After hours spent roasting in the oven, there's nothing worse than taste-testing that first bite of turkey only to find out it tastes like, well... nothing. But it doesn't always have to be that way! In fact, there are plenty of easy ways to make a bird juicy and flavorful—you just have to know how to season a turkey.
The first place to start is with a really tasty turkey recipe. No matter if you cook a turkey breast in an air fryer, or a whole bird in a smoker, turkey fryer, or oven, you can season a bird to perfection with just a few easy tips. You can let your turkey absorb the flavors of Ree Drummond's favorite brine, give a bird a good rub down with compound butter, or coat it in an easy spice blend—even just salt and pepper can work wonders! Below, find out how to use ingredients like fresh herbs, citrus, and aromatics to up your turkey game for this year's Thanksgiving menu. And once you've got a plan of action for seasoning, find out how much turkey per person to prepare for this year's feast.
Should I season my turkey before cooking?
Yes! It doesn't so much matter when you season your bird—whether it's just before popping it in the oven or several days in advance for a dry-brine technique—as long as you season it before it gets cooked. This is essential for the butter, herbs, and whatever other seasonings you use, to flavor the skin and meat of the turkey.
How do you season a turkey?
You don't have to concoct any complicated spice blends to make a great-tasting turkey. Simple seasonings go a long way, but before you go to town with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, be sure to pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels—this helps crisp up the skin. Once the bird is as dry as possible, season away! Stick with salt and pepper, put herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to work, or take spicy Cajun seasoning for a spin for some kick. Whatever blend you choose, spread it all over the turkey—on top, underneath, between the body and wings and legs, under the skin, and even in the cavity of the bird. If you plan on brining your turkey, skip seasoning the bird with any more salt. It'll absorb plenty from the brine! But feel free to rub on pepper or any other spices.
How do you season turkey breast?
Just like with a whole bird, a turkey breast can be brined or dry-brined before cooking. If you're looking for a quicker solution, simply rub the turkey breast with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a fresh herb butter—it's perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner for two. When shopping, look for bone-in and skin-on turkey breast. It'll have the best flavor!
How do you add flavor to a turkey?
The possibilities are endless: You can add flavor to a turkey via marinade, flavor injector, rubs, compound butters, basting, and glazing—take your pick!
Marinate your turkey.
Marinating a big bird the traditional way can be tricky—you'd need quite a bit of liquid to submerge it fully. Instead, slather your turkey with a paste-like marinade and refrigerate it for a few hours. You can also use flavor injectors to inject a marinade or other flavorful solution deep into the flesh of the turkey—just make sure the liquid is pureed or finely ground enough for seamless injections. If using an injector, you don't need to plan on any additional time for the liquid to permeate the turkey flesh (like you would with a marinade).
The Pioneer Woman Sweet Rose Roaster with Rack
Slather on butter and seasoning.
Spreading on a spice rub or herbaceous compound butter is a genius way to bring big flavor to a turkey. Either can be applied directly to a turkey. Rub a spice blend all over the skin of the bird, and sprinkle it in the cavity, too, to season the turkey from the inside out. A compound butter can be tucked beneath the skin of the turkey, and also spread on top to make it golden and flavorful. Ree coats her roasted Thanksgiving turkey in rosemary-orange butter!
Stuff it with herbs, onions, and citrus.
Another simple, easy way to add flavor to a bird is by stuffing the cavity or roasting pan full of aromatics. Think fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, or oregano), onion, shallots, garlic, and citrus halves. They'll gently perfume the meat and pan drippings with flavor. Plus, flavorful drippings means a flavorful giblet gravy!
Baste or glaze away.
Basting a bird with its own pan juices (or butter that has pooled in the bottom of the roasting pan) can make for golden brown skin that tastes great too. Try Ree's method of basting the turkey toward the end of roasting rather than basting throughout the entire cook time. Opening the oven too often can increase cook time significantly! You can also brush a sweet glaze on the turkey for a golden, almost caramelized finish. Just be sure to give the turkey time to cook a few minutes longer after the final application of either—this allows for the liquid to cook off and the skin to become crispy.
