Skip to content

Dinner Β· Turkey

Classic Roast Turkey

A golden whole turkey roasted at 325Β°F the USDA way, with butter, salt and a few vegetables in the pan for gravy. The bird most families picture.

⏱ 3 hr 50 min (30 min prep, 3 hr cooking, 20 min waiting) 🍽 Serves 10 · about 1 lb of turkey as bought, with some leftovers leftoversfreezer friendly gluten free

Part of our Thanksgiving dinner: menu, timeline and shopping list β†’

πŸ“… Add to my plan

ContainsMilk. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 10 servings
  • 11 lb Whole turkey, thawed, neck and giblets removed
  • 4 tbsp Butter, unsalted, softened, or olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Kosher salt, or 1Β½ teaspoons table salt
  • 1 tsp Ground black pepper (to taste)

  • In the cavity and pan

  • 1 Yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 stalk Celery, in chunks
  • 2 Carrots, in chunks
  • 4 sprig Fresh thyme, or rosemary or sage
  • 2 cup Turkey broth or stock, or water, for the pan

Make it yourself

Make the butter yourself β†’ Make the turkey stock yourself β†’

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: large roasting pan with a rack, food thermometer, paper towels, kitchen twine (optional), foil, carving board.

  1. Thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator (about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb) or in cold water (about 30 minutes per lb, changing the water every 30 minutes, then cook it right away). See the thawing planner on the Thanksgiving page.
  2. Take the neck and the bag of giblets out of both ends of the bird; save them for stock. Don’t rinse the turkey: washing raw poultry spreads germs around the sink (USDA). Pat it dry with paper towels and wash your hands.
  3. Heat the oven to 325Β°F with a rack in the lower third (USDA advises no lower than 325Β°F). Set the turkey breast side up on the rack in the pan. Tuck the wing tips under the back so they don’t burn.
  4. Rub the butter all over the skin and sprinkle the salt and pepper over it and inside the cavity. Put half the onion, celery and herbs in the cavity; scatter the rest and the carrots in the pan with the broth. Tie the legs together loosely if you like.
  5. Roast. USDA’s guide times for an unstuffed bird at 325Β°F: 8 to 12 lb, 2ΒΎ to 3 hours; 12 to 14 lb, 3 to 3ΒΎ hours; 14 to 18 lb, 3ΒΎ to 4ΒΌ hours; 18 to 20 lb, 4ΒΌ to 4Β½ hours; 20 to 24 lb, 4Β½ to 5 hours. Start checking 30 minutes before the shortest time.
  6. When the breast is golden, after about 2 hours, cover it loosely with foil so it doesn’t get too dark. Add a little water to the pan if it runs dry.
  7. Check the temperature with a food thermometer in three places, not touching bone: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing. Every spot must read at least 165Β°F (USDA).
  8. Let the turkey rest 20 minutes before carving, so the juices settle (USDA). Tent it loosely with foil; it stays hot for 40 minutes or more. Pour off the pan juices for gravy while it rests, then carve (see the carving guide).
  9. To stuff the bird instead (USDA): mix the wet and dry ingredients only just before stuffing, spoon it in loosely (about ΒΎ cup per pound of turkey), roast right away, and check that the center of the stuffing reaches 165Β°F. Let the bird stand 20 minutes before taking the stuffing out. Never stuff a turkey ahead of time. A stuffed 8- to 12-lb bird takes 3 to 3Β½ hours at 325Β°F.

🌑 Safe temperaturesTurkey 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadMake the stock, gravy and cranberry sauce days ahead. The day before, take out the giblets, pat the bird dry and refrigerate it uncovered on a tray so the skin dries and browns better.
❄️ FreezerFreeze carved leftover turkey in a little broth or gravy for 2 to 6 months for best quality (USDA).
β†Ί LeftoversCarve the meat off the bones and refrigerate it within 2 hours; use it within 3 to 4 days or freeze it (USDA). Reheat to 165Β°F. Make stock from the carcass.
πŸ§’ With kidsKids can wash and cut the vegetables with a grown-up, rub butter on the skin (then wash hands well), and read the thermometer.
Bigger bird swapScale the servings up; the roasting times for bigger birds are in step 5.
Dairy-free swapUse olive oil instead of butter.

Goes well with

πŸ₯£ Turkey Gravy from the Drippings🍞 Classic Sage and Onion Bread StuffingπŸ₯” Creamy Mashed Potatoes🫐 Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Good to know

Cooking Fats Compared Salted vs. unsalted butter Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Fresh vs. dried herbs Stock vs. broth Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe, written for our Thanksgiving dinner; safety steps follow USDA. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.