This easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe is made with fresh herb butter infused with garlic and lemon zest- a simple, no-fuss Martha Stewart recipe that turns out tender and delicious every time!
This turkey recipe is originally from an old Martha Stewart Magazine, where I learned to cook my very first turkey in my young 20s! I’ve adapted it a bit- adding lemon zest, more herbs, and more garlic to bump up the flavor, but the technique is still the same.
Over the years, I strayed away, overcomplicating turkeys with brines, basting, and stuffing, and well, now I find myself right where I started. Back to the basics. Funny how that happens!
What I love about this recipe is that it is simple and no-fuss. No brining and no basting, it can be prepped the night before and stored in the refrigerator until ready to pop in the oven. It stays moist, gets beautifully golden, and is not finicky. Once it goes in the oven, it’s relatively hands-off- just check it once halfway through, and that is about it!
Best of all, the leftovers are so tasty and can be turned into many different meals!
thanksgiving TuRKey Ingredients
Turkey: 12-14 pounds, thawed. I try to buy a local free-range turkey, but you do you.
Butter: Bring it to room temperature.
Lemon: You’ll use the zest and lemon wedges, for bright, citrusy flavor.
Garlic cloves: Use a generous amount of fat garlic cloves, about 4-6.
Fresh herbs: A tablespoon each of fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, and fresh sage, plus a few sprigs for stuffing in the turkey.
Salt and pepper: Help season the turkey and enhance all of the delicious flavors.
Onion: Find a large one.
Roasting vegetables: You’ll need 4-6 cups or carrots, celery, and/or parsnips, cut into large chunks.
How to Make Easy Thanksgiving Turkey
1. Thaw the turkey. Make sure your turkey is completely thawed, which can take 3-5 days in the fridge. Bring to room temp an hour before cooking.
2. Prep the oven. Preheat to 325F and place the rack on the lower third of the oven.
3. Prep the turkey. Unwrap the turkey from the top end and drain in the sink. Remove the neck and gizzards (check both openings). Feel free to let it drain and dry longer in the sink by placing its cavity over a used wine bottle (much like beer-butt chicken). Then, transfer it to a sheet pan and dry it on all sides with paper towels.
4. Make the herb butter. Place softened butter in a bowl with minced garlic, a tablespoon lemon zest, a tablespoon each chopped rosemary, sage, and thyme, and a teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir into a thick paste.
5. Arrange the veggies. Cut the onion into wedges. Place half of the onion and all of the cut vegetables in the bottom of your roasting pan, along with the neck (cut in two). Top with a roasting rack, or you can rest the turkey over the veggies.
6. Season the turkey. Season the outside of the turkey generously with salt and pepper, making sure to get the back side, legs, wings, and inside the cavity. Stuff the cavity with already zested lemon halves or wedges, the remaining onion, and the remaining herbs.
7. Add the butter. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breast meat, being mindful to keep the skin intact. Rub the mixture under the skin, over the breast meat, and on the sides as evenly as possible. You can enter from the neck area, too.
Rub any extras from your hands or the bowl can be rubbed all over the skin (breast area and legs). If there is not enough, use spray olive oil– just a light coating will do. Then, season the top with salt and pepper.
8. Tuck the wings and tie the legs. Tuck the wings under the bird—picture it like clasping your hands behind your neck. Tuck the wings by lifting them up and behind.
Use kitchen twine to cross the legs and tie them closed.
9. Bake. Bake 15 minutes per pound of turkey, so for a 12 lb turkey, about 3 hours.
Check halfway through, rotating or tenting with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
Turkey is done when the thickest part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast side reach 165F.
10. Let rest. Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing to prevent the drippings from flowing out.
Chef’s Tips
Don’t forget to thaw! Turkey takes 3-5 days to thaw in the refrigerator.
If you’re in a hurry: You can melt the butter, add the herbs, garlic, lemon, zest, salt, and pepper, and rub this all over the outside of the turkey, but this will require some basting. Either way works!
Use a thermometer. The turkey is done when the innermost part of the thigh and thickest part of the breast reach 165F. Use a meat thermometer or probe thermometer.