FAQs
Stick with salt and pepper, put herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage to work, or take spicy Cajun seasoning for a spin for some kick. Whatever blend you choose, spread it all over the turkey—on top, underneath, between the body and wings and legs, under the skin, and even in the cavity of the bird.
What is the secret to a moist turkey? ›
Brine your turkey for the best juicy bird.
In recent years, brining has become more popular and can be done with either a wet or dry brine. A wet brine involves immersing the turkey in a salt-water solution for 12-24 hours. Dry-brining is where salt is rubbed over the turkey skin for 24-48 hours before cooking.
Should I put butter or oil on my turkey? ›
Add Fat if You Want To. Because turkey breast is especially lean, I like to rub softened fat beneath the skin just before roasting. It melts and gives the meat extra flavor, richness, and moisture. Duck fat is wonderful for this, and it fortifies the poultry flavors, but unsalted butter works well, too.
How do you season a turkey the night before cooking? ›
If you have time, place your seasoned turkey into the fridge for 24 hours to allow the seasoning to penetrate as much of the meat as possible.
What should I put in the cavity of my turkey? ›
Classic Aromatics
Add halved onions, carrot chunks, celery and fresh herbs to the cavity of your turkey, inserting them loosely. These flavor builders are the base of stock and most soups. As your turkey cooks, they'll steam and infuse your bird with moisture and flavor.
Should I put a stick of butter in my turkey? ›
Impart rich flavor and add moisture to your Thanksgiving turkey by adding a layer of butter under the skin before roasting. Learn how to do this simple (but genius) technique for a delicious Thanksgiving turkey. I'm Kelly Senyei with http://www.epicurious.com, and this is how to put butter under turkey skin.
What can I add to turkey to make it taste better? ›
The basics, like onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage, help lend that traditional Thanksgiving flavor. Take your aromatics up a notch by adding halved lemons or oranges. The citrus will add a nice brightness to the turkey and keep it perfectly moist.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350? ›
We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey. We've done the math for you — check out the chart below to determine both turkey cook times and estimated servings (with leftovers!).
Should you bake a turkey covered or uncovered? ›
To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey? ›
"Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey."
You'll want to plan on about 1.25 pounds of turkey per person. That means if you're expecting 12 guests, plan for a 15-pound bird. To make things simple, we've created a guide to help you pick the perfect-sized turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner menu.
How to season a turkey for best flavor? ›
Spread some of the compound butter over the flesh, under the skin. Season the skin and cavity: If you didn't dry brine, apply salt and pepper to the skin and inside the cavity. Stuff cavity: For bonus flavor, add the orange and lemon you used for zest to the cavity. You can also add some whole, fresh herbs.
How do I prepare my Thanksgiving turkey the night before? ›
It's easy: Simply cook it a day or two in advance, let it cool completely, then carve the bird into large pieces—breasts, wings, thighs and drumsticks. Store in a container in the refrigerator until the big day. This method actually result in juicier meat—and an infinitely more relaxed host.
How long to cook a 15 pound turkey? ›
We recommend cooking an unstuffed turkey for about 13-15 minutes per pound. This 15-pound turkey should be fully cooked within about 3.5 hours — but you should always check the internal temperature before serving to prevent food poisoning.
Should you wash your turkey before you cook it? ›
Wash your hands, but not the turkey! Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it's virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.
Do you cook the stuffing before putting it in turkey? ›
When you place stuffing inside a turkey, it comes into contact with raw meat and juices that may contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella. For optimal food safety, the stuffing must reach a minimum temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria present.
What is the best flavor to stuff a turkey with? ›
Alliums: Add quartered onions, shallots, leeks, or garlic cloves for a delicious, earthy aroma. Fruits: Insert quarters of apple, lemon, orange, lime, or even grapefruit to add moisture and brightness to the turkey. You can even go with dried fruit, like cranberries, to double down on the autumn vibes.
Should I cover my turkey with aluminum foil? ›
To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.
