Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (2024)

Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays, for three bigreasons:

1. It involves myfavorite meal of the year (…Top 5 at least).

2. It heralds the start of nonstop Christmas music on the radio. Because I’m a weirdo who never gets tired of Perry Como and Nat King Cole singing about chestnuts on open fires/the only person on earth who still listens to the radio.

3. Pie. Thanksgiving is by far, the biggest of the pie holidays.

The big day is in just a week and a half, and it’s time to start thinking about cooking your bird. I’ve always been a bit puzzled by people making such a huge deal out of their Thanksgiving turkeys. I mean…turkey help hotlines? Brine recipes? Electric meat saws?

It’s all a little too much.

Why We Make THIS Recipe Every Year

For as long as I can remember, this has been the Thanksgiving turkey recipe prepared in our house every Thanksgiving without fail. My grandfather, a chef by trade, would use this method to roast chickens at the restaurant he worked in, and for turkey every holiday season. He passed the recipe down to my parents, and they let my sister and me in on the secret of how to cook a turkey perfectly.

This Thanksgiving turkey recipe requires no large plastic tubs, surgical gloves, brining spices, or deep fat fryers. You don’t even need many ingredients.

There’s no complex preparation in advance, beyond whipping up a quick marinade in the food processor (the recipe works just as well with a regular knife and cutting board too), and it’s always awesome. The main flavor agents are garlic and salt, but you really don’t get a strong garlicky flavor after it’s cooking. It’s super mellow, really juicy and hands down, the best roast turkey we have had.

Ok, I’ve talked quite enough. Just as a heads up, we have a few Thanksgiving sidesin the pipeline for the coming days, so look out for those and check out our collection of Holiday season and Thanksgiving recipes. Onward!

Grandpa’s Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey: Recipe Instructions

4-5 days before roasting (depending on the size of your turkey), start thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. Budget about 1 day of thawing time for every 5 pounds, so a 15 pound turkey would take around 3 days.

(If your turkey isn’t completely thawed the night before roasting, you can finish the thawing process in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Be sure to return it to the refrigerator right after marinating.)

On the day before you plan to roast it, make the marinade by combining the garlic, salt, black pepper, olive oil, and butter in the food processor. Pulse until you have a very fine paste.

Put your carrots, celery, and onions on the bottom of your roasting pan. This will be the roasting “rack” that your turkey will sit on.

Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (1)

Remove the turkey from the package. Remove the neck and the giblets from the turkey cavity and give the bird a good rinse with cold water. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels, and lay it breast side up in the pan.

Ok, so before I go any further, you may have noticed that we didn’t say anything about removing the turkey tail. This KILLS me as I veg outon the couch watching Food Network Thanksgiving specials. The turkey tail is always mysteriously missing. Is this a regular thing? People wantonly chopping off the turkey tail for aesthetic reasons? It’s malarkey!

My nose-to-tail philosophy and generalAsian street cred compel me to say: do. not. throw. away. the. tail.

Just trust me on this.

Ok, so spread half of your marinade all over the top side of theturkey, making sure you cover every surface and crevice, including the cavity. Flip the bird over so it’s laying breast side down, and spread the other half of the marinade over this side of the turkey. Cover the roasting pan tightly with plastic and allow to marinate overnight. You can also spread some marinade over the neck and the giblets and add them to the roasting pan as well.

Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (2)

On the morning of the big day, take the turkey out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter(so you’re not putting a cold turkey directly into the oven, which can prevent it from cooking evenly).About 3 hours before you’re ready to eat, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and arrange the oven rack so it’s in the lower third of the oven. Take the plastic off your roasting pan and lift up the turkey to empty any liquid that might have accumulated in the cavity as it sat out on the counter. Make sure the wings are tucked in, and roast at 425 degrees for 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through.

Remove the turkey from the oven and lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Using clean kitchen towels or a sturdy wooden spoon, flip the turkey breast-side up. Roast the turkey at the lower temperature for another hour (for a 12 pound turkey) to an hour and a half (for a 14 pound turkey), until the thigh registers 165 degrees and the juices run clear (i.e. not pink). Rotate the pan halfway through the second roasting process as well.

Roasting Times & Tips for Different Sized Turkeys

We think a 14-15 pound turkey is the perfect size—it cooks quickly and evenly, and you have a good chance of both the thighs and breast finishing at the same time for juicy dark AND white meat.

If, however, you have a larger or smaller turkey, here are approximate roasting times.

Turkey WeightRoasting Time Breast-Side Down at 425°F/215°CRoasting Time Breast-Side Up at 325°F/160°CTotal Roasting Time
12 to 14 pounds (5.4-6.4 kg)1 hour1 to 1.5 hours2 to 2.5 hours
15 to 17 pounds (6.8-7.7 kg)1 hour1.5 to 2 hours2.5 to 3 hours
18 to 22 pounds (8.1-10kg)1 hour2 to 2.5 hours3 to 3.5 hours

For instance, for an 18-pound turkey, you would roast for 1 hour breast-side-down at 425°F/215°C and then flip the turkey breast-side-up and roast at 325°F/160°C for 2 hours, for a total of 3 hours.

