The Best Way to Roast a Turkey (the simple way)

Whether you’re planning on roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day, you can always use a few helpful tips to make it the best it can be. Since roasting a gargantuan bird is not on the usual M-F menu plan, it can cause even the most experienced cook to hesitate before proceeding. Fortunately, I think I can help you relax and boost your confidence in preparing your event’s main attraction.

My Crash-Course on Turkey

You may be wondering what a relatively young lady such as myself could have to add to everything that has already been said about turkey, and you would be right to wonder. After all, how many Thanksgivings have I been cooking? Not nearly as many as some experts out there…right?

But here’s the thing: I’ve been to Turkey Boot Camp.

When I was nineteen, I had the privilege (?) misfortune (?)  – honestly, it was a mix of both –  of working a summer at a remote fly-in fishing resort on the Pacific Ocean. Another fellow and I were the chefs for the camp, cranking out three square meals for over forty people, seven days a week, eleven weeks straight. Every three days, a couple of float planes would fly in carrying a new group of clients – and a frozen turkey. Along with the requisite pancake breakfast, shrimp bisque lunch, and other culinary highlights, we were obliged to prepare a well-rounded turkey dinner for each group of guests.

Two groups per week, eleven weeks of work. Yes, that’s right, in the span of one summer, we cooked twenty-two turkeys!

If that doesn’t make me qualified to talk turkey, then I don’t know what does!

How to Roast a Turkey

My roast turkey is one thing: simple.

It is un-stuffed and un-trussed; I don’t brine or baste. I keep my cooking time shorter than most, but lengthen the resting period. The result is a perfectly golden, moist turkey that is relatively hassle-free.

Directions are for a fresh, grain fed turkey.

One Day Ahead: Prep the Turkey

  1. Remove fresh turkey from any packaging and snip free of any string or trussing.
  2. Remove neck and giblets from the body cavity, reserving for stock, if desired.
  3. Rinse turkey well under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
  4. With a sharp knife, remove the wing tips (up to the first joint) and add those to the stock pot, too.
  5. Place turkey on a tray or pan and lightly salt all over. Leave uncovered in the fridge overnight. This will allow the bird’s skin to dry out, making it crispier, plus the salt will add flavor to the meat without the hassle of a wet brine.

Optional: Turkey Stock for Turkey Gravy

Combine in a saucepan:

  • turkey neck, wing-tips & giblets
  • 1 quart water
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 stick of celery, well washed
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and halved
  • 1 onion, halved and unpeeled
  1. Bring everything to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer on low for two to four hours.
  2. Strain through a sieve and reserve for making your gravy.

This can be done a day or two in advance.

Two hours before roasting

Bring to room temperature

  • Remove turkey from the fridge. Rub a softened stick of butter ALL over the bird. Coating the skin with butter will help to keep the meat moist, add flavor, and ensure the skin turns a perfect golden brown color.
  • Place the turkey on a wire rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Elevating the turkey allows for the heat to get all around and also for the skin to crisp properly. Try to avoid cramming the bird into an overly small pan; you’ll only end up with over-browning on top and more braising than roasting, as the turkey stews in it’s own juices.
  • Leave the turkey on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. Bringing the meat up to room temperature (about 70°F) will both cut down on the cooking time and ensure the fowl cooks evenly. Thanksgiving is a particularly busy time for the oven, with stuffing, pies and side dishes all jostling for space, so if you can shave half an hour or more off the turkey’s cooking time – bonus!

A word on stuffing
Next Monday I’ll be sharing my favorite stuffing recipe, plus explain why I choose not to stuff my turkey. Stay tuned.

Roasting the Perfect Turkey

Temperature
I find it is best to start the turkey at a fairly high temperature (400°F), roast for about twenty minutes and then lower the heat to 350°F for the remainder of the cooking time. Sometimes I forget to lower the oven, though, and the turkey still comes out fine, just perhaps a little darker than I would like!

How Long to Cook a Turkey

If you cook your turkey from room temperature, untrussed and unstuffed, it will cook significantly faster than a chilly bird stuffed full of bread and trussed tightly.  Air will circulate much better around the bird and roasting times will be shorter.

