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A steaming, golden-brown, and juicy whole bird, the result of the perfect Thanksgiving Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe, sitting on a white platter garnished with fresh herbs.

Best Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe (Easy, No-Brine Butter Hack!)

5 from 1 vote
Tired of dry turkey? Our best juicy roast turkey recipeuses a viral no-brine method with garlic herb butter. This foolproof hack guarantees moist meat, crispy skin, and a stress-free Thanksgiving!
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Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Turkey:
  • 1 whole Turkey 5.5-7 kg Fully thawed.
For the Magic Butter:
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter 225 g, Softened, room temperature.
  • 6 cloves Garlic Freshly minced.
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Sage Finely chopped.
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Thyme Finely chopped.
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary Finely chopped.
  • 2 tsp Kosher Salt (10 g) Plus extra for seasoning skin.
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper (5 g) Freshly ground.
For the Aromatics & Pan:
  • 1 large Onion Cut in half (for cavity).
  • 1 large Lemon Cut in half (for cavity).
  • 1 cup Chicken Broth (240 ml) Low-sodium.

Equipment

  • 1 Roasting Pan With a rack for better air circulation.
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl For the herb butter.
  • 1 Instant-Read Thermometer Essential for checking internal temperature (165°F/74°C).
  • 1 Kitchen Twine For tying the legs.

Method
 

Preparation (The Day Before / Morning Of)
  1. Prep & Dry: Remove turkey from the fridge. Remove neck and giblets. Pat the entire bird inside and out absolutely DRY using paper towels. This is the key to crispy skin.
    Hands using white paper towels to pat a raw, whole turkey completely dry on a wooden cutting board, prepping it for a juicy roast turkey recipe.
  2. Rest: Let the turkey sit uncovered at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 165°F (74°C).
  3. Make Butter: In a bowl, mix the softened butter with all the garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper until well combined.
    Hands mixing a bowl of fresh chopped herbs, garlic, and pepper into softened butter to create a garlic herb butter for a juicy roast turkey recipe, with the raw turkey in the background.
The Butter Hack & Roasting
  1. Hack - Under the Skin: Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast using your fingers. Take about three-quarters of the herb butter and rub it directly onto the meat under the skin.
    Hands using a white spatula to spread a generous amount of garlic herb butter directly onto the breast meat, underneath the loosened skin of a raw turkey.
  2. Stuff & Season: Rub the remaining butter over the outside skin. Place the lemon and onion halves inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
    A whole raw turkey on a wooden cutting board, fully prepped for the oven: the skin is coated in herb butter, the cavity is filled with lemon and onion, and the legs are trussed with twine.
  3. Roast: Place the turkey on the rack in the roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of chicken broth into the bottom of the pan. Immediately transfer to the preheated oven.
    A hand pouring chicken broth into the bottom of a large roasting pan where a fully prepped herb butter roast turkey sits on a wire rack, ready for the oven.
Bake, Baste & Rest (The Finish)
  1. Baste: Baste the turkey with the pan juices every 45 minutes to keep it moist and golden brown.
    A hand in an oven mitt uses a turkey baster to pour hot pan drippings over a golden-brown roast turkey as it roasts in the oven.
  2. Cover Edges: If the breast starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover the edges with a piece of aluminum foil.
    A hand in an oven mitt placing a small "tent" of aluminum foil over the breast of a perfectly golden-brown roast turkey in its pan to prevent over-browning.
  3. Check Temp: The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
    digital instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a golden, juicy roast turkey breast, showing a final safe temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
  4. Rest (Crucial!): Remove the turkey, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest for a minimum of 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, guaranteeing a moist roast turkey.
    A hot, golden-brown roast turkey resting on a wooden cutting board, loosely tented with aluminum foil to keep it warm and allow the juices to redistribute.

Notes

Notes Tab

  • Make Ahead: You can prep the turkey (Steps 1, 3, 4) and refrigerate it uncovered (for extra crispy skin) up to 24 hours in advance.
  • Crispy Skin: Patting the turkey completely dry (Step 1) is the biggest secret to getting crispy skin.
  • Broth: The broth in the pan (Step 6) ensures the drippings don't burn and creates a fantastic base for your gravy.