Best 6 Roast Turkey Easy Steps For New Cooks Recipes

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Indulge in a festive feast with our comprehensive guide to roasting a succulent and flavorful turkey. Perfectly suited for novice cooks, this step-by-step culinary journey will equip you with the essential techniques to achieve a golden-brown, juicy centerpiece for your special occasion. Discover the secrets to preparing a classic roasted turkey, complete with tantalizing herb butter and a delightful gravy recipe. Elevate your culinary skills with our foolproof instructions for a mouthwatering turkey that will leave your guests craving for more.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY



Perfect Roast Turkey image

Use lemon, garlic and thyme to flavor Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Turkey recipe from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network, great for the holidays or just dinner.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h20m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 whole lemon, halved
1 Spanish onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
  • Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
  • Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
  • Slice the turkey and serve.

SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY



Simple Roast Turkey image

Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 6h15m

Yield 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

One 18- to 20-pound whole turkey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 lemons, zested
1 orange, zested

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
  • Remove the giblets from inside the turkey. Pat the turkey dry and place it on a roasting rack, breast-side up. Cross the legs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Tuck the wings under the bird and transfer the roasting rack to its pan. Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Cover the whole bird and pan with aluminum foil, tucking it all the way under the pan. Roast for the first stage for 10 minutes per pound, 3 to 3 1/2 hours for an 18- to 20-pound turkey.
  • Meanwhile, place the butter, rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon zest and orange zest in a bowl. Mix together until combined.
  • After the first stage of cooking, remove the turkey from the oven and remove the foil. The turkey will still be pale at this stage. Smear the butter mixture all over the skin and into the crevices of the turkey so that it is totally covered. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Return the turkey to the oven and roast, basting every 30 minutes, until the internal temperature on the thermometer reads 165 degrees F, an additional 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  • Put the turkey on a cutting board, cover loosely with fresh aluminum foil and rest for 25 to 30 minutes until you're ready to carve, saving the pan juices for gravy.

A SIMPLY PERFECT ROAST TURKEY



A Simply Perfect Roast Turkey image

Simple, perfect roast turkey just like grandma used to make. Seasoned with salt and pepper, and basted with turkey stock, the flavors of the turkey really stand out. Stuff with your favorite dressing.

Provided by Syd

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Turkey     Whole Turkey Recipes

Time 4h30m

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 (18 pound) whole turkey
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ quarts turkey stock
8 cups prepared stuffing

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
  • Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
  • Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 4 hours.
  • Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 662.6 calories, Carbohydrate 13.7 g, Cholesterol 211.4 mg, Fat 33.8 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 72.2 g, SaturatedFat 10.4 g, Sodium 709.5 mg, Sugar 2 g

SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY



Simple Roast Turkey image

For all the attention we lavish on Thanksgiving turkeys, the truth is more work does not necessarily yield a better bird. That's right: You can skip brining, stuffing, trussing and basting. Instead of a messy wet brine, use a dry rub (well, technically a dry brine) - a salt and pepper massage that locks in moisture and seasons the flesh. No stuffing or trussing allows the bird to cook more quickly, with the white and dark meat finishing closer to the same time. And if you oil but don't baste your turkey, you'll get crisp skin without constantly opening the oven.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     dinner, main course

Time 3h30m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
Coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 lemon, zested and quartered
1 bunch fresh thyme or rosemary
1 bunch fresh sage
12 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 bottle hard apple cider (12 ounces)
Dry white wine, as needed
2 onions, peeled and quartered
3 bay leaves
Olive oil or melted butter, as needed

Steps:

  • Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
  • Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
  • When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
  • Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff the remaining onion quarters and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
  • Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

ROAST TURKEY (EASY STEPS FOR NEW COOKS)



Roast Turkey (Easy Steps for New Cooks) image

With Thanksgiving, Christmas etc sneaking up on us I thought it may be helpful for new cooks to have an easy step by step recipe for roasting a Turkey. This is a straight forward basic recipe. Add to the preparation time the time to make the stuffing and gravy. Happy cooking