These are the approximate roasting times using this method:

  • 5 lbs – 1 – 1/2 hrs
  • 8 lbs –  1- 3/4 hrs
  • 10 lbs – 2 hrs
  • 12 lbs – 2 – 1/2 hrs
  • 15 1bs – 2 – 3/4 hours
  • 17 lbs – 3 hours
  • 20 lbs – 3 – 1/2 hours

Tip: Loosely cover the turkey with aluminum foil if it looks like the top is browning too quickly. I also have to rotate the pan 180° every hour or so for even browning in my old oven.

Remember, oven temperatures can vary drastically, so even if the turkey has been in the oven for appropriate time, it is still necessary to double-check for doneness. A meat thermometer should register 170°F  when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (but not touching the bone). You can also follow the directions from this post on Roasting Chicken 101 on how to tell when your roast poultry is finished.

If you’re worried that the bird is slightly underdone, remember that it will keep cooking a tad during the resting period.

The All-Important Step: Resting

After pulling it from the oven, do not transfer the turkey to its place of honor at the center of the table… just yet. Instead, tent it with foil and let it rest for at least thirty minutes (and up to an hour). Place the turkey directly on a tray (not on a rack), as this will allow the cooking juices to be re-absorbed by the meat instead of losing the moisture as soon as the turkey is sliced into.

A well-rested roast turkey is a moist roast turkey, so this step is crucial.

Now that the turkey has relinquished its space in the oven, this is when I crank the heat back up and tuck the butternut squash gratin and the buttermilk rolls in to warm while I make the gravy and mash the potatoes.

The turkey is now ready to take its place at the festive table and the only thing left to decide is: Who’s carving?

Are you on turkey duty for US Thanksgiving? Is a Christmas turkey in the plans?

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177 Comments

  1. I am using your instructions on heat and resting, but i am cooking a beer can turkey…24oz. Coors, for two hours standing up, then removing can and finishing on its back, was told it would be super moist! Crossing my fingers in Texas.,.

  2. Aimee, I like your suggestions on roasting a turkey above, I would like to ask you if you are familiar with roasting a 26 pound turkey in a Electric Roaster Oven pan, for instance a GE or A Rival Roaster Oven pan, and how long would you need to roast a 26 pound turkey in that type of Roaster Oven pan? Thank you for your help on my question. Ann

  3. Aimee, I like your suggestions on roasting a turkey above, I would like to ask you if you are familiar with roasting a 26 pound turkey in a Electric Roaster Oven pan, for instance a GE or A Rival Roaster Oven pan, and how long would you need to roast a 26 pound turkey in that type of Roaster Oven pan? Thank you for any help on answering my question. Ann

    1. I haven’t used any of those electric roasters, Ann. I would call the company or check their website for suggestions. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.

  4. Hi, Aimee – I will be roasting a 20 lb bird on T-Day and using your method..two questions though, the bird is frozen, to be considered at “fresh” temp, how long should it defrost for (obviously I would still take it out about two hours before roasting) and also do you add anything to the bottom of the pan? I.e water, stock, etc.

    Thanks in advance!

    1. It defrosts for 2-3 DAYS! Yep, it takes a while. I don’t add anything to the bottom of the pan; I only use dry heat, no steam.

      Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.

  5. I also have a question about a bigger bird… I have a 23 pounder… I was thinking 4 hours judging by your increments in increasing weight. Would I be correct??

  6. So this recipe has become our most recent holiday family tradition. The page is bookmarked…if it were a “real” cookbook, it would certainly be dog-eared by now! Thanks for a great recipe, and happy Thanksgiving.

  7. Do you put any stock in the bottom of the pan? Im using your method and so far so good. Juat wondering on that. Happy thanksgiving.

  8. I am in Australia and wanted to share thanksgiving traditions with the inlaws. (I am originally from the states) and due to thanksgiving not being a thing here I had to buy a frozen turkey. Today and I am doing this dinner tomorrow. Can I salt the frozen turkey as it thaws over night and still achieve the same effect?

    This is my first turkey ever and I am making it for my inlaws eep!

  9. How do you roast a 10 pound turkey breast? Including instructions from taking it out of the refrigerator and cleaning it to putting it the oven and how long. Thank you!!

