Easy Roast Turkey Recipe with Apple Cider and Thyme

Easy Roast Turkey for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving turkeys tend to stress home cooks. After all, it’s the meal’s centerpiece, the feast’s crowning achievement.

But honestly, it doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, it isn’t difficult at all. It’s simple and easy to make a stunning bird for your Thanksgiving or holiday feast.

The key to a delicious roasted turkey is to not overcook it. It’s that simple.

This roasted turkey is one of the easiest recipes for making a delicious Thanksgiving turkey. It’s simple, stress-free, and perfectly easy, and it doesn’t require many ingredients or equipment.

This means there is no bringing or stuffing. It’s a roast turkey recipe that works… every time.

And delicious? It’s a slow-roasted turkey basted in juices infused with autumn flavors of apple cider, juicy apples, and fresh herbs.

Easy Roast Turkey Ingredients

Specific measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. This is a summary of the ingredients you’ll need:

• Fresh or frozen turkey (12 to 20 pounds)
• Olive oil
• Medium onion
• Apple (plus more for garnish)
• Celery
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh herbs like (sage, parsley, and rosemary)
• salt and pepper
• Apple cider

How to Make an Easy Roast Turkey

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. and adjust the oven rack so that the turkey will roast in the center of the oven. If using a frozen turkey, see NOTES on safely thawing turkey below.

Step 1: Prepare the Turkey

Remove thawed turkey from its original wrapping and discard. Then remove the neck and giblets from the inside cavities of the bird. Reserve them for making gravy if desired. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and discard.

Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper and stuff it with the onion, celery, apple, and herbs. Tuck the wings underneath the turkey and tie the legs together using kitchen twine.

Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Pour 4 cups of apple cider into the base of the roasting pan plus water to reach 1/4 inch depth.

Step 2: Roast the Turkey

Place the turkey in the oven and roast at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Baste the turkey with pan juices every hour or so until cooked through. At 325 degrees, the turkey should cook about 15 minutes per pound. It should reach an internal minimum temperature of 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.

Cover the breast with foil as needed to prevent over-browning and overcooking.

Step 3: Rest the Turkey

Remove the turkey from the oven and cover it loosely with a tent of foil. Let rest 30 minutes before carving.

Reserve any drippings in your roasting pan for gravy.

Roast Turkey Recipe with Apple and Thyme

There is no brining with this turkey recipe. I baste the turkey a few times for delicious flavor and beautiful, rich skin.

I also tie the turkey legs together. And if that seems stressful, let me show you how easy it is.

How to Truss a Thanksgiving Turkey

Here is a simple way to truss a turkey. Simply tuck the turkey wings under the body of the turkey to provide stability and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

Here’s how to easily truss a turkey:

How to Tell if the Roast Turkey is Done

The only accurate way to really tell if the turkey is done is by using a thermometer. The turkey must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and breast.

See our guide of 15 Thanksgiving Kitchen Essential Tools.

Resting the Turkey

It’s important to let the turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes after it is removed from the oven and before carving it.

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