Ryan’s Thanksgiving Roast Turkey has been keeping our family full and happy for almost 10 years! This year we decided to share this recipe with you because it really is a tried and true recipe to keep for generations.
The vision of Thanksgiving day is one of sizzling bacon in a pan, roasting turkey in the oven, and bubbling creamed corn waiting for the broiler. Aroma of garlic, sage and rosemary fills the house with comfort and warmth, and a promise of delicious food and a full belly to come.
Whenever I hear a complaint that someone doesn’t like turkey and how they don’t enjoy Thanksgiving all because of a dry turkey in the past, I immediately think “They haven’t had Ryan’s Thanksgiving Turkey!”
First, let it be clear that we have always used a wet brine for this turkey. See Ryan’s Turkey Brine for the brine recipe and how we brine our turkey every year. If you prefer a dry brine, or like a different brine recipe, feel free to make substitution.
Aromatics for turkey cavity
Instead of stuffing the turkey with Thanksgiving stuffing like people used to in the past, we stuff the cavity with aromatics of apple, onion, garlic, cinnamon steeped in hot water to release their flavors (Image 1), along with fresh sage and rosemary.
Prepare to roast the turkey
If you brine the turkey like we always do every year, take it out of the brine about an hour before cooking and allow it to dry. You do not need to rinse the turkey, just pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Pour canola or vegetable oil all over the turkey and give it a good massage, the oil will help brown the skin while roasting. (Image 2 & 3)
- Then tuck the wings underneath the turkey so the tips don’t burn while in the oven. (Image 4, 5 & 6)
- During this time, you should have your aromatics cooking in the microwave in a cup of hot water, once that’s finished, immediately add all of the aromatics to the bird’s cavity along with the fresh sage and rosemary. (Image 7, 8 & 9). Discard the water.
Roast the turkey
The turkey will roast at 2 oven temperatures:
- It will roast at 500°F for about 30 minutes to get the skin to brown.
- Then it will roast at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 161°F, using a probe thermometer to monitor.
- During the second part of roasting, at the lower temperature, you will need to use a heat shield made of foil to cover the breasts to keep the skin from burning and drying out, for most of the time. (Image 10)
I recommend investing in a thermometer with a probe on a wire instead of a handheld one so that you can leave the probe in the turkey. It will be useful for deep frying as well.
Cook’s Tips
- A 14 to 16 pound turkey should take about 2 to 2-½ hours to roast, though times vary depending on the temperature of the day, calibration of the oven, etc. So plan accordingly.
- When inserting the probe thermometer, try and get it right down the center of either one of the breasts and avoid hitting any bones that may get hotter and give you a false reading.
- Invest in a meat thermometer with an alarm, and probe on a wire.
- Rest the turkey before carving, just like you would with steak, to keep all the juices in.
Storage
Leftover turkey should be kept refrigerated and will last 3 – 5 days. We usually have a few more “Thanksgiving meals” after the actual day, make soup from the carcass, use leftovers for steamed buns, sandwiches, etc.
Roasting a turkey is labor intensive, but it is not difficult. Your hard work will be rewarded at the end of the day with a delicious meal to gather around the table with your loved ones. Have the most wonderful Thanksgiving!
More recipes for Thanksgiving dinner
- Easy Turkey Gravy
- Easy Thanksgiving Dressing
- Sweet Potato Rolls
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Spiced Apple Cider
- Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
- More ideas for Thanksgiving dinner
📖 Recipe card
Thanksgiving Roast Turkey
Equipment
- Roasting Pan
- Roasting Rack
- Digital Thermometer
- Aluminum foil for a heat shield
Ingredients
- 1 turkey (previously brined, up to 16 lbs)
- ½ a red apple
- ½ an onion
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 1 cup water
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 6 leaves of sage
- Canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- If you brined the turkey, take the bird out of the brine and place it on a roasting rack in your roasting pan about an hour before cooking. Allow the bird to come closer to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels. Discard any water/brine that may drip into the roasting pan.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F and set the rack on the lowest level of the oven.
- Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, and a cup of water in a microwave safe bowl or large Pyrex measuring cup. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, rub the bird down with oil all over to help brown the skin. Tuck the wings under the bird
- While the aromatics are still hot, place the steeped aromatics into the cavity of the bird with a pair of tongs along with the fresh rosemary and sage. Discard the water.
- Place the roasting pan with the turkey breast side first into the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
- After the first 30 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Turn the bird around so that the breast is now facing toward the oven door. Insert the probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bones. Place a triangular foil sheet on the breasts with the apex pointing toward the back, to help avoid over darkening and drying out the breast meat. Set your probe thermometer alarm temperature, if it comes equipped, to 145°F. Close the oven door.
- When your probe alarm goes off at 145°F, take the foil shield off the breasts to further brown the skin and increase the alarm set point to 161°F.
- When your probe alarm goes off at 161°F, take the bird out of the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, or the roasting pan lid if it comes with one. If using the roasting pan list, keep it cracked open with a rolled up ball of foil or a wooden spoon to allow steam out. Let it rest for at least 15-25 minutes before carving.
Notes
- A 14 to 16 pound turkey should take about 2 to 2-½ hours to roast, though times vary depending on the temperature of the day, calibration of the oven, etc. So plan accordingly.
- When inserting the probe thermometer, try and get it right down the center of either one of the breasts and avoid hitting any bones that may get hotter and give you a false reading.
Marie
I love the flavour of turkey so much I have to get one every year. I can’t not have it but I don’t have a set recipe for a whole turkey. Definitely looking forward to this tried and tested version this year.