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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Oven Roasted Turkey

    Published: November 3, 2017 · Updated: November 1, 2020 · By: Krissy · 14 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Damn Good Roast Turkey will impress your Thanksgiving guests! Oven roasted turkey made unbelievably moist and flavorful from apple cider brine and herbs.
    Damn Good Roast Turkey will impress your Thanksgiving guests! Oven roasted turkey made unbelievably moist and flavorful from apple cider brine and herbs.

    Oven Roasted Turkey will impress your Thanksgiving guests! This tender turkey made unbelievably moist and flavorful from apple cider brine and herbs.

    This is one of my favorite ways to cook a whole turkey. Be sure to make Savory Herb Turkey Gravy, Wild Mushroom Stuffing, Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes, and Perfect Green Bean Casserole!

    Damn Good Roast Turkey will impress your Thanksgiving guests! Oven roasted turkey made unbelievably moist and flavorful from apple cider brine and herbs.

    ROASTED TURKEY RECIPE

    The best Roast Turkey is what everyone wants to serve on Thanksgiving, and this roasted turkey is just that - damn good.

    Why is this roast turkey the best recipe? Because of the turkey brine recipe, of course!

    There are many more factors that go into roasting a turkey, like the quality of the meat, knowing how long to roast a turkey, and of course you need a good understanding of the roast turkey time so you can plan your Thanksgiving meal accordingly.

    I'm about to share everything I know about how to make the best damn good roast turkey your table has ever seen!

    I love cooking with tons of fresh herbs. Oven roasted turkey plus fresh herbs - you can never go wrong. This roasted turkey ended up being so moist and flavorful.

    Everything a Thanksgiving turkey should be. This is definitely my new favorite method.  And yes, your guests will be saying this roasted turkey is Damn Good.

    Oven roasted turkey with turkey brine recipe

    How to brine a turkey:

    1. First step is to make the turkey brine recipe the day before you plan to roast your turkey. Many stores will sell a turkey brine kit, but the best turkey brine can be made in your kitchen with just a few ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the salt fully dissolves.
    2. The basic turkey brine recipe consists of water, salt, and herbs. You can replace the water with apple cider like I did, or some other kind of unsweetened fruit juice or broth. I also recommend stuffing the cavity with aromatics like fresh orange during the brine process.
    3. To determine how much salt is needed to brine a turkey, a ratio of roughly 2 quarts liquid to ⅔ cup kosher salt is recommended.
    4. Most people ask "how long does it take to brine a turkey?". The answer is a minimum of 12 hours, but 24 hours is recommended, and you can even brine your turkey for a full 48 hours ahead of roasting it.
    5. Once your turkey is done with it's salty soak, remove the turkey from the brine, discard the liquid, and pat the turkey dry before preparing it to roast.

    How long to roast a turkey:

    1. This is the age old question, isn't it? The entire Thanksgiving meal is centered around how long it will take to roast the turkey. Do you get up at 2am to start the cooking process? Or can it be done faster? The answer to the question lies within many factors including the size of your turkey, the starting temperature of the turkey, and your roasting temperature.
    2. The best way to know when your turkey is done is by its temperature. The USDA says a turkey is safe when “cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.” You need to use a dependable meat thermometer.  If your turkey comes with one of those plastic pop up things, don't trust it.
    3. Below are some roast turkey time guidelines from the USDA is based on a 325°F oven, and a fully defrosted or fresh bird. These cooking times are based on how long to roast a turkey that has not been stuffed. I won't tell you how long to cook a stuffed turkey because, well, I never roast a turkey with stuffing inside. I prefer my dressing cooked as a casserole. Also note that your turkey will cook much faster than what's listed below if using a convection oven.

    8-12 pounds will take 2 ¾ -3 hours

    12-14 pounds will take 3-3 ¾ hours

    14-18 pounds will take 3 ¾ -4 ¼ hours

    18-20 pounds will take 4 ¼-4 ½ hours

    20-24 pounds will take 4 ½-5 hours

    4. When roasting a turkey, be sure to account for the necessary rest time into your overall planning. Your roast turkey will need at least 30 minutes to rest in order to allow the juices to have time to re-absorb back into the meat. You don't want to go to all the trouble of making a brine for your turkey and then roasting the turkey for hours, only to have it turn out dry when served.  Even if your guests are starving and you feel pressed for time, you must allow your turkey to rest before slicing into it.

    Roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving. How to brine a turkey.

    Damn Good Roast Turkey will impress your Thanksgiving guests! Oven roasted turkey made unbelievably moist and flavorful from apple cider brine and herbs.

