Easy Turkey Brine And Roast Turkey

Name: Easy Turkey Brine and Roast Turkey
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 1045 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Morton Table Salt; 2 gallons cold water; 1 cup lemon juice; 10-20 pound turkey (thawed); 6 Tablespoon butter (cut into 6 pieces); 2 Tablespoons lemon zest; salt and pepper

The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.

This Easy Turkey Brine and Roast Turkey recipe is succulent, juicy, and cooked to golden-brown perfection. This turkey has so much flavor, and it will be the star of your Thanksgiving table.

It costs about $17.00 to make this turkey recipe. The recipe makes twelve servings, which works out to be just $1.42 per serving.

For a complete guide to help you plan Thanksgiving, be sure to download our FREE Thanksgiving Dinner Planning Guide.

And don’t forget about what to do the day after Thanksgiving with all the leftover turkey. Make these Leftover Turkey Sandwiches or this Turkey Barley Soup.

An overhead picture of the finished roast turkey.

Sometimes cooking a turkey can be a little intimidating. But, it is the star of the show, and we all want it to be perfect! Our recipe has simple step-by-step directions that will guide you through ensuring you have a juicy, tender, and flavorful turkey for the big day.

Our best advice when cooking a turkey is to plan accordingly, which reduces most of the stress. First, give yourself enough time to defrost the turkey if it is frozen, and then give yourself enough time to brine the turkey. The secret for a moist turkey is in the brine, so you do not want to cut corners on this step.

The lemon butter mixture you will rub on the turkey will help create a perfectly brown skin while roasting. In addition, the lemon adds flavor everyone will enjoy.

Whether you are a first-timer with cooking a turkey or have been doing it for years looking for a new recipe, this easy, fail-proof Roasted Turkey recipe will be one you will use year after year.

Ingredients & Cost:

Recipe Cost: $17.00

Per Serving: $1.42

1 cup Morton Table Salt – $0.48
2 gallons cold water – $0.00
1 cup lemon juice – $1.04
10 pound turkey – $14.80
6 Tablespoons butter – $0.60
2 Tablespoons lemon zest – $0.08

To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.

All of the ingredients needed to make this roast turkey and turkey bring recipe.

INSTRUCTIONS

First, brine the turkey and put it in the fridge for up to 14 hours.
Next, preheat the oven. Remove the turkey from the brine.
Place the turkey’s wing tips behind its back, and tuck the drumstick tips into the skin of the tail area.
Brush the turkey with the butter mixture and season with salt and pepper.
Once the oven is preheated, place the turkey in the oven and roast for 45 minutes for a 10-16 pound turkey, and 60 minutes for a 16-20 pound turkey.
Take the turkey out of the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. To flip the turkey, breast side up, use heat resistant oven mitts or clean kitchen towels to carefully turn the turkey in this direction. Place the now flipped turkey back into the oven and continue to roast this side until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160-165 degrees F.
Let the turkey rest for thirty minutes before carving and serving.

A picture collage showing how to make this roast turkey recipe.

STORAGE TIPS

Serve: You can leave the turkey out for about two hours before it needs to be refrigerated.

Store: Cover and store the turkey in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

Freeze: Spread the turkey on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for 1 hour. Then, transfer the turkey to a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag and freeze for about two months.

COOK’S TOOLS

liquid measuring cup
measuring spoons
large stockpot or 5-gallon brining bucket
roasting pan with rack
measuring cup
potholders
carving board
turkey carving tools
turkey serving platter

RECIPE FAQs

How long does it take to roast a turkey?

Roasting a turkey takes about three hours in the oven. The time will vary slightly depending on the size of your turkey and your oven. However, generally speaking, it is wise to plan on about three hours.

Do you cover a turkey when you cook it?

Our recipe does not require you to cover the turkey when you cook it. Soaking the bird for ten to fourteen hours and covering it in lemon butter before roasting will help lock the moisture into the turkey yielding a moist turkey for eating. Therefore, covering the turkey is not needed.

Can I butter my turkey the night before?

Yes, if you are that prepared and organized, we are super impressed and want to know your secrets! For example, you can butter the turkey the night before, season with salt and pepper, and place it in the fridge. Then, the next day, remove the turkey from the fridge and let it come to room temperature before placing it in the oven to roast.

GET KIDS INVOLVED

Ages 2-3: Have your child help brush on the melted butter and lemon zest. This is an excellent opportunity to teach young kids kitchen safety on handling raw meat. Teach concepts such as not eating raw meat and washing your hands well before and after handling raw meat.

Ages 4-5: Let your child pre-measure the brine ingredients. They can help make the butter mixture and stir the salt until it is dissolved in the water.

Ages 6-8: Use the opportunity to teach some math concepts with this recipe. You can teach how many cups are in a pint, quart, and gallon as they fill the bucket with two gallons of water.

Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.

Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

BUDGET TIPS

Look for a turkey early in the season when they are on sale and put it in your freezer until you are ready to use it. Some stores will even offer a free turkey every so often, so keep your eyes out for those coupons!

Thick slices of roast turkey on a white serving platter.

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