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Best Tasting Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Delicious turkey recipe that comes out juicy and nicely browned for your Thanksgiving table!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time7 hours 30 minutes
Refrigerate overnight8 hours
Total Time15 hours 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Juicy Turkey, Thanksgiving, Turkey
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Roasting Pan
  • plastic wrap enough to cover turkey several times
  • meat thermometer

Ingredients

  • 8 tsp salt
  • 4 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 20lb fresh turkey completely unthawed
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1 celery stalk chopped
  • 1 onion chunked
  • 1 green apple quartered
  • 1/2 stick butter melted

Instructions

  • Completely thaw turkey in refrigerator. Will take about 4-5 days
  • Remove any plastic and empty the cavity. Discard giblet unless you are using later.
  • Rinse turkey, including the cavity. Pat dry.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the salt, paprika, onion powder, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Rub mix spices all over turkey. You can even rub under skin.
  • Wrap spiced turkey in plastic wrap til it is completely sealed. Store wrapped turkey in roasting pan in refrigerator overnight.
  • Next day, pull turkey out of refrigerator 1/2 hour before going into oven.
  • Heat oven to 450 degrees.
  • While oven is warming, remove plastic wrap from turkey. Take melted butter and rub all over turkey and under turkey skin.
  • Place turkey, BREAST SIDE DOWN, in roasting pan. It will look upside down compared to what you are used to.
  • Add chopped apple, celery, carrots, and onion to cavity.
  • Add 1/2 - 1 cup of water, around turkey, just enough to barely cover bottom of pan. Turkey will release a lot of juice as it cooks!
  • Put turkey in oven with breast side down, in oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees and cook another 1 1/2 (if your turkey is bigger, you may cook for 2 hours).
  • After cooking turkey with breast side down for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, flip the turkey so breast is up. Cook another 2 1/2 hours.
  • Check on turkey and If it is browning too much then cover lightly with foil.
  • Cook turkey til it reaches 165 degrees.
  • Pull turkey from oven. Let rest, tented with foil, for 30 minutes.
  • All total, turkey will be in oven for about 4 1/2 - 5 hours.