    OVEN ROASTED TURKEY

    Impress your Thanksgiving guests by serving some Damn Good Roast Turkey. Its unbelievably moist from the apple cider brine and flavorful from all the herbs.
    4.92 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Resting time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
    Scale: 8 servings
    Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    Brine:

    • 8 cups apple cider
    • ⅔ cup kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns (coarsely crushed)
    • 1 tablespoon whole allspice (coarsely crushed)
    • 6 whole cloves
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 12-pound turkey ( (ensure its fully thawed if previously frozen))
    • 2 valencia oranges (quartered)
    • 6 cups ice

    Roasted turkey:

    • As many fresh herbs as will fit into cavity (sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, basil)
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
    • freshly ground black pepper (divided)
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • To prepare brine:Combine apple cider, salt, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and bay leaves in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes until salt dissolves. Cool completely.
    • Remove giblets and neck from turkey, refrigerate until ready to use, and reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Stuff body cavity with orange quarters. Place a turkey-sized oven bag inside a large stockpot. Place turkey inside bag. Add cold cider mixture and ice. Squeeze as much air out of bag as possible. twist top and secure with twist tie or tuck end so that it stays put. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
    • To roast the turkey:Preheat oven or grill to 450º.
    • Remove turkey from bag, and discard brine, orange quarters, and bag. Rinse turkey with cold water and pat dry. Cut a small slit in the breast skin so that you can tuck wing tips under to keep in place. Tie legs together with kitchen string if the turkey didn't already come with a fastener. Place herbs in the cavity of the bird. Pour the broth in the bottom of a roasting pan that will be under the bird (this will also catch the drippings). Place roasting rack in pan if roasting in the oven or if using a rack and roasting pan on your grill. I cooked mine on the trager and put a pan on the grease tray under the rack, and the turkey directly on the rack.
    • Arrange turkey, breast side down, on roasting rack. Brush turkey with 1 tablespoon of the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 450º for 30 minutes.
    • Reduce oven temperature to 350º.
    • Carefully turn turkey over (breast side up). Brush turkey breast with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 15 minutes* or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of breast registers 150º. Remove turkey from oven, tent with foil with thermometer still inserted, and let stand until internal temperature reads 160-165º , about 20 minutes. Reserve pan drippings for gravy.

    Notes

    Cooking a larger turkey?
    The original recipe was for a 12 pound turkey. I recently cooked a 16 pound turkey following this recipe and the total cook time was 2.5 hours (30 minutes at a higher temp) plus a 30 minute rest period.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 9948mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.7mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donald

      December 25, 2022 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! This is THE BEST! Never made one that was even close to being this moist, juicy and so flavorful. Used your recipe for stock to make gravy and saved the vegetables from that, next day they went into the cavity with the fresh herbs. Out of the park!

      Reply
    2. Leah

      November 04, 2019 at 6:12 pm

      Can you please tell me what kind of turkey you used? My understanding is that most turkeys are brined and doing so again could make the turkey very salty. I hope to use this recipe this year, it looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        November 05, 2019 at 2:40 pm

        Great question! I used a fresh turkey that hadn't been brined. A lot of frozen turkeys have been brined, so you're right about that. -Krissy

        Reply
    3. Rainelle

      November 22, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is so easy and flavorful! I’ve made it two years in a row, with a 12 pound and 18 pound bird, respectively. I’ve found that the skin starts starts to enthusiastically brown before the meat is quite done, but a little foil over the top fixes that while the roasting finishes up. It’s perfect served with your gravy recipe, and gets rave reviews from everyone that eats it!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        November 25, 2018 at 6:45 am

        Thank you for the great comment! Instead of foil this year, I tried using cheesecloth soaked in butter. Looked like a nasty bandage, but worked perfectly! I'll be adding both suggestions to the blog post. Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Jae

      December 21, 2017 at 8:00 pm

      This was my first attempt at brining. I love your recipe and the informative directions. My family loved the turkey. Thank you so much for sharing... I shall be brining again, real soon!

      Reply
    5. KrystaH

      November 24, 2016 at 8:12 pm

      5 stars
      Made this turkey tonight for Thanksgiving. I used one that was 13.75lbs. I was originally was concerned about the timing for it, but it was PERFECT. It was the first time I was hosting Thanksgiving, so I was incredibly nervous. It was so tasty and moist and smelled fantastic while cooking. I'll definitely be making my turkeys with this brine from here on out! Even my dad said he could never get a turkey that moist, and he's been cooking turkeys a lot longer than I have! Thanks so much for this recipe. I'll definitley be sending friends and family to your site for recipes. I also made your Rosemary Dinner Rolls. OMG. DELCIOUS. 🙂

      Reply
      • Krissy

        November 28, 2016 at 6:30 am

        So glad it worked out for you! Happy Thanksgiving!!! -Krissy

        Reply
    6. Lora

      December 03, 2014 at 8:27 am

      5 stars
      I can't believe you are a foodie you look so young and thin. Then again I have been watching Junior Master Chef and those youngins are pretty amazing cooks. Normally I judge the people I follow by the wisdom of their cooking skills and damn girl you got em. I love your recipes and I too am a Honey Crisp SNOB!!!

      Reply
      • spfoodie

        December 03, 2014 at 9:46 am

        Awesome!!! I love food snobs, especially of the honeycrisp variety. Thanks for your kind words! -Krissy

        Reply
    7. Ariana

      November 12, 2014 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      nice turkey already see it on the table.

      Reply
    8. Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen

      November 10, 2014 at 7:52 pm

      What a gorgeous looking turkey! I could totally see this on my Thanksgiving day table. Pinned!

      Reply
    9. julie

      November 10, 2014 at 2:58 pm

      I see all ingredients but not recipe can you send it to me please

      Reply
      • spfoodie

        November 22, 2014 at 2:56 pm

        The recipe is there! Let me know if you need help. - Krissy

        Reply

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