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  1. Food & Recipes
  2. Classic Roast Turkey

Classic Roast Turkey

By The Good Housekeeping Test KitchenUpdated: Dec 7, 2022
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classic roast turkey recipe
Mike Garten
Yields:
8 - 10
Total Time:
3 hrs 20 mins
Cal/Serv:
205

No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without a turkey —and you can't go wrong with our classic roast turkey.  First time roasting a turkey? Check out our step-by-step guide to preparing a roast turkey.

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Ingredients

Classic Roast Turkey

  • 1

    12- to 14-pound turkey (thawed if frozen) 

  • 4

    head garlic, halved horizontally

  • 4

    small onions, quartered

  • 12

    sprigs mixed fresh herbs such as sage and thyme, plus more for serving

  • 3 Tbsp.

    softened butter or olive oil

  • Kosher salt and pepper

  • 2

    large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 2

    stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 3/4 cup

     low-sodium chicken broth

  • Fresh herbs and fruit, for serving

Directions

    1. Step 1Heat oven to 375°F. Working on a rimmed baking sheet, remove giblets and neck of turkey from cavities. Reserve neck and discard giblets. Using paper towels, pat turkey dry. Stuff garlic, half of onions and half of herbs into main cavity. 
    2. Step 2Tie turkey legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck wing tips underneath body (this will prevent them from burning). Rub turkey with butter (or oil) and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 pepper. 
    3. Step 3Place turkey neck, carrots, celery and remaining onions and herbs in a large roasting pan. Place roasting rack in pan and place turkey on top.
    4. Step 4Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Cover turkey loosely with foil if it browns too quickly, and add broth to pan if vegetables begin to scorch.)
    5. Step 5Carefully tilt turkey to empty juices from cavity into pan. Transfer turkey to carving board or cutting board set in rimmed baking sheet (to catch juices while carving). Cover loosely with foil and let rest at least 25 minutes, then carve and garnish as desired.

Tips & Techniques

Do-ahead tip: If using a frozen turkey, make sure it is completely thawed, especially inside the cavity. The rule of thumb for thawing turkey in the refrigerator is 24 hours per 5 pounds.
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