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A close up picture of the finished roast turkey on a white serving platter with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
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5 from 11 votes

Easy Turkey Brine and Roast Turkey

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.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Brining Time14 hours
Total Time17 hours 25 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brine, ground turkey, Thanksgiving
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 434kcal
Author: Jess Jankowski
Cost: $17.00

Equipment

  • 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

Ingredients

TURKEY BRINE:

  • 1 cup Morton Table Salt
  • 2 gallons cold water
  • 1 cup lemon juice

ROAST TURKEY:

  • 10-20 pound turkey thawed
  • 6 Tablespoon butter cut into 6 pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
  • salt and pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

BRINE THE TURKEY:

  • Pour 1 cup of table salt in the bottom of a large stockpot or clean plastic bucket. Add the water and lemon juice and stir until the salt is dissolved.
  • Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey, discard or reserve to use later. Rinse the turkey under cold running water.
  • Place the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 10-14 hours.

ROAST THE TURKEY:

  • One hour before you’re ready to roast the turkey, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F for a 10-16 pound turkey and 425 degrees F for a 16-20 pound turkey. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Inside a large roasting pan, place a V-roasting rack in the center of the pan.
  • On High Power and in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and lemon zest in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir and then continue to heat at 10-second increments until completely melted and set aside.
  • Remove the turkey from the brine, and be sure to rinse under cold water. Place the turkey’s wingtips behind its back, and tuck the drumstick tips into the skin of the tail area.
  • Use a pastry brush to coat the entire turkey with the melted butter mixture and then sprinkle 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 turn the turkey in this direction carefully. Next, 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. This will take about 1 hour for 10-16 pound turkeys and 1.5 hours for 16-18 pound turkeys and 2 hours for 18-20 pound turkeys.
  • Take the turkey out of the oven. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes, and then place it on a large cutting board to carve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 9830mg | Potassium: 629mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg