Name: The Best Roasted Turkey for the Holidays
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 17 h
Yield: 14
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 whole turkey (about 18 pounds), neck and giblets removed; 1 ½ cups sea salt; ½ cup brown sugar; 4 quarts cold water; ½ cup unsalted butter, melted, divided; 2 large onions, chopped, divided; 4 carrots, coarsely chopped, divided; 4 stalks celery, chopped, divided; 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided; 1 lemon, quartered; 1 head garlic, halved horizontally; 1 bay leaf; 1 cup dry white wine; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

With the holidays creeping up on us quickly, I wanted to share this recipe for The Best Roasted Turkey.

Honestly, where has this year gone? It seems like we were enjoying the sweet summer sun just yesterday and now we are headed into the holiday season!

There is nothing I love more than a good traditional holiday meal with all of the fixings and every year my mother and I cook up a storm. I also do a lot of baking.

If I had to list my top 3 things I loved most about the holidays the food would be #1, family time would be #2, and coming in at #3 would be all of the holiday decor.

We usually have to roast two turkeys for our big family, along with two hams, 15lbs or more of potatoes and a lot of sides.

Speaking of sides, if you need delicious stuffing to go with this roasted turkey, check out my Herb and Vegetable Stuffing recipe!

And we cannot forget desserts, if you need a delicious one be sure to check out the dessert recipe section on blog.

Are you making this for Thanksgiving? Don’t forget to print out this free Thanksgiving printable decor to frame and hang up for your holiday gathering. And for the kids, you can print out this free printable Thanksgiving activities package too!

If you are making this for Christmas, I have lots of fun Christmas printables, DIY’s and recipes too.

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

The Best Roasted Turkey for the Holidays

This is the ultimate recipe for a juicy and flavourful roasted turkey perfect for your holiday feast.

And don’t forget to check out 150 other amazing holiday side dish recipes at the end of this blog post (after the recipe)!

If you need some dessert ideas, head to the dessert recipe section on my blog for lots of delicious treats.

What You Will Need:

1 whole turkey (about 18 pounds), neck and giblets removed
1 ½ cups sea salt
½ cup brown sugar
4 quarts cold water
½ cup unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 large onions, chopped, divided
4 carrots, coarsely chopped, divided
4 stalks celery, chopped, divided
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Yields: 14 servings

The Best Roasted Turkey

Follow along with the step-by-step process photos and then find the printable recipe below!

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

Gather all of the ingredients you will need for this recipe.

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

Brining the Turkey

In a large stockpot, combine the sea salt, brown sugar, and cold water. Stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.

Submerge the turkey in the brine solution. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

Roasting the Turkey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Chop up all of your vegetables.

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it thoroughly under cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Discard the brine mixture.

Brush the turkey inside and out with half of the melted butter.

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

Season the cavity of the turkey with freshly ground black pepper.

Stuff the cavity with 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 sprig of rosemary, the lemon quarters, and the halved garlic head.

Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Scatter the remaining onion, carrots, celery, and rosemary in the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the bay leaf.

Pour the white wine over the vegetables in the pan.

Roast the turkey in the preheated oven, uncovered, for about 3 ½ to 4 hours.

About two-thirds of the way through the roasting time, carefully turn the turkey breast-side up and brush with the remaining melted butter.

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

The turkey is done when the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a moist and flavorful turkey.

©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca

How incredible does that roasted turkey look?

Carve the turkey and serve it on a platter, accompanied by the roasted vegetables from the pan.

Yield: 14 Servings

The Best Roasted Turkey for the Holidays

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Additional Time 12 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 17 hours

Ingredients

1 whole turkey (about 18 pounds), neck and giblets removed
1 ½ cups sea salt
½ cup brown sugar
4 quarts cold water
½ cup unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 large onions, chopped, divided
4 carrots, coarsely chopped, divided
4 stalks celery, chopped, divided
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large stockpot, combine the sea salt, brown sugar, and cold water. Stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
Submerge the turkey in the brine solution. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Chop your vegetables.
Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it thoroughly under cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Discard the brine mixture.
Brush the turkey inside and out with half of the melted butter.
Season the cavity of the turkey with freshly ground black pepper.
Stuff the cavity with 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 sprig of rosemary, the lemon quarters, and the halved garlic head.
Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan.
Scatter the remaining onion, carrots, celery, and rosemary in the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the bay leaf.
Pour the white wine over the vegetables in the pan.
Roast the turkey in the preheated oven, uncovered, for about 3 ½ to 4 hours.
About two-thirds of the way through the roasting time, carefully turn the turkey breast-side up and brush with the remaining melted butter.
The turkey is done when the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a moist and flavorful turkey.
Carve the turkey and serve it on a platter, accompanied by the roasted vegetables from the pan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 450Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 1800mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 55g

Holiday Side Dishes + Dressings

Check out these delicious recipes to go with your incredible roasted turkey!

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Aimee

Aimee is a suburban mom of 3 and resides in Richmond Hill, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, sewing, baking, DIY projects, and finding creative ways to save her family money.

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