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Looking for the best way to cook a tender, juicy turkey with perfectly crisp skin? This Oven Roasted Turkey with a sweet maple butter glaze is the best way to wow your family and friends this Thanksgiving!
This post was Originally Published on November 16, 2020, and Re-published on November 16, 2022, and November 16, 2024, to improve content and photos.
Making the perfect holiday turkey doesn't have to be complicated. This recipe combines a simple brining method, a unique maple glaze, and foolproof roasting techniques to ensure your bird is tender, flavorful, and beautifully golden.
Whether it's your first time preparing a turkey or you are a seasoned cook looking to try something new, my tips and tricks will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare, cook, and serve an unforgettable Thanksgiving Turkey!!
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why You'll Love This Maple Glazed Turkey
- 📕 Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
- 🦃 Ingredients to Cook a Whole Turkey in the Oven
- Chef's Secret
- 👩🏻🍳 How to Prepare a Turkey for Roasting
- Glossary
- ⭐ Best Way to Cook a Turkey Without Drying it Out
- ⏲️ Turkey Cooking Times and Temperatures
- 💭 Frequently Asked Questions
- ❤️ My Favorite Thermometer
- 🍽️ Thanksgiving Recipes
- Did You Make this Recipe?
- Recipe
- Comments
❤️ Why You'll Love This Maple Glazed Turkey
- Moist and Juicy - This brining method ensures your turkey is packed with flavor and moisture, making every bite tender and juicy-never dry!
- Crispy Golden Skin - Drying the turkey in the refrigerator before roasting ensures the skin dries, making a perfectly crispy, golden texture.
- Buttery Maple Glaze - This rich maple butter glaze locks in moisture and enhances flavor. It also creates a beautiful golden brown finish and produces the most flavorful drippings for an irresistible Maple Turkey Pan Gravy.
📕 Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
Plan and host a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner with this Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide filled with 30+ pages of checklists, schedules, planners, and more!
🦃 Ingredients to Cook a Whole Turkey in the Oven
- Turkey - Quantities in this recipe will work for up to a 20-25 pound turkey. For a turkey breast, reduce the quantity of the brine and glaze ingredients by half.
- Brine - This flavorful mix of salt, brown sugar, garlic, and spices infuses the turkey with moisture and seasoning through an Overnight Wet Brine Method.
- Glaze - Butter and pure maple syrup are combined for a slightly sweet, glossy finish. This can be omitted, or melted butter can be used for a more traditional flavor.
- Gravy - Made with pan drippings, apple cider, and a hint of maple sweetness, this Turkey Pan Gravy complements the turkey perfectly.
Chef's Secret
There's no single secret to a perfectly moist turkey, but if I had to choose the most effective method, it's brining. Brining infuses the turkey with moisture and flavor, ensuring a tender and delicious result every time.
👩🏻🍳 How to Prepare a Turkey for Roasting
- Defrosting the Bird - Allow time to defrost your turkey! A 14-16 pound turkey will take approximately 3-4 days to defrost in the refrigerator. A defrosted turkey can safely be refrigerated for 2 days.
- Safe Handling - When handling raw meat, frequently wash your hands to avoid cross-contamination. Use separate pans and utensils for raw meat and wash them thoroughly with hot water and soap. You can read more about food handling in How to Handle Food Safely.
- Brine the Turkey - Two nights before Thanksgiving start the brining process. This will allow 24 hours to brine the turkey, 12 hours to dry it, and plenty of cooking time on Thanksgiving day. I prepare my Overnight Thanksgiving Turkey Brine in a large stock pot which I then add the turkey to for brining. You can also use brine bags or other containers. They should be large enough to hold the turkey and at least 2 gallons of liquid.
- Prepare for Roasting - Place sliced onions, celery, and fresh herbs at the bottom of your pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with fresh herbs, fruit, and onions, then place it on the roasting rack. Tuck the wings under and tie the legs with twine.
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
⭐ Best Way to Cook a Turkey Without Drying it Out
Roast the Turkey - Once your turkey is prepared, cook it, uncovered, at 350°F for 45-60 minutes until the skin is golden. Then, cover it loosely with foil, and continue roasting until the turkey's internal temperature reaches 150°F. The foil will help the turkey not get overly brown while ensuring the inside is cooking properly.
Apply the Maple Glaze - Melt the butter with the maple syrup while the turkey is roasting. Then, brush the turkey with the glaze and roast uncovered until the skin is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Rest Time - After roasting, it's crucial to let the turkey rest for at least 30-60 minutes. This allows time for juices to redistribute so your turkey stays moist after carving.
Make the Gravy - While the turkey rests, use the pan drippings, apple cider, and flour to whisk up a savory-sweet gravy directly in the roasting pan.
⏲️ Turkey Cooking Times and Temperatures
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
If you're short on time, you can skip the brining step, but it does make a huge difference in flavor and moisture. You can also brine it for a shorter time if that makes things easier.
If you don't have a roasting rack, you can just place the turkey directly on top of the celery, onions, and herbs.
No, adding water to the bottom of the roasting pan will create too much steam and can make the skin less crispy. The turkey releases enough juices to keep the meat moist and flavorful.
When checking your turkey's temperature with an instant-read thermometer, place it in the deepest part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. If you're using an oven-safe thermometer, place it into the thickest part of the inner thigh before putting the turkey in the oven. When the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, wing, and breast, remove the turkey and let it rest for at least 30-60 minutes.
❤️ My Favorite Thermometer
This oven-proof thermometer is my go-to because it's precise and allows me to monitor the temperature without opening the oven door.
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🍽️ Thanksgiving Recipes
If you need suggestions on dishes to round out your Thanksgiving menu, here are my favorites that our family loves!
Recipe
Juicy Oven Roasted Turkey with Maple Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey Brine
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped garlic
- 2 Tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 4 whole bay leaves
- 2 quarts vegetable broth
- 12 ounces ginger beer
- 2 large oranges, cut in half
- 4-6 quarts ice water, approximately 50/50 ice to water ratio
Roasted Turkey
- 14-16 pound whole turkey, defrosted, with giblets removed
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 8 ribs celery
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 medium orange
- 1 medium apple
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary
Maple Glaze
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
Apple Cider Pan Gravy
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups turkey drippings
- ½ cup apple cider
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Five to Six Days Before Roasting
- Allow turkey to thaw in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days prior to roasting. See note below for thawing times.
Two Nights Before Roasting
- Find a clean container large enough to hold the whole turkey plus approximately 2 gallons of liquid. This can be a large stock pot or brining bag that will also fit in the fridge while the turkey is being brined.
- In a large pot (this can be the stock pot for brining) combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, vegetable broth, and ginger beer.
- Squeeze as much juice from orange halves into the pot and then add the squeezed orange halves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until both the sugar and the salt are completely dissolved. Let cool completely.
- Mix the cooled brine mixture with 2 quarts of the ice water in the brining container. Slowly add the turkey to the container and then top with 2-4 quarts of ice water, until the turkey is completely covered.
- Move the container to the refrigerator and allow it to brine for 16-24 hours. (Do this two nights before roasting so you have enough time for drying).
The Night Before Roasting
- Remove the turkey slowly from the brine allowing it to drain completely. Rinse the inside and outside of the turkey with cool water to remove any extra brine. Pat it completely dry with paper towels and place it on a sheet pan or in the roasting pan.
- Let the turkey sit in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 12 hours to dry. (Do this the night before roasting to allow the full time for drying.)
Day of Roasting
- Remove the turkey from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice one of the onions and place it underneath the roasting rack in a roasting pan with the celery and half of the fresh herbs. (Place the turkey directly on the celery, onions, and herbs if you don't have a rack).
- Cut the other onion in half, along with the lemon, orange, and apple. Stuff everything inside the turkey with the remaining herbs and tie the legs together with cooking twine. Tuck the wing tips in and under the turkey.
- Roast the turkey for 45-60 minutes until the skin is light golden brown.
- Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and roast for 60-90 minutes until the internal temperature reads 150˚F in the thickest part of the thigh and breast.
- While the turkey is roasting, melt the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Pour the maple glaze over the entire turkey and use a pastry brush to spread the glaze evenly.
- Continue to roast turkey in the oven, uncovered for approximately 30-45 minutes, until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh and breast. (See note below regarding cooking times).
- Move the turkey to a cutting board and lightly tent it with foil to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain the drippings from the roasting pan and set them aside.
Apple Cider Pan Gravy
- Melt the butter in the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly in the pan and cook, while whisking, for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the pan drippings and apple cider, scraping any stuck-on bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Continue to cook, while whisking for 3-4 minutes until thickened, and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Carve the turkey and serve with the apple cider pan gravy.
Notes
- A 14-16 pound turkey will take approximately 3-4 days to defrost in the refrigerator and can stay there for 2 days after.
- Cooking times will vary depending on the actual size of your Thanksgiving turkey. To ensure proper cooking, use an oven-proof thermometer.
- This recipe will serve approximately 12 - 16 people with leftovers. Allow for approximately 1 pound of whole raw turkey per person or 1 ½ pounds per person if you want extra leftovers.
- This recipe will work for up to a 20-25 pound turkey. For a turkey breast, cut the brine and glaze quantities in half.
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