How to Cook a Turkey

Learn how to cook a turkey with Chef John's recipe for juicy, perfectly-cooked turkey seasoned with butter, rosemary, and sage and roasted in the oven.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 3 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 3 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 355 Calories

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 0.5 bunch fresh sage, chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Place onion, celery, and carrot in a large, shallow roasting pan.

Step 3

Place turkey, breast-side up, on top of vegetables in the roasting pan. Pat outside and inside of turkey dry with paper towels.

Step 4

Combine salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Season inside of turkey with about 1/3 of the salt mixture. Fold wing tips under bird.

Step 5

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until edges turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add rosemary and sage; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 6

Place rosemary and sage inside cavity of turkey; reserve melted butter. Tie turkey legs together with twine.

Step 7

Brush melted butter over turkey. Season with the remaining salt mixture.

Step 8

Bake turkey, uncovered, in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

Step 9

Remove turkey from the oven and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.