Learn how to cook a turkey with our foolproof Best Thanksgiving Turkey recipe – it’s flavor packed, tender and juicy with a tasty, crispy skin. Never fear, we are here to take the guesswork out of Thanksgiving dinner with a step by step tutorial, plus tons of useful tips and tricks for perfecting your roast turkey game.
You’ll be the talk of your family’s holiday get-togethers with this easy to make turkey recipe! Don’t forget the Thanksgiving sides – you have to have Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes and Green Bean Casserole, right?!
Please make sure to read all of the tips and notes in this post for the answers to lots of your questions!
Making this Thanksgiving turkey recipe for the first time? Be sure to read our FAQs at the end of this post!
There’s something magical about the holidays; seeing friends and family, sharing some much needed quality time, and the food. Oh, the food! There is always a table lined with food beckoning everyone to eat, drink, and be merry! The quintessential Thanksgiving main course is a turkey here in the states and today I’m showing you how to cook a turkey that is flavorful and moist and that will have everyone raving!
Why is Turkey Traditional on Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving dinner means turkey. But why? It’s not as sentimental as you might think. Many of the early Thanksgiving celebrations included turkey because they were widely available and large enough to feed a crowd. After President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, turkey became the popular American Thanksgiving dinner of choice.
Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
I remember the first Thanksgiving dinner I hosted – it was my first time making a whole turkey. It was just a few short years ago and I was SO nervous – I didn’t know how to cook a turkey! What if the bird came out dry? What if the cooking time was off and it wasn’t cooked all the way through?
I had a friend give me some words of encouragement and remind me that a turkey is basically a really big chicken, and I had roasted LOTS of chickens before. So I did some research and after finding tons of different ways to make the “perfect” turkey recipe, I decided to combine a few methods. The turkey was edible and I felt accomplished.
How to Cook a Turkey
Since learning how to cook a turkey, I’ve made whole turkeys almost every year at Thanksgiving. I’ve basted. I’ve brined. I’ve rubbed.
If you’re thinking about brining your turkey, and don’t mind getting up at 2 am to start it, go for it! The turkey recipe I used that year was crazy good. However, lots of butter paired with a great dry rub and aromatics has become my favorite flavoring system.
The real secret to this bird is the foil. Placing aluminum foil over the turkey breast helps dissipate some of the heat. Since dark meat takes longer to cook than the light meat, this method lets the thighs and legs get their roast on while the breast gently cooks. Once the foil comes off, everything cooks at the same pace and that gorgeous golden skin forms. This turkey recipe is juicy and super flavorful!
Defrosting Your Turkey
If your turkey is frozen, you will need to completely defrost it in the refrigerator before you even remove any of the packaging. Place your bird in a deep roasting pan in the fridge to catch any juices that may run out.
Resist the urge to thaw in your kitchen sink as this can encourage harmful bacteria to spread. Be sure to start defrosting the turkey a few days before you need to cook it. To determine the actual time needed, using the handy calculator linked in the FAQs below.
Once your turkey is fully defrosted, you can prep it for roasting using the recipe below.
Roasting Instructions
These instructions are for how to cook a 12 pound turkey in the oven. If your bird is bigger or smaller, you will need to adjust the cooking time based on the instructions provided below. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full instructions.
- Preheat your oven. We start with the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping it low and slow for 2 hours, then cranking it up to 400 for the remaining time to get that juicy meat and crispy skin.
- Rack it up. Place the seasoned turkey in a roasting pan with a rack at the bottom to keep the turkey raised up and not sitting in the juices.
- Cover. Cut a piece of foil large enough to cover the turkey breasts. Press it down and mold the foil to the shape of the breasts. This will keep the breasts from drying out. You’ll remove it before the turkey is finished cooking to brown the skin.
- Roast the turkey in the oven at 325 degrees for 2 hours, adding an additional 15 minutes for each additional pound. Then turn the heat up to 400 degrees, remove the foil and roast until the cooked turkey reaches the optimal temperature. Use our handy guide below to adjust the time.
