How to Cook A Whole Turkey - No Basting Required!

You do not need to be overwhelmed by the process of cooking a whole turkey. This method for cooking a turkey will produce a delicious, juicy, tender, roasted turkey that will wow your dinner guests with very little effort on your part!

When people find themselves in charge of cooking a turkey, they can oftentimes become overwhelmed. Worse yet, they don’t plan accordingly and find themselves with not enough time to thaw or cook a turkey and dinner can be ruined. That does not need to be the case!

I am going to break down a simple process for cooking a turkey that will work with any variety of turkey. Brined or not, big or small, and fresh or frozen. This is the only recipe for a whole turkey you will ever need. 

Even better news, cooking a turkey is actually quite easy! And when prepared using this method, your turkey will be flavorful, juicy, and tender, not at all dry. Just be warned, you may be put in charge of cooking the turkey every year!

What You Need to Cook a Turkey

Before you start to prepare your turkey, you need to ensure you have the right equipment and ingredients. 

• Turkey: This method for cooking turkey works with a fresh or frozen turkey. If using a frozen turkey, you will need to fully thaw the turkey before roasting. 
• Roasting Pan: For a perfectly roasted turkey, you will want to use a roasting pan that is fitted with a roasting rack. You don't need an expensive pan, but be sure you select a pan that will fit your turkey. 
• Oven-Safe Thermometer: A meat thermometer is a must-have to ensure you don't overcook your turkey. I highly recommend using an oven-safe thermometer with an alarm, so you can set it and forget it. Leaving you with time to worry about the side dishes or setting the table. 
• Vegetables/Fruit (optional): To add a bit of additional flavor to the turkey, I recommend adding onion, apple, and celery to the cavity of the turkey. The vegetables and fruit will infuse the meat with a bit of flavor but this is not optional. 
• Canola Oil: The canola oil will help the turkey skin brown and crisp up. Don't be tempted to substitute the oil with butter. We will be roasting the turkey at such a high temperature to start, the butter would burn. 
• Seasoning: If you don't brine your turkey before roasting, you will want to season the turkey before roasting. You can simply use kosher salt and black pepper or your favorite poultry seasoning blend. 
• Brining Bag (optional): If you decide to brine your turkey before cooking it, you will need a brining bag or leak-proof large vessel that can hold your turkey and brine. 
• Aluminum Foil: In order to prevent the breast from browning too quickly, you likely will need to tent the turkey breast with a bit of foil. I recommend resting the turkey tented in foil after cooking as well.

The Best (and Easiest) Way to Cook a Whole Turkey

Step One: Thaw Turkey if Needed

If using a frozen turkey, the most crucial step to cooking a turkey is to thaw your turkey fully before cooking the turkey. This is often the most miscalculated or overlooked step when it comes to cooking turkey. You need to plan for 24 hours per every 5 pounds of turkey for thawing. If you plan to brine your turkey, keep in mind you will want your turkey to be fully thawed 12-24 hours before you plan to cook the turkey. 

Step Two: Brine Turkey (optional) 

While not necessary, preparing a brine to soak the turkey is never a bad idea. Any turkey, frozen or fresh, will taste better benefits if brined using my Turkey Brine Recipe prior to cooking. The white and dark meat will become perfectly seasoned and stay moist when cooked if you first brine your turkey. 

Step Three: Prepare for Roasting

It is best to take the chill off your turkey for 30-60 minutes before roasting the turkey. This will help the skin to crisp up AND the turkey to cook evenly. Use this time to also preheat your oven. I also recommend patting the turkey with paper towels to dry the skin, as that will help the skin to crisp up while the turkey roasts.

• If you did NOT brine your turkey, now is the time to remove the turkey from the packaging, and remove the bag of giblets, which could be in either the body or neck cavity. Remove and discard the plastic pop-up timer as well. Place the turkey on the roasting pan breast-side up. 
• If you DID brine your turkey, remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it well, and then place the turkey on the roasting ban breast-side up. 

Step Four: Season

When prepared correctly, you don't really need much to prepare a flavorful turkey, especially if roasting a brined turkey. I recommend brushing with canola oil, which will help the skin crisp up. If you didn't brine the turkey liberally sprinkle the turkey with kosher salt and pepper or poultry seasoning. I also recommend placing onion slices, apple slices, and celery into the cavity of the turkey, which will help infuse flavor into the meat of the turkey.

Step Five: Roast

The key to ensuring your turkey has crispy skin and yet stays juicy comes down to two things. The first is to roast your turkey at a high temperature for the first 30 minutes. This will allow the skin to turn a beautiful brown, and work to in a sense sear the skin of the turkey which will help to keep the juice inside the meat of the turkey. The second key is to roast your turkey until it reaches exactly 161 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast. This will ensure that your turkey does not overcook, but is safe to eat as it will reach 165 degrees F after it rests. 

Step Six: Rest Turkey

You MUST rest your turkey before carving it! This will not only help the turkey to fully reach the appropriate temperature, but it will also keep your turkey meat nice and juicy. You can use this time to make turkey gravy OR put the finishing touches on your side dishes.  

Step Seven: Carve & Serve

You can present your turkey whole on a platter for serving or you can carve it before bringing it to the table.

While you may be nervous about carving a turkey, don't be! It is just like carving a chicken--albeit a large chicken. You just need a sharp knife and a bit of patience. And even if you struggle to beautifully carve your turkey, it will still taste delicious. 

• To carve the turkey, remove the wings and then the thighs first. The best way to do this is to pop out the joints that adhere the wings and thighs to the bird and then cut straight through the joint. Separate the thighs and drumsticks if desired. 
• To carve the turkey breasts, slice the meat off the rib cage, cutting as close to the rib bones as possible. Cut the breast meat into individual slices if desired. 
• Serve the turkey with or without turkey gravy and enjoy the juiciest turkey ever!

FAQs about Roasting Turkey

To help answer all your turkey cooking-related questions, here is a quick overview of the most frequently asked questions. 

How to Store Leftover Turkey

• Refrigerate: Carve the turkey as desired, or pull off the turkey meat from the carcass of the bird. Place the turkey meat into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Place carved turkey meat into a freezer-safe bag, remove the excess air, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipes Using Leftover Turkey

I personally opt to purchase a larger turkey than I need strictly to enjoy the leftover turkey meat. You can check out my favorite leftover turkey recipes below, use the leftover turkey meat in any recipe that calls for leftover rotisserie chicken, or in one of my leftover Thanksgiving recipes.

• Copycat Panera Turkey Sandwich
• Turkey Tetrazzini
• Southwest Turkey Soup

Serving Suggestions

While this roasted turkey deserves to be the star of the show, you can't forget the sides, especially if preparing a Thanksgiving Turkey. Below are some of my favorite side dishes to pair with turkey. For more inspiration enjoy all of my easy Thanksgiving Recipes.

• Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Green Bean Casserole

I hope these step-by-step directions for cooking turkey gave you confidence that you can prepare a delicious turkey that will wow your guests! If you gave this recipe a try, please be sure to leave a comment.