How to Roast a Turkey

Recipes

November 17, 2018

This Thanksgiving, we’ve got some helpful instructions on how to roast a turkey so you can impress your guests. Check out the recipe and pointers below that will take the guesswork out of cooking the most delicious bird ever.

Turkey tips

For more tender meat, choose a smaller bird. If you have several guests, cook two smaller birds – you’ll have plenty of meat and they’ll cook faster than one large turkey. Or add a turkey breast.
How big a turkey should you buy? Plan for about a pound of turkey per person. Feeding 10? Get a 10-pound turkey.
You don’t need to baste a turkey while it cooks. Basting doesn’t penetrate the skin and the oven loses heat while you’re basting.

Shop turkey and all the fixings for your picture-perfect dinner. And discover the best prices on fresh ingredients, wine pairings and more.

SERVES:: 16
PREP TIME:: 10 minutes
COOK TIME:: See Chart Below

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Ingredients

1 whole turkey – see chart below for cook times based on size, and whether or not your turkey is stuffed.
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. each: dried thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir together butter and herbs in a small bowl. Place turkey breast side up on a rack in a heavy-duty large roasting pan. Rub it inside and out with the butter mixture.
Roast according to chart below or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F, tenting loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. Let turkey rest outside the oven for up to 30 minutes, covered with foil, before carving.

Weight of Bird	Roasting Time (Unstuffed)	Roasting Time (Stuffed)

10 to 18 pounds	3 to 3-1/2 hours	3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours
18 to 22 pounds	3-1/2 to 4 hours	4-1/2 to 5 hours
22 to 24 pounds	4 to 4-1/2 hours	5 to 5-1/2 hours
24 to 29 pounds	4-1/2 to 5 hours	5-1/2 to 6-1/4 hours