This recipe uses a nice thyme based rub that will give your roasted turkey a savory edge that browns well. Sometimes I roast the turkey with an open cavity, sometimes with stuffy and other times I spatchcock the bird to roast faster and more evenly (results in juicer bird). There are an assortment of baking tips at the bottom to help you out.
Ingredients
- 14 lb Turkey – fully thawed two days in fridge (increase rub recipe if larger)
- Rub
- 1 tsp Olive oil – or butter
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 2 tsp Paprika – your choice but I recommend smoked
- 1 tsp Thyme leaves – chopped
- 1 tsp Black pepper – ground
- 1 tsp Kosher salt – or more to taste
Process
- Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Mix dry ingredients in bowl to make the rub.
- Thoroughly rinse bird and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place bird in roasting pan breast side up and brush with oil.
- Sprinkle herbs onto skin and pat to get good adhesion.
- Cover bird loosely with foil and roast 2hrs + 15 mins for each additional pound.
- Remove foil and roast 1 hr or until internal temp of thigh is 165 F.
- Bast occasionally with juices.
- Let bird rest for 20 mins while you make the gravy with pan juices.
Tips:
- If stuffing the bird, pack loosely.
- Roast bird breast side down for first hour to get more moist meat.
- Layer bottom of pan with celery to add flavor to your gravy.
- Put onion in cavity or pan to give gravy more flavor.
- Butter give more moist turkey than olive oil.
- Can add 2 cups of chicken stock to the bottom of roasting pan to keep bird moist and for gravy.
- Stuffed cooking times
- 14-18 lb bird: 4 – 4.5 hours
- 18-20 lb bird: 4.25 – 4.75 hours
- 20-24 lb bird: 4.75 – 5.25 hours
- 24-30 lb bird: 5.25 – 6.25 hours
