How to Cook the Perfect, No-Fail Turkey for Tomorrow

Seriously, how do you cook a turkey without it turning into a dry disaster? We are sharing our adapted turkey recipe, and trust me, it’s easier than you think and absolutely packed with flavor!

This roast turkey recipe is stuffed with delicious aromatics like onions, sweet pears, and fresh chopped sage. This isn’t just another recipe; it’s a step-by-step guide—complete with images—designed to help any beginning cook or first-timer confidently put the juiciest, most wonderful Tom turkey centerpiece on the table. When it comes to any holiday or gathering, the hero can definitely be Tom turkey. Cooking one is much easier than you think, and with a few basics, you will end up with the best dinner!

When you are done. Grab more Thanksgiving dinner ideas! And get recipes for sides and desserts at the bottom of this post to enjoy the best holiday dinner!

You will want to try this no fail Turkey recipe! We hope you enjoy it on Thanksgiving, Christmas or anytime you are cooking a festive dinner. 

How to Roast a Turkey

• Not what you’re looking for? Find more easy recipes here. And our favorite side dish recipes:
• Cranberry Sauce Recipe
• Stuffing Recipe
• Sweet Potato Salad With Pineapple 
• Cucumber Beet Salad 
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Easy Homemade Lasagna With Meat Sauce

I love recipes that aren’t complicated. If I find one that sounds good, but maybe it has excess steps? I try to reel it in. Making it easier without losing all the lovely flavors. This turkey recipe we tried was one that was a winner. We have been making this for several years and love it!

See all the steps of how to roast a turkey. This is perfect for anyone new to cooking a turkey.

I remember struggling the first few years I cooked a turkey. Oh, the mishaps! Back in the day, there was no internet. What? You say. How did we ever make it? Calling loved ones and friends to find their tips.

Plus cookbooks, like The Joy of Cooking. I passed this gem on to one of my daughters. I’ll just show you how easy it is to cook a turkey in the oven and how we adapted the turkey recipe. Of course, point you to the original recipe in case you’d like a gourmet Turkey recipe.

In the end, it’s your choice, but if you do end up making either turkey recipe, I’d love to hear if you enjoyed it as well. Just tag us on social media @DearCreatives. Pop on our Facebook page or comment here or on the Pinned image.

I’ve updated this post from a few years ago. Why? Because it’s our go-to turkey recipe. I updated this post, added a few more resources. Now, let’s get started cooking this turkey. 

Roast Turkey Stuffed With Onions, Pears, And Sage

Tips for cooking the perfect turkey! Because everyone wants a no-fail turkey, especially on Thanksgiving. 

How to Prepare a Turkey (Brining)

1. We did brine the turkey before our recipe steps. (you can see this simple salt brine recipe or this more flavorful brine recipe) We used a simple salt brine. 
2. Then we prepared what we would stuff inside the turkey. This is super quick, which is great if you have sides to prep or guests at your home.
3. We make our stuffing separately. It’s highly recommended to do it that way.
4. These USDA Turkey Guidelines may help you with purchasing, defrosting, and preparing your turkey. Did you know you shouldn’t rinse your turkey? Since 2011, they have recommended that you wipe it out. See guidelines for detailed tips.
5. Follow the directions below once your turkey is out of the brine and ready to prepare for roasting. 

How to Roast a Turkey 

Trussing, adding aromatics, and the importance of preheating. This includes step-by-step instructions.

Step-by-step guide for stuffing a turkey and prepping it for the oven

We washed, peeled, and cut up several pears. Then we washed fresh sage and cut up one yellow onion.

Place your turkey in a roasting pan with a rack inside. This is a best-selling roasting pan with a rack, which is slightly bigger than ours.

• For 20 lbs and under, our 15″ roasting pan with rack is on sale at the time we wrote the post. Comparably priced, the same panget it here.

  

   

Then we prepared our turkey, which was already cleaned out. If you don’t know how, here’s a post that may help you clean and prepare a turkey for stuffing.

Then we sewed the skin shut with stuffing inside. Next, we oiled him up with a little extra virgin olive oil.

We do not eat the cooked stuffing. You can read the guidelines below for why. We cook our stuffing separately. (casserole stuffing recipe Thanksgiving stuffing recipe )

Roasting The Turkey In the Oven

A dash of salt and pepper was added prior to putting the turkey in the pre-heated oven temperature 450°F.

1. Place the turkey into the oven uncovered.
2. Make sure there is plenty of space at the top or lower / adjust your oven racks. (Check this before heating your oven!)
3. Roast at pre-heated temperature for about 30 minutes, then reduce to 325°F following the USDA cooking guidelines for stuffed/or unstuffed turkey.
4. For our stuffed turkey, 4.35-4.75 hours. Carryover cooking: The secret to a juicy turkey is letting carryover cooking finish the job outside the oven.
5. You should take the turkey out of the oven when the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part of the breast. Final temperature 165°F Internal temp.
6. To stuff or not stuff your turkey? If you are asking, see this resource. 