How long to cook a turkey
One of the most frequent questions we get is: How long do I cook a 16, 18 or 13 pound turkey? The basic recipe below is for a 12 pound bird, which is a fairly average size. But what is your bird is bigger or smaller than that? Never fear, we’ve done the math for you!
If your turkey is bigger than 10 pounds, you will add 15 minutes per pound at the 325 degree cooking time. The temperature increase at the end does not change. Here is a handy list of how long to cook your turkey at different weights:
- 10 pounds: 1 hour 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 12 pounds: 2 hours at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 14 pounds: 2 hours, 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 16 pounds: 3 hours at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 18 pounds: 3 hours, 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
How Do I Keep My Turkey Moist?
One of the best tricks we have for keeping your cooked turkey juicy and moist – butter! Stuffing pats of butter under the skin creates a beautifully crisp skin, but it also melts and keeps the meat so moist.
Tips, Tricks & FAQs for this Turkey Recipe:
Every year we get lots of questions for how to cook a turkey so we’ve put them all in one place. Hopefully these helpful hints will take the guesswork out of cooking your Thanksgiving turkey!
The Bird
- How long do you thaw a turkey? Place the frozen turkey in the refrigerator. You’ll need to allow about 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds of frozen turkey you plan to thaw in the fridge. Check out this handy online calculator to determine how long it will take to defrost your frozen turkey.
- How many pounds of turkey do I need? If you are the family who wants leftovers, I recommend 2 pounds per adult and about half a pound per child. Cut that if half if you don’t want leftovers. I personally think leftovers are awesome, because you can make Turkey Tetrazzini or Turkey and Stuffing Casserole.
- Do I have to use the onions inside the turkey? Nope! You can stuff your bird or don’t stuff it. The onions and garlic absolutely do help give a nice flavor boost though.
- My turkey is 16 pounds, do I increase the seasoning? You could add a little extra seasoning, but it won’t change the flavor too much.
Cooking FAQs
- Why increase the temperature for the last hour? Increasing the temperature during only the last hour helps the skin to get nice and crispy, without drying out the meat.
- What temperature should I cook the turkey to? The most important thing to remember is to adjust the time for the weight of your bird. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat to make sure the breast and legs both reach 165 degrees F. Those are absolute basics. The actual length of time it takes to reach the correct temperature will depend on the temperature of the bird before cooking, its size, and your oven temperature.
- Why do you cover the breasts with foil? The foil over the bird thing is a trick I picked up from watching Alton Brown. It helps make sure the breast meat doesn’t get overcooked. Dark meat takes longer to cook than light meat and the foil helps deflect a little of the heat to slow the cooking of the breast slightly. That’s the one “trick” I stand by.
There are TONS of posts saying theirs is the best or they know the “secret” to a perfect bird, but this recipe is tried and true at my house and has always produced a gorgeous, juicy bird. So I stand by it. Just remember, a turkey is like a really, really big chicken. You can do it!
My Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Your Thanksgiving turkey may be the best ever, but you’re still going to need to fill some supporting roles. Here are some of our favorite Thanksgiving sides that will compliment your cooked turkey in the best way!
Veggies
- Creamed Spinach with Bacon
- Bacon-Corn Relish
- Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Easy Oven Roasted Vegetables
Potatoes & Bread
- Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Classic Sausage Stuffing
- One Hour Dinner Rolls
Desserts
Don’t forget the Homemade Turkey Gravy!
Hosting Thanksgiving this year? Be sure to check out our tips for keeping it simple and looking like a pro HERE.

Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 pound turkey thawed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1 Tablespoon pats
- 1 1/2 yellow onions peeled and halved
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
Dry Rub:
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a bowl, combine the salt, thyme, sage, paprika, pepper, and ground mustard until evenly incorporated.
