Here’s how to cook a moist turkey for Thanksgiving!
Are you hosting Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving or Christmas this year? I’ll show you how to cook a moist turkey in just three easy steps. I’ll show you how to brine a turkey, which is the secret to getting a juicy and flavorful bird every time!
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After hosting several Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, I’ve discovered how to cook a moist turkey by brining. Once you learn how to brine a turkey, your holiday bird moist, juicy and flavorful when you do the right things ahead of time.
Brining your turkey is probably one the easiest ways to add some great flavor and moisture to your bird. Once you brine a turkey, you’ll never go back! I’m going to show you three easy steps on how to cook a moist turkey for your table this holiday season.
Here are your three easy steps on how to cook a moist turkey:
Step 1: Thaw Your Turkey
Start by defrosting your turkey. If you’re making Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, you’ll likely need to take your turkey out of the freezer by Thursday before to allow for time to thaw and brine.
Depending on the weight of your bird, it will need at least 48 hours to defrost, if not more. Check the label of your turkey, along with the weight to see how long it will take to defrost.
How long does it take to thaw a turkey?
Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds. If you’re math impaired, no worries – Here are some quick conversions:
- 4-12 lbs: 1-3 days of thawing
- 12-16 lbs: 3-4 days of thawing
- 17-20 lbs: 4-5 days of thawing
To make things easier, I like to buy my frozen turkey about a week before Thanksgiving. When I bring it home, I place it in the refrigerator to immediately begin thawing. I will then add it to a brine on Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving.
Step 2: Make Your Turkey Brine
Prepare the brine. Here is my recipe for Apple Cider Turkey Brine that I’ve been using for years! I also love this Citrus Turkey Brine. The brine not only acts as a tenderizing agent, but also flavors the meat nicely. I firmly believe this is the key on how to cook a moist turkey.
Once you have your brine, you’ll need to boil it to dissolve all the salt. Then, let it cool completely, and add more water.
I can’t find Apple Cider. What else can I use for the turkey brine?
You can also add apple juice or orange juice, which will bring a great sweet and savory flavor to the brine..
Step 3: Brine The Turkey in a Large Brining Bag
When your brine is completely cool, you’ll pour it over your turkey into a large brining bag. (A brining bag is like a huge zip-lock plastic bag, big and thick enough to hold a turkey. I’ve got a link to buy your brining bags right from Amazon below.) From here, seal up the bag with the turkey and brine and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
Can I use an oven bag to brine a turkey?
No. Do NOT use an oven bag. These are not made for brining, and the plastic is not thick enough to hold the weight of the turkey and liquid. You’ll likely spring a leak and have brine all over your refrigerator.
Step 2: Prepare your turkey to roast
Once you’re ready to roast your turkey, you’ll need to do just a few things to get it prepped for the oven.
- First, you’ll need to thoroughly rinse your bird after taking it out of the brine. (Discard the brine and the bag.) As you can see in the picture above, I laid some old towels in the sink so the turkey wouldn’t slip as much. Rinse it well, making sure to rinse the turkey inside and out.
- From there, transfer the turkey into a roasting pan, and pat dry with paper towels. Having a dry skin surface will help attain a beautiful golden brown skin.
- Next, drizzle the turkey with olive oil and rub all over the skin – this will help it attain a nice golden brown color.
- Lastly, lightly season the skin with the seasoning of your choice – you can go with a poultry seasoning, or add whatever fits your tastes. I added a light sprinkling of rosemary, sage and pepper. This step is optional, at the brine will add some nice flavor to your turkey meat.
What do I need to roast a turkey?
Along with your oven (obviously!), here are the tools you’ll need to roast a turkey:
- A roasting pan. I am now a loyal user of disposable aluminum roasting pans! I actually got rid of my big, clunky roasting pan. I only used it for Thanksgiving and Christmas and it was VERY hard to clean.
- A meat thermometer. Don’t rely on the little pop-up plastic one that comes already in your frozen turkey. It’s not reliable. I absolutely LOVE my Thermapen ONE Instant Read Digital Meat Thermometer. (I use it mainly for grilling, but it’s perfect for testing your turkey as well.) It’s the most accurate way to tell when your turkey is done.
- Aluminum Foil. You need foil on hand to cover the turkey in the last several minutes of roasting (see below). Once it comes out of the oven, be sure to keep the turkey covered with the foil before carving. I like Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil.
- Oven Bag (optional) – I personally find oven bags a big of a mess to work with. Many people swear by them, but I’ve found that using an oven bag is just an extra step, and doesn’t make a huge difference in flavor or moisture of the meat.
Thermapen ONE Instant Read Digital Thermometer
This is my go-to tool for grilling and roasting! With a Thermapen there’s no guessing if or when the meat is done. The precise temperature will provide you with meat that is perfectly cooked, juicy and delicious EVERY time!
Step 3 for How to Cook A Moist Turkey: Roast Your Bird
This is the easy part. Simply put the bird in the oven and let the warm aromas fill your house. When deciding how long to cook your bird, check the label and weight of your turkey for the cook time duration. This will depend primarily on the weight of the turkey.
I cooked mine at 325 degrees, and with it being about 12 lbs, it roasted for about three hours. It will need to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. To test for doneness, use an instant-read digital meat thermometer like this Thermapen ONE Instant Read Digital Thermometer.
