Juicy Roast Thanksgiving Turkey

This Thanksgiving turkey recipe was passed down to me by my mother and grandmother. Orange wedges and aromatics add flavor while cooking inside the bird while a simmering mixture of champagne and chicken broth work their magic to keep the meat moist and tender. We would change the recipe a little every year since we never had it written down, but it always turned out incredibly juicy and succulent!

The Thanksgiving turkey has the power to make or break your holiday meal. Luckily, it’s not that hard to cook a perfectly moist and flavorful bird!

How to Carve a Thanksgiving Turkey

Carving a turkey isn’t as difficult as you might think. You’ll just need a knife, a cutting board, a meat fork, and some easy-to-follow instructions. That’s where we come in!

Why Do We Eat Turkey On Thanksgiving?

Turkey may or may not have been on the menu at the 1621 harvest meal that Americans call the First Thanksgiving. In fact, experts think venison was likely the star of the show.

The roasted turkey had become synonymous with Thanksgiving until the 1800s, when savvy poultry producers launched a post-Civil War marketing campaign that prompted people to eat more turkey — especially around the holidays.

Also Read: Milanesa Napolitana Recipe

Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey

Recipe by RecipeWikkiCourse: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Calories

556

kcal

The BEST Thanksgiving Turkey recipe that packs all of the flavor and juiciness you expect from the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, with none of the stress! Plus a step-by-step tutorial for how to cook the perfect turkey.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley

• 2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary

• 2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage

• 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 (15 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed

• 1 medium orange, cut into 8 wedges

• 1 medium onion, chopped into large pieces

• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a roaster with sheets of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around the turkey.
• Stir together parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon-pepper seasoning, and salt in a small bowl.
• Rub the herb mixture into the turkey cavity, then stuff with orange wedges, onion, carrot and celery. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, then tuck the wings under the body. Place turkey on the foil in the roasting pan.
• Pour champagne and chicken broth over the turkey, making sure to get some liquid in the cavity. Bring aluminum foil up and over the top of the turkey and seal; try to keep the foil from touching the turkey.
• Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until the juices run clear, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Uncover the turkey and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 to 60 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with two sheets of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

• You can use white wine in place of champagne.