How to Baste Your Turkey

Baste your turkey and check on it during the cooking process.

• My baster is the xoxo angled turkey baster with cleaning brush.

Start Late to Keep Skin Crispy: Don’t start basting immediately. Wait until the turkey skin has set (usually about 60 to 90 minutes into cooking). If you baste too early, the liquid cools the skin and steam forms, which prevents the skin from crisping and turning golden brown.

Use Fat, Not Stock: The goal of basting is to keep the surface moist and deliver fat and flavor, not just water. Use melted butter, pan drippings, or a mixture of both. Water-based liquids (like plain stock) evaporate too quickly and primarily just cool the turkey down. Use a turkey baster like the one I shared. It is perfect for basting the turkey.

Baste Infrequently and Quickly: Every time you open the oven door, the oven temperature drops significantly (often by 50-75°F or more), increasing the overall cooking time and drying out the bird. Baste only every 30 to 45 minutes, and be fast about it! Get the door shut again within 30 seconds.

How long do you cook a turkey? 

1. How long you cook the turkey depends on the size of the turkey; if your turkey is stuffed with make the cooking time varies. You need to calculate the amount of time to cook your turkey under each condition.
2. Keep basting until the turkey is close to being done (Remove at 160°F ), before reaching its internal temperature of 165°F throughout the turkey. This is the standard guideline for food-safe internal turkey temperature. For our recipe, we stated it above. See below for carryover cooking tips!
3. If you are not using our recipe, you can read this resource for the turkey’s cooking temperatures. Scroll page for stuffed / unstuffed cooking guidelines. 

Never Overcook Your Turkey: Understand Carryover Cooking

Here is the exact process and why this temperature works:

1. Remove at 160°F (71°C) (Breast): Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding the bone. When it hits 160°F, take the turkey out immediately.
2. Resting (The Critical Step): Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, tent it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for at least 30 to 45 minutes.
3. The Carryover Effect: While resting, the internal temperature of the breast will continue to rise (this is called carryover cooking) by about 5 to 7 degrees, bringing it to the safe, final temperature of 165°F (74°C).
4. Why this prevents drying: If you wait until it hits 165°F in the oven, the carryover cooking will push it past 170°F, squeezing out all the moisture and leaving you with dry meat. Resting also allows the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb juices.

Crucial Note for Thighs: While the breast is the priority for juiciness, always check the thigh as well. It will likely be a bit higher (around 175°F to 180°F), which is actually great, as dark meat benefits from higher heat to break down connective tissues.

Use a meat thermometer

Use a good meat thermometer for checking. What I love about this one is that it has the internal temps that you’re shooting for right on the face of the thermometer. I also have a classic pocket food thermometer. It comes in handy having two as our family is big and we often cook two meats.

What do you do if your turkey skin is cooking too fast? 

Troubleshooting tips

You can use aluminum foil to tent the top of the turkey. Leaving sides open for air flow. This will protect the turkey while it finishes getting to the finished internal temperature. 

Are you ready to cook your turkey? 

Printable recipe for Roast Turkey Stuffed With Onion Pears and Sage

You’ll be serving up big plates of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes …. Of course, don’t forget your sides of stuffing and cranberry sauce. There is nothing better than a big Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings and perfectly cooked sliced turkey.

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Planning Thanksgiving

• If you are starting your Thanksgiving Planning, you might like our Thanksgiving Planner use code:  gobble
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More Holiday Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes and Thanksgiving Side Dishes, and Dessert Recipes for Thanksgiving for planning and last-minute ideas!

• Sausage Sage Stuffing Recipe (and how to make stuffing balls)
• Cranberry Sauce Recipe (and how to make homemade cranberry sauce)
• 15 Thanksgiving Side Dishes
• Appetizers
• Easy Dessert Recipes: The Best Apple Dessert Recipes
• 15 Pumpkin Cheese Cake Recipes (includes a yummy one we tried)
• Be sure to see all our Easy Dessert Recipes (and no-bake sweet treats).
• Pumpkin Mousse
• Mini Pumpkin Pies
• Pie Recipes
• Thanksgiving Pinterest Board
• Pumpkin Recipes Pinterest Board
• Inn Keepers Pie Dessert Recipe
• Last Minute Recipe Ideas for Thanksgiving Meal Planning
• Don’t miss this post for all your Thanksgiving and holiday planning, grab tips, meal planning, and free printable templates…

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?