Main Dishes

Best Juicy Baked Turkey for Thanksgiving

This recipe is all about how to prepare the best juicy baked turkey for Thanksgiving or any occasion.

It includes a step-by-step guide on how to prepare turkey, and it also offers tips on how to bake the whole turkey.

There are many ways to cook a turkey but not all of them are good. You need to know what you are doing before you can make the best decision.

How to prepare the best juicy baked turkey for Thanksgiving or any occasion

To prepare, start off by placing two sticks of unsalted butter in a bowl, and add minced garlic, rosemary, and some fresh thyme (dry thyme will work as well). Mix it all together and set that aside.

For the seasoning, mix together onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, creole seasoning, and adobo seasoning.

Before seasoning the turkey, make sure it is at room temperature and you have pat it dry. Drizzle about three to four tablespoons of oil on the turkey, and rub the oil all over it.

Start seasoning the turkey by rubbing the seasoning all over the turkey—even on the inside. Use a syringe to siphon all the injectable marinade and inject it all inside the turkey mostly on the breasts, thighs, and wings.

Now take the butter you had set aside and use your fingers to it stuff under the skin of the turkey. The butter will make the meat nice and juicy and basically melt in your mouth.

Next, take the rosemary, thyme, onion, carrots, and celery and stuff them inside the turkey. Once you’re done, tie the turkey legs together using cooking twine. Place the turkey in a baking dish and tuck in the wings.

Below is a chart for you to know how long you should bake your turkey. I baked mine in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and once the internal temperature of the turkey was 145 degrees Fahrenheit, I uncovered it so it can have a nice color on top of the turkey and the skin can be nice and crispy.