Thanksgiving is right around the corner! That means it’s time to get ready to cook that amazing turkey you’re hoping isn’t as disappointing as last year’s.
If you’re looking for the traditional Thanksgiving turkey — the one you have to chew 124 times and drown in two quarts of gravy just to make it tolerable — this isn’t the recipe for you.
BUT… if you want the juiciest, most amazing, crispy-skinned, mouthwatering turkey you can imagine, crank up the heat on that oven and slide the big bird in for a shorter, hotter trip to the table than it had last year!
Serves: 10–12 | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 2½–3 hrs | Rest: 30 min
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (12–14 lb), thawed
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp fresh)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 tsp fresh)
- 1 tsp dried sage (or 2 tsp fresh)
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
🔪 Directions
- Prep the bird.
Remove giblets and neck; pat dry thoroughly. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. - Season.
Mix butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and seasonings.
Rub about half under the skin and the rest over the outside. - Fill the cavity.
Add onion, lemon, and garlic for aroma (no heavy stuffing—it slows cooking). - Roast hot.
- Place on a rack in a large roasting pan with 1 cup broth or water in the bottom.
- Roast at 425 °F for 40 minutes to brown and crisp the skin.
- Without opening the door, reduce heat to 350 °F and continue roasting about 10–12 minutes per pound, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 °F.
- If skin darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil.
- Rest.
Transfer to a board, cover loosely, and rest 30 minutes before carving.
💡 Tips
- For extra moisture, brush once or twice with drippings during the lower-temp phase.
- Don’t skip the rest period—it’s the secret to juicy slices.
- Use leftover bones for rich broth later.
Bringing Life 
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