Important Notes:

  • Be sure to increase or decrease marinade ingredients proportionally to any changes in turkey size. Click on the serving # in the recipe card below to scale the recipe up or down according to the weight of your turkey.
  • Remember to rotate the roasting pan 180° halfway through the first hour of cooking, and then again halfway through the cooking time at 325°F/160°C. This will help ensure even cooking.
  • If you’re cooking a larger turkey, tent the breast lightly with foil after it has turned golden brown, so it stays moist even with the extended cooking time.
  • Towards the end of your estimated cooking time, it’s a good idea to test your turkey temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, to prevent even slight overcooking!

Remove your Thanksgiving turkey from the oven, transfer to a carving board or serving plate, cover looselywith foil, and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.

Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (3)

Now, we know everyone has their own method for gravy, but here’s ours: tip all the drippings from the roasting pan into a gravy separator. You want about 10 tablespoons of fat and 6 cups of the juices. If you don’t have enough of either, you can add butter (if you need morefat) andchicken stock (if you don’t have enoughjuice).

Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (4)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the turkey fat and/or butter.Gradually stir in enough flour to make a roux, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the roux turns a dark brown color, about 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in the turkey juices and/or broth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer until thickened (when it coats the back of a spoon, it’s perfect). If it’s too thick, add more broth or water. And that’s it!

This is the Thanksgiving turkey recipe that we always make, and it turns out perfectly every time. Plus, that turkey tail? Kaitlin and my dad fight over it every year. Every. Year. And then they just end up cutting it in half, and all is well with the world.

Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone!

Behind-the-scenes note: we made this Thanksgiving turkey in September to prepare for this very post. #doublethanksgiving #foodbloggerperks #AWESOME.

Oh, and one last point about your turkey. Keep the turkey carcass for the next day to make our Leftover Turkey Congeeor a satisfying Leftover Turkey Ramen!

Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (5)

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4.98 from 43 votes

Grandpa’s Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

This easy, reliable Thanksgiving turkey recipe uses a quick marinade in the food processor, and it always turns out awesome. The main flavor agents are garlic and salt, but you really don’t get a strong garlicky flavor after it’s cooking. It’s super mellow, and really juicy.

by: Sarah

Course:Chicken and Poultry

Cuisine:American

Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (6)

serves: 12

Prep: 12 hours hours

Cook: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total: 14 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Print

Rate

Ingredients

  • 12-14 pound young turkey
  • 7 cloves garlic
  • 2 – 2 1/2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter (melted)
  • 4 carrots (cut into 2-inch lengths)
  • 3 stalks celery (cut into 2-inch lengths)
  • 2 onions (cut into wedges)

Instructions

  • 4-5 days before roasting (depending on the size of your turkey), start thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. Budget about 1 day of thawing time for every 5 pounds. On the day before you plan to roast it, make the marinade by combining the garlic, salt, black pepper, olive oil, and butter in the food processor. Pulse until you have a very fine paste.

  • Put your carrots, celery, and onions on the bottom of your roasting pan. This will be the roasting “rack” that your turkey will sit on.

  • Remove the turkey from the package. Remove the neck and the giblets from the turkey cavity and give the bird a good rinse with cold water. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels, and lay it breast side up in the pan.

  • Spread half of your marinade all over the top side of the turkey, making sure you cover every surface and crevice, including the cavity. Flip the bird over so it’s laying breast side down, and spread the other half of the marinade over this side of the turkey. Cover the roasting pan tightly with plastic and allow to marinate overnight. You can also spread some marinade over the neck and the giblets and add them to the roasting pan as well.

  • On the morning of the big day, take the turkey out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter (so you’re not putting a cold turkey directly into the oven, which can prevent it from cooking evenly). About 3 hours before you’re ready to eat, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and arrange the oven rack so it’s in the lower third of the oven. Take the plastic off your roasting pan and lift up the turkey to empty any liquid that might have accumulated in the cavity as it sat out on the counter. Make sure the wings are tucked in, and roast at 425 degrees for 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through.

  • Remove the turkey from the oven and lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Using clean kitchen towels or a sturdy wooden spoon, flip the turkey breast-side up. Roast the turkey at the lower temperature for another hour (for a 12 pound turkey) to an hour and a half (for a 14 pound turkey), until the thigh registers 165 degrees and the juices run clear (i.e. not pink). Rotate the pan halfway through the second roasting process as well.

  • Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to a carving board or serving plate, cover loosely with foil, and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.

