The Juiciest Roast Turkey Recipe
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You will be amazed at this incredibly juicy roast turkey recipe stuffed with herb butter and cooked breast side down. There is no going back after tasting my delicious turkey recipe.
I simply love cooking all kinds of turkey, like my brined smoked turkey recipe or my spatchcock turkey recipe, and both of them are amazingly flavorful and worth giving a try. But when the holiday season arrives, I always make a classic roasted turkey, and today I want to show you step by step how to make it the juiciest one. Trust me, your guests will be coming back for seconds.
Roast Turkey
Roast turkey is the simple cooking procedure in a pan in the oven until it is browned on all sides and cooked throughout. This procedure is known as the dry heat method, commonly used to render a dark brown outer crust while cooking to the desired internal temperature.
You can make several enhancements to the turkey to make it more flavorful, such as stuffing it with vegetables or herb butter. If you have a favorite seasoning blend or stuffing, I encourage you to use it while still following the cooking procedures in this recipe.
Breast Side Down
Breast-side-down turkey will render an incredibly flavorful and juicy bird. When you cook it this way, all the juices go down the turkey to the bottom, where the breasts are. Once you try this procedure, there’s no going back.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Turkey – I always try to buy a fresh organic turkey. You can buy a frozen bird for this. Just make sure it’s completely thawed.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter in your cooking and baking so that you control the salt content.
- Herbs – I use a combination of parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage for the herb butter and parsley and bay leaves for the stuffing.
- Seasoning – All you will need for this is sea salt and pepper.
- Lemons – Some lemon wedges will add some amazing flavors to this.
- Bacon – I use smoked bacon from my local butcher or farmers market.
Equipment
Butcher’s Twine – You will need some butcher’s twine to truss the turkey. If you can’t find any, ask the man or woman behind the butcher’s counter to give you a 6’ long piece.
Roasting Pan – I use my Mauviel roasting pan, which is plenty large for a turkey.
Rack – You will need a rack that fits in your roasting pan for this roast turkey. This is vital to your turkey is browned on all sides and is a must.
How to Make Roasted Turkey
Whip the butter: I add the unsalted butter to my stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whip it on high until it turns light and fluffy. This usually takes me about 5 to seven minutes.
Mix the seasoning: I add the herbs, salt, and pepper to the whipped butter and mix on low speed until everything is combined. Then I taste it to make sure it is seasoned enough and set it aside.
Prep the turkey: I bring out the turkey and pat it dry inside and out.
Stuff the cavity: I stuff the inside cavity with lemon wedges, parsley, and bay leaves.
Loosen the skin: Using clean hands, I slide my fingers between the skin and the breast meat to separate them while keeping the skin intact. Then I flip the turkey over and repeat the same step on the back side.
Add the herb butter: I evenly divide the herb butter and place it under the skin on both sides of the breasts and underneath on the back. Some butter may spill out a little, but it is ok. See the note below on if the skin tears.
Truss the turkey: I flip the turkey back onto its back and truss it using butcher’s twine.
Roast: I place the turkey breast side up on a pan rack and roast it on the bottom rack of the oven at 450 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes, or until it is browned on top.
Flip the turkey: I remove the turkey from the oven and carefully flip it over. It is very hot at this point, so I always use gloves and towels to stay safe.
Add the bacon: I wrap the top of the turkey with several strips of bacon, making sure the entire surface is covered.
Finish roasting: I place the turkey back in the oven and roast it at 350 degrees for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until it is browned and fully cooked. You should figure about 9 to 11 minutes per pound.
Unwrap the turkey: After about an hour of roasting with the bacon on, I take the turkey out and remove the bacon, then return the turkey to the oven for the remaining cooking time. Sometimes the bacon is not completely crispy, and that is fine. It does not matter if the bacon is chewy or crispy, because now it is time to brown the back side of the turkey. I keep an eye on the bacon during the process so it does not burn.
Rest the turkey: Once the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast or thigh, I remove it from the oven and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Finish and serve: I remove the butcher’s twine and take out the lemon stuffing, then carve the turkey and serve it.
Chef Tip + Notes
The main secret to cooking the juiciest turkey relies on the right time and temperature. My recipe is slightly different than most because I cook it breast side down. However, these times and temperatures are still foolproof for any size turkey:
1. 450° for 22 to 25 minutes until breast of turkey is browned on top.
2. Remove the turkey and flip it over.
3. 350° for 9-11 minutes per pound.
Note: The 9-11 minutes per pound is additional time after the initial browning period.
- What if the turkey skin tears: If the skin tears anywhere on the bird after stuffing it with butter, you can use a toothpick to stitch it back together. Line the two pieces of skin up to one another and use the toothpick to go through one side of the skin and then pierce it through the other side. Repeat the process up the tear. Also, remember to remove the toothpicks before serving.
- Other ingredients: You can add to the herb butter are lemon zest, orange zest, ground coriander, or finely minced shallots.
- Frozen turkey tip: If you are starting with a frozen turkey, it takes 24 hours of thawing time in the refrigerator per 5 pounds of turkey, so plan accordingly.
- Use a rack: I roast the turkey on a pan rack so the heat circulates better and the bottom does not steam.
- Where to cook: I always cook the turkey on the bottom rack in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
Serving this juicy roasted turkey is something I am very proud of. I always set it on the table with homemade cranberry sauce and my cornbread dressing.
I also love adding my classic green bean casserole with a warm pot of turkey gravy so everyone can build the plate they enjoy most. For dessert, I usually bring out a pumpkin pie or a pecan pie to finish the dinner on a sweet note.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: I can keep the turkey warm by wrapping it completely in foil or placing it in a cooler for up to 90 minutes before serving.
How to Store: It will hold in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days. In addition, you can freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator for a full day before reheating it.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of turkey to a saucepan and ½ to 1 cup of chicken stock. Cover and cook in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until warm. You can also heat the turkey in the microwave on a plate until warm.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Video
The Juiciest Roast Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound softened unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 5 cloves finely minced garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoons sea salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 12-14 pound fresh turkey
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- 6 bay leaves
- 10 sprigs of Italian flat leaf parsley
- 12 strips of smoked bacon
Instructions
- Start by whipping the unsalted butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed until it becomes light, and fluffy, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the chopped parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper to the butter and mix on low speed until it is mixed in. Taste it to make sure it is seasoned enough. Set it aside.
- Bring out the turkey and make sure it is patted dry inside and out with paper towels.
- Stuff the inside cavity with lemon wedges, parsley sprigs, and bay leaves.
- Using clean hands, use your fingers to pierce between the skin and the meat on the breasts to separate the two but also to keep the skin connected to the turkey and intact. Flip the turkey over and do the same on the backside. See the video.
- Evenly divide the herb butter and place it under the skin on both sides of the breasts and underneath on the back. Butter may spill out a little bit, but it’s ok.
- Flip the turkey back onto its back and truss it using butcher’s twine.
- Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a pan and roast in the oven on the bottom rack at 450° for 22 to 25 minutes or until browned on top.
- Remove the turkey and flip it over. Be careful, as the turkey is hot and you should use gloves and towels.
- Wrap the top with several strips of bacon, making sure to cover it.
- Place it back in the oven and roast at 350° for 90 minutes to 2 hours total or until browned and cooked throughout. You should figure about 9 to 11 minutes per pound.
- After about an hour of roasting time with it wrapped in bacon come back and remove it and return to the oven for the remaining cooking time. Sometimes the bacon won’t be completely crispy and that’s ok. It doesn’t matter if the bacon is chewy or crispy, it’s now time to brown up the back side of the turkey. Keep an eye on the bacon throughout the process, as you do not want it to burn.
- Once the turkey is done cooking and has an internal temperature of 165° in the thickest part of the breast or thigh, remove it and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the butcher's twine and lemon stuffing, and serve.
Notes
2. Remove the turkey and flip it over.
3. 350° for 9-11 minutes per pound.
Note: The 9-11 minutes per pound is additional time after the initial browning period. What if the turkey skin tears: If the skin tears anywhere on the bird after stuffing it with butter, you can use a toothpick to stitch it back together. Line the two pieces of skin up to one another and use the toothpick to go through one side of the skin and then pierce it through the other side. Repeat the process up the tear. Also, remember to remove the toothpicks before serving. Other ingredients: You can add to the herb butter are lemon zest, orange zest, ground coriander, or finely minced shallots. Frozen turkey tip: If you are starting with a frozen turkey, it takes 24 hours of thawing time in the refrigerator per 5 pounds of turkey, so plan accordingly. Use a rack: I roast the turkey on a pan rack so the heat circulates better and the bottom does not steam. Where to cook: I always cook the turkey on the bottom rack in the oven. Make-Ahead: You can keep the turkey warm by completely wrapping it in foil or placing it in a cooler for up to 90 minutes before serving it. How to Store: It will hold in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days. In addition, you can freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator for a full day before reheating it. How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of turkey to a saucepan and ½ to 1 cup of chicken stock. Cover and cook in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until warm. You can also heat the turkey in the microwave on a plate until warm.
This is now my go t recipe! Thank you!
Thank you!
Made this Thanksgiving 2022 and it was the tastiest juiciest Turkey! I will never go back to a different recipe!
The absolute best turkey I have ever made. Even the leftover stuff that I froze still tasted amazing when I used it later. This is the The Recipe for Thanksgiving turkey.
Absolutely the best turkey I’ve ever made. Thank you soooooo much for this recipe
What if I don’t eat bacon? Can I still do without and cook the same way?
No. THe bacon also acts as a barrier so the backside of the skin doesn’t crisp up too fast.
Hands down best turkey ever! We had left overs and they were all eaten also! Loved this and will have it again next year! Ty
This turkey was so juicy and after you take the bacon off it’s hands off. No basting, no fuss no muss. And then I used the bacon (plus some raw for the fat) to make the green bean casserole which was also a 5 star dish. Thank you, Chef!
I have not hosted Thanksgiving in years and so this recipe in my Facebook feed. I made it yesterday for T’Day and it was a HUGE hit. Very juicy and flavorful. The recipe was requested within minutes. I love all the videos – the passion for cooking and family shines through and I look forward to the Billy Parisi cooking show on PBS or the Food Network (hint, hint) and some published cookbooks.
Thank you for such a great recipe, I will be doing this one for thanksgiving. Do you recommend brining for 24 hours and then air cooling the turkey for 24 hours prior to roasting? And would you stuff a 19lbs turkey with dressing or cook separately?
Thanks and happy Thanksgiving,
Kelly
I wouldn’t brine and do this recipe with that heavily seasoned herb butter. I don’t air cool for that long. An hour would be fine. I hate stuffing in the turkey so that’s up to you.
Wow!! I am definitely going to try this with my next turkey or whole chicken!! Thank you for all the tips, like whipping the butter & herbs, too. Will give that a go, as well.
Great recipe & post! Thank you.
Keep smiling 😁!!