| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 50 min |
| Prep: | 50 min |
| Cook: | 3 hr |
| Yield: | 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 14-pound turkey, giblets removed, washed and dried
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Fresh thyme, for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle some of the spice rub inside the cavity of the turkey. Separate the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, starting at the top of the breast and sliding to the right and left, then working down. Massage some of the rub onto the meat under the skin. Sprinkle the remaining rub on the turkey’s skin. Place the turkey on a sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours so the flavors can marry.
- Set a rack at the lowest position in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips under. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Drizzle the outside of the turkey with a few tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the turkey about 3 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 738 |
| Total Fat | 34 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Protein | 98 g |
| Cholesterol | 325 mg |
| Sodium | 1520 mg |
Reviews
I made this turkey last year for thanksgiving very moist and delicious!
I made this turkey recipe for Thanksgiving and everyone raved about how moist it was. Some said they didn’t like turkey because it was normally dry but had a second helping of this one. I’m making again for Christmas!
I make this recipe every year!! Absolutely amazing turkey!
Turkey is in the oven, smells delicious… 1 hour and 30 minutes to go.
I’m 15 and im making our family turkey this year an im going to try this recipe for it :))))))))))))
Been using this recipe for about 5 years now. The best turkey I’ve ever had. I’ll visit other families and try their turkey and this recipe is always top notch!
I meant to hit 5 stars but I missed. I used the whole breast of turkey with the bone bc that’s what I had. I adjusted the cook time and temperature. So delicious. I made it 2 Thanksgivings ago with boneless. That was good too.
First time turkey cook here with a couple questions.. do I cover my roasting pan or no while in oven? Do I add any water to the pan (when my mom does hers she adds some water and chicken base to use with the drippings to make her gravy) ? I see many used melted butter , salted or unsalted ? Under the skin during the fridge time or on the skin in place of olive oil? Much thanks !
I HIGHLY recomend this receipe for the first time cook or inexpirenced cook!I made this 2 years ago. Not only was it simple it was one of the best turky’s i’ve ever made. EVERYONE loved it! The skin started to brown after an hour so I covered it with foil.
Cooking for 3 hours might work for a 9-11 lb turkey but this recipe does not state the size of the turkey being cooked. A 14-16 lb turkey might take as long as 5 hours to cook at their temp. Not good cooking advice unless you KNOW what you’re doing.