- Remove the turkey from its packaging. From the bird's cavity, remove the neck and the bag containing the gizzards and heart. (You can keep these items to make stock or discard them.)
- Use a few paper towels to dry off the skin of the bird and inside the cavity.
- Lift the skin over the turkey breast (on the side closest to the legs) and slide your hand under the skin separating it from the breast meat. Do this on both sides of the breast.
- Insert three pats of butter under the skin on one side fo the turkey breast spreading them around evenly. Repeat on the other side.
- Sprinkle the dry rub all over the turkey - breast, legs, wings, anything you can see. Using your hands press the rub into the skin a little. If you have any extra rub sprinkle it inside the cavity.
- Place the onion halves and garlic cloves inside the turkey's cavity.
- Transfer the bird to your roasting pan. (I like to use a pan with a rack to keep the bottom of the turkey from getting soggy.)
- Take a good sized piece of foil and place it over the turkey breast. (You want to make sure to the foil piece is big enough to fit over the whole breast.) Press down and mold the foil to the breast., let the ends stick out if the foil's a bit big.
- Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 2 hours. Carefully remove the foil from the turkey. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and cook the turkey for another hour, or until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees F and the skin is golden and crispy.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest briefly before carving.
Notes
- 10 pounds: 1 hour 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 12 pounds: 2 hours at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 14 pounds: 2 hours, 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 16 pounds: 3 hours at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
- 18 pounds: 3 hours, 30 minutes at 325 degrees; 1 hour at 400 degrees.
This was hands down the best turkey I have ever made. I made it for Christmas and wow! It was so juicy and flavourful. It was so easy and straight forward. It will now be my go to recipe for making a turkey.
Awesome feedback Gabby! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Kristen,
I’m planning on making this for Christmas and am wondering, when you put it in the oven, do you cover your roasting pan with a lid? Or just the foil? Or both? 🤷♀️
Hi Angela, just cover the top (breasts) with foil. No lid.
I made my first turkey for our family three years ago. So this was the third year in a row that I’ve used this article. It is tried and true! I’ve made some modifications to the dry brine and aromatics. I also use a compound butter that goes on top of the turkey in addition to placing it under the skin. This year was the best turkey yet. There is one thing that I can’t figure out. I’ve followed the oven instruction to the letter. Over the 3 turkeys I’ve made, when I take the turkey out and check the thigh, it’s always ~190 degrees! What I don’t know, is when to check the temp and hot to adjust the time. I would think that you’d want the turkey at 400 for the last full hour to make sure the skin gets crispy. Now despite that higher than desired temp, the turkey has never been dry. In fact, it’s always juicy and flavorful inside with a crispy skin. So I guess I’d just like to know when to check the temp of the bird and how to adjust. Thanks for this delicious tutorials and recipe!
Hi Brett, I say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! As long as the breast reaches 165, you’re good. The dark meat is often a higher temp, and that’s ok because it stays juicy.
I’m so thankful that I found this recipe! This was the first time that I had to make a turkey and I’m beyond proud to say that it was perfect! Thank you so much!
That is so awesome Kimberly! Thank you for stopping by.
You mentioned something about basting the turkey, when should that be done? Thanks
Hi Pamela, I don’t mention basting in this post, other than that’s a method I used to use. There is no need to baste this turkey.
Hi Kristen…just wanted to thank you for sharing this recipe. My husband and I usually get to enjoy our turkey day in Florida with family (we live in New York) Due to covid we spent turkey day at home with family and I hosted dinner. Followed your recipe and our turkey was AMAZING!! So very moist! Your tips, techniques and all the info was extremely helpful. If we cant go to Florida next year, this will definitely be my go to turkey recipe!😋
You are so welcome Lisa! Thank you for stopping by.
This was the by far the best recipe I have ever used in cooking a turkey. It was moist on the inside and delicious all around. Well never cook a turkey any other way!
