Description
This Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe features a flavorful dry and wet rub with aromatic herbs and spices, combined with a slow marination process for a tender and juicy turkey roasted to perfection in an oven bag.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Rub
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 3 bay leaves
Turkey
- 10 pound turkey
Wet Rub
- 1/2 cup softened salted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
- 3 Tablespoons fresh thyme
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 cloves grated garlic
Stuffing and Other Ingredients
- Unsalted butter to taste
- Aromatics: quartered medium onion, thyme, rosemary, sage, celery stalk cut into thirds, and large carrot cut into thirds
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Rub: In a food processor, combine the yellow onion, smoked paprika, garlic cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, cardamom powder, and bay leaves. Blend until a smooth paste forms.
- Prepare the Turkey: Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity and pat the turkey dry with paper towels to ensure the skin is dry for better flavor absorption.
- Apply Dry Rub: Carefully lift the skin over the breasts and legs. Rub some of the dry rub paste underneath the skin, massaging it thoroughly. Spread some of the paste inside the turkey cavity and over the exterior surface evenly.
- Mix Wet Rub: In a bowl, whisk together the melted salted butter, sea salt, black pepper, paprika, parsley, thyme, lemon juice, lemon zest, and grated garlic until well combined.
- Apply Wet Rub: Brush the wet butter mixture all over the outside of the turkey for added flavor and moisture.
- Insert Butter Under Skin: Cut cold unsalted butter into 1 tablespoon slices and slide them evenly under the skin of the breasts and legs to keep the meat moist while cooking.
- Stuff Turkey Cavity: Fill the turkey cavity with aromatics including quartered onion, thyme, rosemary, sage, celery, and carrot to infuse the meat with fragrance.
- Prepare Oven Bag: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour inside an oven bag to prevent it from bursting. Place the seasoned turkey inside the bag and seal it, removing excess air. Cut six slits on top of the bag for steam to escape.
- Refrigerate Turkey: Place the prepared turkey in the refrigerator and let it marinate overnight for 12 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate deeply.
- Preheat Oven and Roast: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the turkey in the oven bag on a roasting pan and bake for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the turkey from the oven, let it rest covered loosely with foil for 20-30 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute and ensure juicy meat.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to check the turkey’s internal temperature for safety and perfect doneness, aiming for 160°F before resting.
- Cooking times vary with turkey size; adjust accordingly based on the weight and use the oven bag cooking times as a guide.
- Ensure the oven bag is properly sealed and flour-coated inside to prevent bursting during roasting.
- For extra crispy skin, you can remove the turkey from the oven bag for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Allow the turkey to rest after roasting to keep it juicy and tender when carved.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