Provided by Bergy

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time 6h30m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 (14 lb) turkey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons dried sage
2 tablespoons dried thyme
onion mushroom dressing (already posted on Genius Kitchen)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325f and put a rack in a roasting pan.
  • N.B. If you use a foil roasting pan have it seated firmly on a solid tray do not attempt to carry it on it's own without bottom support.
  • Remove neck& giblets from the cavity of the bird Rinse turkey thoroughly inside and out patting it dry with a paper towel.
  • Sprinkle salt& pepper inside and over the skin of the bird Stuff the bird with dressing.
  • N.B. Do not do this until just before you are going to cook the bird.
  • Stuff the neck cavity as well as the body cavity.
  • Secure the neck flap with a skewer or stitch it Tie drumsticks together and close the body cavity securely.
  • In a small bowl combine butter,rosemary, sage& thyme, mix well Gently loosen the skin covering the breast, be careful not to tear it Spread herb mixture under the skin and over it Place turkey on rack in the roasting pan Roast the turkey basting every 20 minutes or so If the bird begins to brown too soon place a piece of tin foil loosely over it.
  • The bird is cooked when a meat thermometer reaches 180 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh Apprx 5 1/2 hours Remove turkey from roaster and let stand for 25 minutes Remove ALL the stuffing from the bird, Carve and Serve (Left over turkey and stuffing can be frozen as long as you freeze them separately) Make gravy in the roasting pan while the turkey is resting (a separate recipe will be posted or try one that is already posted).

NEW ENGLAND ROAST TURKEY



New England Roast Turkey image

This adaptation of an old Yankee Magazine recipe for classic New England roast turkey is solid and unfancy, the sort that has adorned tables from Portsmouth north for generations. Old-line New Englanders may be tempted to soak an old cotton button-down dress shirt in butter and drape it over the bird for the first two hours. But this is not necessary.

Provided by Sam Sifton

Categories     dinner, roasts, main course

Time 4h30m

Yield 12 or more servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 12- to 14-pound turkey
2 1/4 cups kosher salt, more as needed
1 cup white sugar
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked, more as needed
3 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme and sage
1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

Steps:

  • Rinse turkey under cold water and place on a rack in its roasting pan while you make the brine.
  • For the brine, combine salt, sugar, bay leaves, pepper and herbs with 2 1/2 gallons water in a pot or cooler large enough to hold turkey comfortably. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Put turkey in brine and refrigerate or ice overnight, at least 12 hours.
  • When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove bird from brine, drain well and pat very dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Set turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set into a large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, then fill the cavity with onion, celery and carrots. Fold wings under the bird and tie its legs together with butcher's twine. Roast for 30 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast approximately 3 hours more, basting bird every 30 minutes with drippings and tenting it with foil if skin is turning too dark, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board or platter and allow to rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 584, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 22 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 76 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 1261 milligrams, Sugar 18 grams, TransFat 0 grams

Tips:

  • Thaw the turkey properly: Place the frozen turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of turkey. For faster thawing, submerge the sealed turkey in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after thawing.
  • Choose the right size turkey: A good rule of thumb is 1 pound of turkey per person. If you have leftovers, you can use them in sandwiches, salads, or casseroles.
  • Season the turkey inside and out: Use a combination of salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs and spices. You can also add a citrus marinade or brine to add flavor.
  • Roast the turkey breast-side up: This will help the breast meat stay moist. Cover the turkey with foil during the first half of cooking to prevent the skin from getting too brown.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature: The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast and 175 degrees Fahrenheit in the thigh.
  • Let the turkey rest before carving: This will help the juices redistribute throughout the meat, making it more tender and flavorful.

Conclusion:

Roasting a turkey can seem daunting, but it's actually quite easy if you follow these simple steps. With a little planning and preparation, you can create a delicious and memorable Thanksgiving dinner that your family and friends will love.

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