Awesome feedback RC! Thanks for stopping by.
This was the best Turkey, and I make a great Turkey to begin with! Making it this way forevermore.
Now I would love to try your roast chicken recipe! Do you have one? Thanks for this recipe and possible for a chicken one as well!
So glad you enjoyed it! And yes, I do have a Roast Chicken recipe that is similar to the turkey and totally delicious!
We made this Turkey for this Thanksgiving. It was so juicy , tender and tasty. And it was easy too. I would definitely make it again.
Nice! Thank you so much for stopping by Marcia.
Thank you, Kristin! Best turkey I have ever made! Juicy white meat, crisp skin, and delicious gravy! 40 years later and I finally and I finally found the perfect recipe!
You are so welcome Annamary! Thank you so much for stopping by.
Hello! What temperature should the Turkey be before turning the heat up the last hour?
Hi Christina, No need to measure the temp before turning up the heat.
Made my first turkey today from this recipe. It turned out wonderful. Thank you so much. This recipe is a keeper.
You are so welcome Hope! Thank you for stopping by.
I’ve been using this recipe for the last three years it is amazingly delicious and the turkey comes out 👌
Thank you Tara! Thanks for stopping by.
Number 11 says roast for 2 hours. I’m assuming ignore that and stick to the chart below? Thanks for this recipe!
The recipe is for a 12 pound turkey. The chart offered in the notes gives you the formula for a larger or smaller bird.
Can I use this recipe and still use a turkey bag?
Hi Kris, I suppose you could, but the skin won’t get crispy.
Last minute shopper here and I wasn’t able to get sage or thyme. I do have the rest of the seasonings I hand as well as poultry seasoning. Any suggestions on how to switch up the portions?
The herbs mentioned are similar to what’s in poultry seasoning. So you’d be fine to just use that in place of the sage, and thyme. Poultry seasoning probably has pepper in it too.
Should I double the seasoning for a 20 pounder?
Yes you could do that. Maybe not double but 50%?
Hi – any considerations for high altitude? Cook for a longer duration?
Nope you won’t need to alter the recipe for altitude. That’s usually for baked goods.
Best recipe all around. Several people have said, “you’re doing the hard part of the meal”. Its really pretty simple with this recipe. This will be my 3rd year. I’ve had my nephews say its the best turkey they’ve had. Love it. Great for ADD moms 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
You are so welcome Annette! Thanks for the awesome feedback.
So ,you should do the butter and seasoning step then let your turkey get close to room temperature before putting it in the oven?
I’m not sure I understand your question. The turkey won’t come to room temperature just during the 20 minutes it takes to prep it. And you won’t be letting it sit out at all, it goes straight in the oven.
This is what I was referring to.
Once your turkey is fully defrosted, you can prep it for roasting using the recipe below. Allow the bird to come close to room temperature once prepped to help it to cook evenly.
Oh yes I see; this pretty much happens while you’re prepping it. But yes you can let it sit for a little bit longer.
If I don’t have a pan and rack can I still make it work ?
A pan and rack is best; however, some of the alternatives I’ve seen are using a deep baking dish and placing balls of foil, or using the ceramic insert of a slow cooker (just the insert AND only if the instructions for your device permit oven cooking). As a last resort, you can roast without a rack, the bottom would be sitting in some of the liquid but it will still cook fine.
Thank you so much ! 🙂
Hi there! I’m going to try your recipe tomorrow. So no need to baste it at all while cooking? Thanks!
Nope, no need to baste it.
I’m thinking of stuffing my bird with dressing. Should I plan on adding additional time for cooking. About how long would I add. Can’t wait to try your recipe
If you want to stuff your turkey, make sure the stuffing is completely cooled to room temperature or chilled so that the bird won’t sit at an unsafe temperature for too long. Remember that the stuffing needs to be cooked to 165 degrees F because it absorbs the drippings from the turkey.
Check out my homemade stuffing!