Let rest before slicing. If you slice the turkey too early, all of the delicious juices will spill out. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Plan your prep time! Between the thawing, the cooking, and the resting, you’ll want to do the math on your prep time to make sure it is ready in time for dinner!
Meal prep: Prepare the turkey the night before and store in the refrigerator. Then all you have to do is remove it from the fridge, let it come to room temp ( one hour) and bake.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze leftover turkey for up to 3 months. I also like to freeze the bones and carcass to make turkey stock.
Thanksgiving Turkey Serving Suggestions
This Roast Turkey is the perfect recipe for your Thanksgiving or Christmas centerpiece. Check out our 55 Veggie-Forward Thanksgiving Side Dishes to help build out your menu. Some classics include:
FAQs
How many hours does it take to roast a turkey?
It takes 15 minutes per pound of turkey. A 12 pound turkey takes roughly 3 hrs.
Should a turkey be covered or uncovered when roasting?
Start by roasting the turkey uncovered. If it starts browning, tent foil over top to help it cook in the center without burning the outside.
How long should a turkey rest before carving?
At least 30 minutes. This prevents the juices from spilling out onto the cutting board.
What do I season a turkey with?
Here we use a generous amount of salt and pepper, garlic, lemon, fresh herbs, and butter.
What does putting butter under the skin of a turkey do?
This method infuses the turkey with rich flavor and adds moisture.
This Roast Turkey recipe is made with fresh herb butter infused with garlic and lemon zest, a simple, no-fuss Martha Stewart recipe that turns out tender and delicious every time!
12–14lb turkey, thawed
1/4cup butter, room temp
1 lemon, you’ll use the zest and lemon wedges
6 garlic cloves, finely minced- use a garlic press, or grate.
Fresh herbs: 1 tablespoon each: rosemary, thyme, and sage, plus a few sprigs for stuffing in the turkey.
1 teaspoon salt, more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more for sprinkling
one large onion, divided
4–8cups roasting vegetables: carrots, celery, parsnips, cut into large chunks (optional, if you have a rack you can skip, but they are yummy)
If frozen, make sure your turkey is completely thawed (this can take 3-5 days in the fridge). Bring to room temperature for one hour, before starting.
Preheat oven to 325 F and position the rack on the lower third of the oven.
Prep the turkey. Unwrap the turkey from the top end and drain it in the sink. Remove the neck and gizzards (check both openings). You can let it drain/dry longer in the sink, positioning its cavity over a used wine bottle (much like beer-butt chicken). Place it on a sheet pan and pat it dry on all sides using paper towels.
Make the herb butter. Place the softened butter in a bowl along with minced garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon chopped sage, and 1 tablespoon chopped thyme. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, and mix well into a thick paste. Set Aside.
Roasting pan: Place ½ of the onion (cut in wedges) and cut vegetables in the bottom of your roasting pan along with the neck (cut in two). Top with a roasting rack if using (or you can rest the turkey over the veggies).
Season and stuff: Sprinkle the back side, legs, wings and inside cavity of the turkey generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the already zested lemon (cut in half or wedges), the remaining half of the onion (wedges), and the remaining herbs.
Butter the bird: Carefully use your fingers to separate the skin from the breast meat, being mindful to keep the skin intact. (See photos.) You can enter through the next area too. Rub the butter under the skin, over the breast meat and sides as evenly as possible. Yes, it’s messy. Use any extras on your hands or in the bowl, to rub all over the top of the skin (breast area and legs), then season the top of the bird with salt and pepper. If you don’t have enough butter to lightly coat the top of the skin, use a little spray olive oil.
Tuck and Tie: Tuck the wings under the bird—hint: picture clasping your hands behind your neck. Tuck the wings this way, lifting them up and behind. Using kitchen twine, cross the legs and tie them closed.
Bake in the lower oven for 15 minutes per pound of turkey. For a 12 lb turkey, this is roughly 3 hours. Check halfway through, rotating or tenting with foil to prevent over-browning. Turkey is done when the innermost part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast reach 165F.
Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing to prevent the juices from flowing out.
Notes
If you are in a hurry, you can melt the butter, add the herbs, garlic, lemon, zest, salt, and pepper, and rub this all over the outside of the turkey, either way works. 🙂
Leftovers will keep 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the bones and carcass to make turkey stock.
