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The Best Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 139 reviews
  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: 10 servings
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This recipe guides you through making the best juicy roast turkey, featuring an aromatic herb and spice marinade infused deep into the meat using a flavor injector, resulting in a perfectly moist interior and crispy, flavorful skin. With a balance of fresh rosemary, thyme, garlic, ginger, and seasoning cubes combined in both an injected liquid and a butter-based rub, this turkey is marinated and slow roasted to succulent perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

Turkey and Marinade

  • 1 turkey (12 pounds), thawed and at room temperature
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 1/2 inch ginger root, peeled
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 seasoning cubes (Maggi) (about 4g per cube)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt (divided: 1/4 tsp in liquid, 3/4 tsp in chaffs)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided: 1 tbsp in liquid, 1 tbsp in chaffs)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Equipment

  • 1 flavor injector
  • 1 roasting bowl or aluminum foil baking pan for the turkey
  • Plastic wrap

Instructions

  1. Prepare the turkey: Wash the turkey thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a large tray or roasting pan that will be used for baking.
  2. Make the spice paste: Remove rosemary needles and thyme leaves from their stems. Place them in a blender along with peeled garlic cloves, ginger root, onions, seasoning cubes, white and black pepper, and about half a cup of water. Blend until it forms a smooth paste.
  3. Strain the paste: Pass the blended spice mixture through a fine sieve, squeezing to separate the liquid from the chaff. You should get about 8 ounces of liquid. If less, rinse the chaff with additional water to extract more liquid. Place the liquid in one bowl and the chaff in another.
  4. Season and oil mixtures: Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the spice liquid. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the room temperature butter to the spice chaffs and mix well to form the butter mixture.
  5. Inject the turkey: Using the flavor injector, fill it with the spiced liquid. Inject approximately 2 ounces into each turkey breast, about 1 ounce into each thigh, and various meaty areas of the bird. Expect some spillover when withdrawing the injector.
  6. Apply butter mixture: Rub the butter-spice chaff mixture all over the turkey, making sure to cover the cavity and every nook and cranny. Allow some of the mixture to remain on top as it may slide down.
  7. Marinate: Cover the turkey tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, up to 24 hours for best flavor infusion.
  8. Preheat and prepare to roast: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  9. Roast the turkey: Remove plastic wrap and place the turkey on the second to last oven rack. Roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours total.
  10. Baste regularly: After the first hour of roasting, baste the turkey by spooning or basting the collected juices from the bottom of the pan over the bird. Continue to baste every 30 minutes (about 4 bastings total).
  11. Prevent over-browning: If the turkey skin begins to get too dark during roasting, cover it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
  12. Check doneness: Insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey. The internal temperature should read 175°F (79°C) to ensure it is fully cooked.
  13. Rest the turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest in the juices for 20-30 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
  14. Serve and enjoy: Transfer the turkey to a serving platter or cutting board, carve as desired, and enjoy your perfectly juicy roast turkey.

Notes

  • This recipe guarantees a flavorful, juicy, and perfectly roasted turkey; the key is following the marinade and injection steps precisely for maximum taste.
  • The marinating time greatly enhances flavor and juiciness; for best results, allow the turkey to marinate for close to 24 hours.
  • Basting regularly during roasting maintains moisture and helps develop a lovely crispy skin.
  • If the skin is browning too quickly, covering with foil prevents burning without compromising cooking.
  • Using a flavor injector ensures deep infusion of spices and herbs, elevating the turkey’s overall flavor.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 687 kcal
  • Sugar: 1 g
  • Sodium: 1069 mg
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Fiber: 0.4 g
  • Protein: 124 g
  • Cholesterol: 377 mg

Find it online: https://emilyquickdinners.com/the-best-juicy-roast-turkey-recipe/