  • Now, we know everyone has their own method for gravy, but here’s ours: tip all the drippings from the roasting pan into a gravy separator. You want about 10 tablespoons of fat and 6 cups of the juices. If you don’t have enough of either, you can add butter (if you need more fat) and chicken stock (if you don’t have enough juice). In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the turkey fat and/or butter. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a roux, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the roux turns a dark brown color, about 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in the turkey juices and/or broth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer until thickened (when it coats the back of a spoon, it’s perfect). If it’s too thick, add more broth or water. That’s it!

nutrition facts

Calories: 536kcal (27%) Carbohydrates: 5g (2%) Protein: 70g (140%) Fat: 25g (38%) Saturated Fat: 6g (30%) Cholesterol: 234mg (78%) Potassium: 846mg (24%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 2g (2%) Vitamin A: 3650IU (73%) Vitamin C: 3.4mg (4%) Calcium: 54mg (5%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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Grandpa's Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to cook turkey at 325 or 350? ›

We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey. We've done the math for you — check out the chart below to determine both turkey cook times and estimated servings (with leftovers!).

Is a 15 lb turkey enough for 10 people? ›

The general rule of thumb is 1–1½ pounds turkey per person. If that seems like a lot, remember that a whole turkey comes with a lot of parts that don't end up getting eaten.

Do you cook a butterball turkey at 325 or 350? ›

Preheat oven to 325° F. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels. Place turkey breast-side-up on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2½ inches deep. Turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place.

How many people will a 20 pound turkey feed? ›

A 20-pound turkey will feed between 12 and 14 people.

How long does it take to cook a 15 lb turkey at 325? ›

325°F for 3 to 3¾ hours. For a 15- to 16-pound turkey: 425°F for 3 to 3¼ hours. 400°F for 3¼ to 3½ hours.

Is it better to cook a turkey covered or uncovered? ›

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

How long does it take to thaw a 15 lb turkey? ›

It takes 24 hours for every four to five pounds of weight for a turkey to thaw in the refrigerator (a 15-pound turkey will take three days to thaw in your refrigerator). A completely thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for one or two days before cooking.

How many people does a 10lb turkey fees? ›

How to Figure Out How Much Turkey Per Person
Number of GuestsTurkey Weight–
810lbs
1013lbs
1215lbs
1520lbs
4 more rows
Nov 21, 2022

How long do you cook a 14-pound turkey? ›

The most straightforward approach is to roast an unstuffed turkey, breast-side up, for 13 minutes per pound of turkey at 350°. That works out to approximately 3 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird (a 12-pound turkey is pretty standard).

Do you rinse a Butterball turkey before cooking? ›

Wash your hands, but not the turkey! Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it's virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.

Should I put butter under the skin of my turkey? ›

There are four essential steps for a perfectly roasted Thanksgiving turkey: brining, stuffing with aromatics, rubbing with herb compound butter, and roasting to perfection. The herb butter does double duty. Part of it is rubbed under the skin and over the meat of the bird for a major boost in flavor.

How long should a turkey rest before carving? ›

First, allow your cooked turkey to sit for about 20 minutes before starting to carve. Beginning halfway up the breast, slice straight down with an even stroke. When the knife reaches the cut above the wing joint, the slice should fall free on its own.

Is 20 lb turkey too big? ›

Here at Delish we believe in hitting the sweet spot. While 1 pound per person could feel like too little, and 1 1/2 pounds for each guest might be over-doing it, 1 1/4 pounds of turkey per mouth is the perfect balance. At that rate, feeding a large party of 15 or more people requires 20+ pounds of turkey.

What size turkey is best? ›

One of the most frequently asked questions is what size turkey to buy. The rule of thumb is 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person with leftovers and 1 pound of turkey per person without leftovers. If your guest list includes a lot of kids, lean towards a smaller size turkey.

Will a 16 pound turkey feed 10 people? ›

8 to 10 people = 8- to 15-lb. turkey. 12 to 16 people = 12- to 24-lb.

What is the best temperature to cook a turkey to keep it moist? ›

Oven-Roasted Turkey

We recommend starting the turkey in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes before tenting the pan with foil and lowering the temperature to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the bird.

What is the best oven setting for cooking a turkey? ›

Oven Temps: Best roasting is two stage process—425°F (218°C) for 1 hour, then down to 325°F (163°C) for however long it takes until the turkey is done.

How long to cook at 325 vs 350? ›

In general, you may need to increase the baking time by 10-25% to compensate for the lower temperature.

Is it better to cook turkey at lower or higher temp? ›

The bigger the bird, the lower the temperature you should cook it (and for a longer time), Guillard says. "You want to make sure it's (cooked) throughout without getting too brown on the outside," he says. For example, if he had a 20 pound turkey, Guillard says he would cook it at around 300 degrees.

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