How to Cook a Turkey

Servings:

Learn how to cook a turkey with this simple recipe that's still the best. The biggest myth in American cookery is that a juicy, perfectly cooked turkey is difficult for the novice cook to achieve. Even if this is your first time, don't play scared; this will work! There is nothing to fear but the fear of dry turkey itself. Be sure to buy a meat thermometer before Thanksgiving; it will be the essential tool in the kitchen that day.

Prep
25 min
Cook
110 min
Servings
Difficulty
Hard

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  2. 2 Place onion, celery, and carrot in a large, shallow roasting pan.
  3. 3 Place turkey, breast-side up, on top of vegetables in the roasting pan. Pat outside and inside of turkey dry with paper towels.
  4. 4 Combine salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Season inside of turkey with about 1/3 of the salt mixture. Fold wing tips under bird.
  5. 5 Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until edges turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add rosemary and sage; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. 6 Place rosemary and sage inside cavity of turkey; reserve melted butter. Tie turkey legs together with twine.
  7. 7 Brush melted butter over turkey. Season with the remaining salt mixture.
  8. 8 Bake turkey, uncovered, in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
  9. 9 Remove turkey from the oven and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition per serving

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