My Favorite Roast Turkey Recipe

This became my favorite turkey recipe the first time I tried it because it is such an easy way to roast turkey and it leaves me tons of liquid for gravy and stuffing.

To start you need a fully thawed turkey,

Roast Turkey Recipe

• Turkey
• 6 Tbsp butter
• 4 cups of water
• 2 Tbsp onion powder
• 2 Tbsp seasoning salt
• 2 Tbsp parsley
• 2 Tbsp chicken bouillon (MSG free), optional

Safety first- use a real roasting pan. At the least use a casserole like dish. If you even think of using one of those flimsy tin foil pans make sure you put a cookie sheet under and then leave out the water in this recipe. Seriously, I’d hate to hear about the broth spilling in one of those pans and burning someone.

First take the butter and rub it in under the skin.

In a large measuring cup the mix water half the onion powder and half the seasoning salt and if desired the chicken bouillon. It’s just there to keep the flavor intense. You can also add some other herbs and spices like thyme or garlic powder.

Sprinkle the other tablespoon of onion powder and seasoning salt along with the parsley on top of the turkey.

Your ready to roast. If you need roasting times you’ll find them at the bottom of that page along with a few more turkey tips.

I also throw the giblets in a pan on the stove with enough water to cover and let them simmer while the turkey is cooking, season if desired. The pan dripping mixed with that seasoned water and the giblet liquid makes tons of turkey broth for tons of flavorful stuffing and homemade gravy.

Now I'm not a big skin fan and in my house we carve the turkey in the kitchen not at the table so presentation isn't the biggest deal for me. If your in the same boat I suggest cooking the turkey breast down for the juiciest breast meat. Breasts cook faster than the dark meat and tend to dry out because dark meat has about twice the fat content of light meat.

Having all the turkey juice drip into the breast instead of dripping out of the breast by cooking turkey breast down gives a more moist, tender slice at the table. And that moist turkey breast is one more reason that this is my favorite turkey recipe. Of course, you can always butter or oil the skin, cook the turkey breast down and flip it for the last 30 minutes or so to brown, if the skin doesn't stick to the rack or pan.

Don't forget to get the leftovers in the fridge until you can make a great new dish out of them.

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