Once its done cooking, let it rest for about 20-30 minutes, and cover with foil before cutting. This will help the juices settle and ensure a moist cut of meat. Garnish with some pretty herbs like rosemary sprigs, thyme or sage. Add in a few apples, pears or grapes for some color.
And there you have it! The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a flavorful, delicious turkey. With some preparation and planning, you can have one of the most flavorful turkey’s that your family has ever tasted.
Fair warning: cook an awesome, juicy, flavorful turkey, and you’ll likely be asked to host the holiday dinner again!
Check out some of my other holiday dinner ideas:
If you love how to cook a moist turkey, be sure to check out my post for How to Dry Brine a Turkey here!
Need some awesome Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner side dishes? Check out some of my recipes here:
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows and Pecans
- Creamed Corn Casserole
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole
- Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
- Everything Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Cranberry Citrus Salad with Goat Cheese and Pecans
- Ruth’s Chris Copycat Sweet Potato Casserole
- Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
- Pumpkin Meringue Pie
- Chocolate Pecan Pie
Fabulous tips, Erin! Your turkey is gorgeous … and your family is in for a fantastic holiday meal. {Gorgeous photos, too. 🙂 }
Tracey @ The Kitchen is My Playground
Thanks so much, Tracey! Hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving. Love and hugs ~ Erin
After brining, do I cook the turkey in a bag?
Hi there. About how long does it take to cook the turkey? I’m trying to figure out how long I need
Hi Taylor – The answer depends on the size/weight of your turkey. You should estimate 13 minutes per pound of turkey at 350 degrees. For example, if your turkey is 18 lbs, you’ll roast the turkey for approximately 3.5 – 4 hours. Using a meat or instant read thermometer, the turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Good luck and have a wonderful holiday! -Erin
What a great looking turkey! Thank you for the tips 😀
The main reason a turkey is moist is not being overcooked. A lot of sources list :20 per pound and that is too much. In my experience, brining makes the meat softer. I prefer some texture to my turkey meat (not mushy).
You do the same thing I do: keep it simple. Wash it, pat it dry, rub it with oil, season liberally. I add chunks of onion, carrots, and celery (there’s a magic taste combination with poultry & celery) around and inside the bird, and make sure the inside is as liberally seasoned (I use only salt & pepper). I think fresh thyme is also a great flavor with turkey. Lastly, I pour a little of the pan juices over the sliced meat. THAT is the bomb!
That’s for the brining tip and sharing it on Sunday’s Best Linkup. I’m going to try it next week. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts.
Thanks for sharing this at the #HomeMattersParty!
This recipe is excellent. I have used it two seasons now and have been delighted by the comments on how well the turkey tastes. To put it simply, this recipe is my little secret for an incredible turkey for any occasion suitable for one. Thank you, Erin!
Great artіcⅼe.
Poultry needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 not 160. 165 is the point at which salmonella is killed.
First timer here for cooking a turkey. Had no idea what brining was, but now I will definitely try. I was wondering if one of those big aluminum plates will do or if a roasting pan is absolutely necessary? If so, I will invest in one. Also, do you recommend placing the turkey in an oven bag while it’s roasting or is that just overkill?
Thank you for giving me courage to do thand turkey this year! You made everything look so easy, I’m excited to try.
Great recipe! Will make it in a few days so I need to know if you cooked it in an oven bag?
Thanks
Thanks for this easy recipe I really look forward to trying it this Thanksgiving!
Question: Do you cover the turkey before roasting it or leave it uncovered the whole time? Also do you add any juice, broth, water to the bottom of the pan for added moisture or is this not needed because of the brining? I am so unexperienced in cooking Holiday meals!!
Hi Erin
Do you use an oven bag to roast the turkey or does it go in the oven uncovered?
This sounds yummy. I’m excited to make it!!
Thank you!!
For this recepy do i need to put my turkey in a oven bag to roast it?
I made this turkey for my in-laws and they decided I’d host Thanksgiving dinner every year. Haha. Thank you for the delicious recipe.
I found this via Pinterest just in time for last year’s Thanksgiving.. I made your brine & followed these steps, and it was so delicious! My husband (who LOVES turkey and is very particular about it) said that this was the best turkey he has ever eaten! I even loved it, and I’m not usually a huge turkey fan. So yummy, and I can’t wait to make it again this year! Thank you so much for these wonderful tips and brine recipe!
Do you bake this in a Turkey bag?
After I brine the turkey and get ready to cook it, can I still cook it in an oven bag? I’ve always used an oven bag and have never tried the brining method!
This will be my 3rd time making this Turkey with the apple cider brine and it is revolutionary! Congratulations on this amazing gift to the world 😀
Good morning! I was just wondering how you go about defrosting your turkey? We have a 20 pound turkey and I wasn’t sure if we should defrost it in the fridge or the sink? Thanks
Hi Simone – this is a great question. If you’re planning on cooking the turkey on Thursday (Thanksgiving), I highly recommend starting to thaw your 20lb turkey today (Friday.) It will take several days to thaw. For best results, simply store your frozen turkey in the refrigerator, keeping it cold, yet above freezing temp. Check on it Tuesday/Wednesday, it will likely still be internally frozen. If so, I recommend transferring it to a cooler or sink with cold water. This will help speed up the thawing process. Have a fantastic Thanksgiving and holiday season. Best, Erin
Do you baste it during the roast
No, I personally don’t. The brining process gives the turkey amazing flavor and keeps the meat moist, making basting unnecessary. Enjoy your holiday season! Best, Erin