
Carve and serve the turkey: With a very sharp knife (or electric knife), carve the turkey and place on a serving platter. Dispose of the vegetables and herbs that were inside the cavity.
Save the drippings: Be sure to reserve any juice and drippings leftover in the roasting pan to make turkey gravy.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: Be sure to remember to thaw turkey in advance. If it’s a 15 lb turkey, it will take 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator (24 hours per 5 pounds in the refrigerator to thaw).
Turkey Size: if you're cooking for a smaller crowd (or just like white meat), try my cranberry glazed turkey tenderloin.
Herbs: I prefer to always use fresh herbs, but to substitute dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon dried herbs per 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs.
Baste: There isn’t a need to baste the turkey, keep checking on it once it’s 75% done. At this point (or even earlier), if the skin is browning too quickly, tent with some aluminum foil.
Tips for covering with tinfoil: Start with the bird uncovered. If the turkey is browning too much, tent with a large piece of aluminum foil. If you have a roasting pan with a lid, cover it with the lid instead of foil paper.
For Disposable Roasting Pan: If you don’t have a roasting rack, you could use some chopped vegetables (carrots + celery) on the bottom of the pan to elevate the turkey. Dispose them after the turkey is roasted (optional).
Convection Oven: You can use the same method to cook the turkey in a convection oven, just check the temperature sooner (start checking after 2 hours) as it will cook faster.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Leftovers are fine for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition