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Easy instructions on how to perfectly roast A Moist and Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey – So full of flavor and tender, it’s the tastiest  turkey we’ve ever had!

Moist and juicy roasted turkey on a bed of gravy next to a helping of stuffing

Butterball has a calculator and conversion table that can help you calculate and convert everything from the size of your turkey to how much time you’ll need to thaw or cook it.

How To Make This Recipe

  1. Remove the turkey from the wrapper. Take out the neck and giblets from the 2 body cavities.
  2. Rinse the turkey off and pat it dry with paper towels.
  3. Sprinkle salt and black pepper inside the turkey cavity. Stuff the inside of the cavity with the rosemary, onion, garlic and lemon.

Raw Turkey stuffed with rosemary, garlic, onion, and lemon in a roasting pan

4. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan and pour the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle more salt and pepper over the top of the turkey.

Seasoning raw stuffed turkey in a large roasting pan

5. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and cook for 3 1/2 – 4 hours depending on the size of the turkey.
6. Carefully remove the turkey from the oven periodically and baste with the juices of the turkey. Return to the oven and continue cooking.
7. When there is an hour left for the turkey to cook, remove the foil cover and place the turkey back in the oven to finish cooking.
8. After the turkey has cooked, remove from the oven and cover again. Let the turkey stand for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Roasting Times

According to Butterball, here are the approximate roasting times for unstuffed turkeys based on size:

  • 10-18 pounds: 3 – 3 1/2 hours
  • 18-22 pounds: 3 1/2 – 4 hours
  • 22-24 pounds: 4 – 4 1/2 hours

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does Cooked Turkey Last In The Fridge? 

Cooked turkey will last for 3-4 days if kept covered in the refrigerator.

How Do I Reheat Roasted Turkey? 

You can easily reheat turkey either in the microwave or in the oven. If using the oven, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and put the turkey in a shallow baking dish. Add butter and/or a splash of broth to moisten the turkey and bake for 20 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

You might like to enjoy Roasted Turkey with any of these traditional holiday side dishes:

If you like to serve wine with your Thanksgiving dinner, I think a dry Rose’ or a Pinot Noir go very well with turkey.

Enjoy!


A Moist and Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total: 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Turkey so full of flavor and tender, it's the tastiest turkey we've ever had!

Ingredients 

  • 15 pound turkey
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 lemon slice lemon in half
  • 4 oz butter

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Remove the turkey from the wrapper. Take out the neck and giblits from the two body cavities.
  • Rinse the turkey off and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper inside the turkey cavity. Stuff the inside of the cavity with the rosemary, onion, garlic and lemon. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan and pour the melted butter over the top. Sprinkle another teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper over the top of the turkey. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and cook for 3 1/2 - 4 hours depending on the size of the turkey.
  • Carefully remove the turkey from the oven periodically and baste with the juices of the turkey. Return to the oven and continue cooking. When there is an hour left for the turkey to cook, remove the foil cover and place the turkey back in the oven to finish cooking. After the turkey has cooked, remove from the oven and cover again. Let the turkey stand for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Notes

According to Butterball, here are the approximate roasting times for unstuffed turkeys based on size... 10 to 18 lbs. - 3 to 3 1/2 hours / 18 to 22 lbs. - 3 1/2 to 4 hours / 22 to 24 lbs. - 4 to 4 1/2 hours
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