Thanksgiving Turkey. The turkey is the centerpiece of any Thanksgiving table — so it's no surprise that cooking the perfect bird can feel like an overwhelming task at times. The National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation is a ceremony that takes place at the White House every year shortly before Thanksgiving. Don't chance your Thanksgiving MVP on any ol' roast turkey recipe.
With these variations on the classic Thanksgiving turkey recipe, your dinner spread will never look, smell or taste better.
Find recipes for roast turkey, grilled turkey, deep-fried turkey, and more.
Get trusted recipes for preparing the perfect holiday bird.
You can cook Thanksgiving Turkey using 15 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you cook it.
Ingredients of Thanksgiving Turkey
- It's of Turkey.
- You need 1 of 12-14lb Turkey.
- It's 1 large of vidalia/sweet onion, quartered.
- You need 2 of Apples, cored & sliced.
- It's 2 of Sprig of fresh rosemary (or 1tsp dried).
- You need 1 of Sprig fresh Thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried).
- You need of Rub.
- You need 2 tbsp of Softened Butter.
- Prepare 1 tsp of Parsley.
- It's 1 tsp of Rubbed Sage.
- It's 1 tsp of Thyme.
- It's 1 tsp of Chicken Soup Base.
- It's of Seasoning.
- Prepare 2 tbsp of Olive Oil.
- Prepare 1/2 tsp of Poultry Seasoning.
Pro tip: Brine the night before and you'll be able to get it on the table after just an hour and a half or so. Turkey is often the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table, so you want to have an impressive recipe in your back pocket. Luckily, we have plenty of different variations you can try. Turkey has been a North American Thanksgiving tradition for hundreds of years.
Thanksgiving Turkey instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove giblets and discard or save for gravy or stuffing..
- Stuff the turkey lightly with the onion and apple slices and the rosemary and thyme..
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, parsley, sage, thyme and soup base. Mix well. Loosen the turkey skin over the breast and thighs and rub the misture into the meat under the skin.
- Over the skin, rub with olive oil and sprinkle with poultry seasoning. Tuck in the wing tips and bake at 325°F until the turkey reaches and internal temp of 165 (about 2.5 - 3.5 hours). Baste occasionally..
- Remove from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 20 mins before carving..
Knowing how to cook a turkey is essential for anybody who wants to host a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast for friends. When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, turkey is everything (sorry, pumpkin pie). From slow-cooked to spatchcocked, we guarantee the turkey will be the shining star of this year's Thanksgiving dinner. How did the turkey become a popular Thanksgiving centerpiece? And what did the Pilgrims eat at the first Thanksgiving?