  10. Hands down the best and easiest roasted turkey method. I discovered this site a few years back and Aimee is the Queen of Thankgiving! We always used to stuff our bird but not anymore and never again. Turkey dinner is now a breeze. We use the resting time to heat up our cream cheese mashed potatoes we prepare ahead of time, do our stuffing in one slow cooker, butternut squash in another slow cooker, and green and yellow beans in the steamer (then pan fried with almonds). Add the carrots roasted in the turkey pan and voila! Merci Aimee!

  11. I am just wondering if this same method would work in a large roaster oven? Im am having Thanksgiving and I have an extremely small oven so I must use the roaster oven.

    1. Yes I do. Above, where it says One Day Ahead: Prep the Turkey. Step 5. Place turkey on a tray or pan and lightly salt all over. Leave uncovered in the fridge overnight. This will allow the bird’s skin to dry out, making it crispier, plus the salt will add flavor to the meat without the hassle of a wet brine.

  12. I have followed the majority of your Turkey roasting process for a few years now…instead of one stick of butter I use two, I fill the cavity with quartered onion, celery and carrot, fresh rosemary, thyme, depending on what I have on hand. The vegies and herbs add their own unique flavor to the meat during roasting. I use an electric roaster, same cooking times, start hotter for 20 minutes then dial it down to 350, works like a charm. Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe which I have shared many times!

  13. Thanksgiving 2016
    I’m trying your recipe for the first time and excited to do so I might add!! Question…
    Should you wipe off the Turkey of the salt before rubbing with the butter? We’re not salt fans, so I’m going with unsalted butter.
    Thanks!

  14. Leave the turkey on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. Bringing the meat up to room temperature (about 70°F)
    istn’t that putting the raw turkey in the danger zone for bacteria to develop?
    Also, what about the time I wait for it to reach room temperature, I don’t see that I’m saving any time if I just put it in the oven.

    1. The bird cooks evenly, so you don’t have one area of Turkey dried out and another still not at temp to be done, it allows for EVEN COOKING time.
      All meats can be brought to room temperature before roasting and not cause harmful bacteria, ( your room isn’t 110° or something crazy) it will be fine. ALL RECIPES recommend that and it does help, not been sick in 35 yrs of cooking my own Turkey.

  15. Hello Aimee, I hope you see and answer my question please. I have a 27lb turkey, what are your suggestions on how long to cook it and what degree ° I should cook it on? I want to use your recipe this year, but I have such a big turkey I don’t want to under cook it or over cook it. Every year I get a turkey this size and it seems to turn out a little dry and it upsets me so much because the turkey is the main event on my table. Please help!!!

  16. November 22, 2018…This was the BEST Thanksgiving Turkey I’ve EVER prepared. I followed almost all of the directions as posted. The only thing done differently was putting 1/4 of onion, a couple of stalks of celery leaves, and 1 lime-quartered inside cavity of the turkey. I didn’t baste or brine the turkey. The gravy made from the broth with the wing tips and turkey innards was oh so savory. Clipping the end of the wing tips….a brilliant idea. Letting the turkey sit for a while made a big difference. Thank you for sharing your methods!! You have a new fan!! Happy Thanksgiving!

  17. I also cook my turkey in a Nesco Roaster. I have done this for 20 years. I find that it takes an hour off the cooking time. I think it is because of the small enclosed space. We eat a very moist and delicious turkey each year. I do not stuff the turkey. I make stuffing balls in the oven.

  18. Have been using Aimee’s method for years now and it is still my go-to guide for roasting T’giving turkey. Thanks for the resource – I still look at the page every year (even though I know it almost by heart!) – always good to visit an “oldie but goodie!”

  19. This is a great guide. I have been using this recipe for a few years now and the turkey is moist and nicely roasted every year.

  20. I have been using your turkey recipe for years and it NEVER fails. I genuinely look forward to cooking the turkey (I always volunteer) because I know it will always turn it spectacular. Thank you for sharing this. It’s truly magical.

  21. Still using your recipe even for 2023! It’s simple and DE-LICIOUS! I get complimented every time that my turkey isn’t dry but juicy and it’s the BEST they’ve ever had! By the end of the evening, I have no bird left! lol Thank you so much for this recipe, Aimee. I’ve bookmarked it so I hope it never ever vanishes from this site! Happy Holidays and best wishes for 2024!