This easy recipe produces an oven roasted turkey with juicy, delicious meat and a crispy, golden-brown skin.
Once you know how to roast a turkey in the oven, you’ll feel confident cooking poultry of any size for crowds large and small.
Make this Oven Roasted Turkey Because…
- The easy step-by-step instructions include times and temperatures to cook the perfect whole turkey (or chicken!) for any occasion.
- Fresh poultry herbs, onions, celery, garlic, and butter add baked-in, savory flavor to your holiday bird.
- The expert tips and cooking method will help create moist and delicious results.
- You can use the carcass stripped of meat to make a delicious broth.
Ingredients
Ingredients: Use a fresh or frozen whole turkey and remember to remove the giblets and neck to make gravy. This recipe can also be used for breasts and drumsticks as well.
Seasonings: Poultry herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary add a savory, earthy flavor to the oven-roasted turkey along with the onion, celery, and garlic.
Variations
Amplify the flavor with a melted butter herb garlic seasoning to brush over the skin in Step 4. You can also brush melted bacon grease over the skin for an even more crispy skin flavor and a touch of smoky goodness.
How To Roast a Turkey in The Oven
- Remove giblets and neck (if included) and pat the skin dry.
- Oil the outside of the turkey and season the inside (recipe below).
- Tuck wings under the body and truss the legs together.
- Roast the turkey, breast side up in a pan with vegetables and broth.
Helpful Hints
- To safely thaw a frozen turkey, place it in a bag and pan to catch any drips, then refrigerate 24 hours for every 4 pounds. Be sure to cook it within 3 days. Your turkey is fully thawed when the breast meat is pliable and the legs and wings move freely and read between 30°F and 40°F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh.
- No rack? No problem. Place turkey on a ‘raft’ made with chopped celery, onions, and radishes. While the turkey roasts, the savory juices cook into the veggies that can later be served with the turkey or pureed and added to the gravy.
- Basting isn’t necessary and reduces cooking time when the oven door is opened repeatedly. Place a foil tent over the top of the turkey if the skin appears to be overly browning before the turkey is done.
- A meat thermometer is the best way to determine when a turkey is done and will ensure the best results. Insert it into the thickest part of the breast. It should read 165°F.
Serving and Storing Roasted Turkey
Low-carb sides to a perfectly roasted turkey are keto stuffing, cranberry sauce, Brussels sprouts, green beans, and a classic pumpkin pie.
Keep leftover oven-roasted turkey meat from the carcass before storing it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Save the carcass for broth. Freeze portions of turkey meat in zippered bags for up to 3 months and use in stuffed peppers or some quick and easy turkey tacos, or in a low carb flatbread wrap.
Keto Sides for Your Turkey Feast
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Oven Roasted Turkey
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10-12 pound whole turkey
- ¼ cup oil or melted butter
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 ribs celery
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 package mixed poultry herbs
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- ½ cup chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
- Remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity if present. Pat the skin dry with paper towels.
- Brush the butter or oil over the skin and season the turkey generously with salt and pepper. Add the onion, poultry herbs, and whole garlic cloves to the cavity. Tuck the wing tips beneath the turkey and tie the legs together.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large roasting pan and add the turkey breast side up. Add the broth to the bottom of the pan along with the celery and remaining onion. Add neck and giblets if desired.
- Place the pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 325°F. Roast the unstuffed turkey for 15 to 17 minutes per pound or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
- If the skin begins to appear too brown, tent with a piece of foil over the top.
- Remove the turkey from the roasting pan to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
- The turkey should reach 165°F. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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