What’s the best way to thaw a frozen turkey?

The best and safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is to place it in a refrigerator inside of a large bowl or pan for a few days before brining and/or roasting the bird. I find that it takes about 3 days to thaw a 12- to 15-lb turkey, then another 24 hours to brine it. Therefore, I typically place a frozen turkey in the refrigerator 4 to 5 days before I plan to roast it.

Is a dry brine better than a wet brine?

I prefer wet brining, as it seems to be a better method for getting flavor more deeply inserted into the turkey meat. I also think a salty liquid brine solution is optimal for getting juicy and tender turkey.

How do you keep a turkey from drying out during cooking?

The best way to prevent a turkey from drying out is to avoid overcooking it. On average, it will take about 13 minutes per pound of turkey. But that can vary quite a bit depending on the reliability of the oven temperature, the thickness and quality of the roasting pan, and if the pan is covered. I also find that brining a turkey before roasting it helps create a juicier interior. Rubbing an herb butter underneath the turkey skin before roasting is another way to create a juicy turkey. Gently lift and spread fingers between the turkey skin and breast meat, then rub the softened butter mixture underneath.

Easy Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey

Servings: 10-14 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 whole turkey, thawed (12-15 lbs)*
2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
1 ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Remove the giblets or any seasoning packet from inside the turkey.
Pat the turkey dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips underneath the body to prevent them from burning. If you’d like to tie or pin the legs together, do that, but it’s not necessary.
Place the turkey, breast side up, in a roasting pan with a rack and a lid.
Using your hands, rub the oil all over the outside of the turkey breast, legs, and wings. Then season with the thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper, pressing the herbs slightly into the skin.
Cover the pan with the lid and roast the turkey. The total cook time will depend on the weight of the turkey, and it should cook for about 13 minutes per pound. For example, a 15-lb turkey will roast for almost 3 ½ hours. However, depending on the thickness of your roasting pan, temperature accuracy of your oven, and whether or not the roasting pan has a lid, the time will vary. The turkey is done when a digital meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165℉. I recommend starting to check the turkey after 90 minutes and then continue cooking, as needed.
When the turkey registers at 165℉ in the thickest part of the breast, remove the roasting pan from the oven. Allow the turkey to rest inside the covered roasting pan at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
If desired, use the pan drippings to make turkey gravy.
Store leftover turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

* I recommend brining the turkey for 12 to 24 hours before roasting. See my easy turkey brine recipe.

While I recommend using fresh herbs for this recipe, dried herbs will work. If using dried herbs, sub in half the amount of the fresh herbs. For example, instead of 1 ½ tablespoons (which is 4 ½ teaspoons) of fresh thyme, use 2 ¼ teaspoons of dried thyme.

The turkey can be roasted directly in the bottom of a shallow pan without a lid or in a disposable aluminum pan that is covered with foil. However, the turkey will likely cook faster in this vessel, especially if a rack and lid is not used, so watch it carefully and start checking after 90 minutes of roasting. If covering with aluminum foil, I recommend removing the foil for the last 10-20 minutes to get a crispier brown crust.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 4 ounces roasted turkey breast without skin
Calories: 155
Fat: 3 g
(Sat Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 300 mg
Carbohydrate: 0 g
(Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 32 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg

Dietary

Dairy-Free Egg-Free Gluten-free Grain-Free High Protein Nut-free Paleo Whole30

Recipe By: Molly Slama