Sprinkled With Spice Whole Roast Turkey

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Today, I am sharing a simple recipe for a whole roast turkey sprinkled with spice for your Thanksgiving day. We are making a delicious roast turkey from frozen for the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe. Yes, those frozen birds can be tricky for a Thanksgiving dinner, especially for inexperienced turkey chefs. You can get that big bird roasting in the hot oven for your feast with a few simple steps. The skin is always crispy, the bird is always succulent, and it’s not overly complicated, making it ideal for busy moms and home chefs. 

If you’re familiar with that rich roast turkey flavor during the holidays, you may be wondering how to do it yourself. Maybe it’s your first year hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas, and you want to impress with a tasty bird. Whatever brought you here, I am going to share my basic whole roast turkey steps to tastiness. 

The best part of easy turkey recipes is that they leave you plenty of time to work on the side dishes to accompany the meal. This turkey recipe makes the perfect turkey with plenty of roast juices to make a great homemade turkey gravy.

NOTE: Reading the label well is essential when purchasing a whole frozen turkey. Check your grocery store for various brands and options to find the best turkey for your feast. A utility turkey, for example, has been butchered poorly, resulting in some damage to the bird, whether it is ripped skin or a missing limb. Further investigation into the freezer will give you an array of brands. Which one is best? Organically raised meat will have turkeys that may have been fed with a more robust variety of scraps and feed. This may result in sweeter turkey meat. But don’t overlook the regular farm-raised turkeys because they are often tender and have been raised specifically for the holiday season. Look at the tag to determine each turkey’s pounds or kgs before purchasing. This will help you choose the right size of your turkey to fit in your oven and roasting pan. How long will that bird need to cook on the day if it’s 15 minutes per lb? 

Buying an overly large turkey may seem like a great idea when you have a large number of people to prepare food for, but in reality, it can lead to sore arms from lifting the bird ting in and out of the oven for basting. It can be tougher as larger birds are older. And even worse, it may not fit your oven. Believe me, in my early years, I made that mistake. I started cooking the bird one day, which wasn’t cooked until the next. Yikes. 

Want great turkey flavor without all the leftovers? Try my orange cranberry roast turkey breasts they are delicious. 

pin image turkey cooking times for stuffed turkeys

Why You Will Love This Turkey Recipe

Simplicity. It’s really about preparation and cook time to get a perfectly roasted turkey every time. 

Nothing fancy. You don’t have to break the bank on special ingredients for this roast turkey. You can have a delicious roast bird for the holiday feast with a few simple pantry staples. 

Never Fails. That’s right, this recipe never fails to create a flavorful turkey. What more can you ask for in a turkey recipe than delicious results every time?

Let’s Get That Frozen Turkey Prepped.

In the old days, when I was growing up, my mother always prepared family feasts. We had turkey at least four times a year. It meant I got to watch her methods and learn them by heart. I am sharing how simple it is for you to make a turkey. It’s the best way I have ever tried making turkey. This isn’t fancy; it’s functional and delicious. Great for inexperienced home cooks who want to avoid getting lost on many steps. 

That turkey is rock solid when frozen. It is often purchased with giblets or organs like the heart, gizzard, and liver. There is also the turkey neck. Once the bird has thawed, you can remove the package it is often packed in. It can take up to three days for a large bird to thaw sitting in the fridge. Don’t underestimate the length of time this step will take. I can tell you working on the day of roasting with ice isn’t fun. 

So large birds over 14kg (20lbs) need three days in the fridge. Plan according to the pounds of turkey you’re preparing to ensure proper thawing. Of course, you can also purchase a ready-to-go fresh turkey that’s already thawed. That’s the easiest but perhaps one of the more expensive methods. We are going to scrub out our kitchen sink. Don’t be shy about getting it completely clean. Scrub. Scrub. And, of course, rinse any cleansers out of the sink thoroughly. 

Place the entire bird in the plastic in the sink and remove the plastic with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. The thawed bird will be bloody and wet with melted ice. Removing the plastic in the clean sink keeps the mess to a minimum. Plus, you will be washing the inside of the bird once the giblets have been removed. We wash the inside of the bird’s cavity with only cold water. So that means if there is any ice left formed in there, you are going to experience some freezing hands. It’s okay to warm them up intermittently so you avoid freezing your skin. 

The turkey is packaged in shrink-wrapped plastic that must be removed. In Canada, you will also find a hideously difficult plastic piece stuck into the bird near the legs. You have to struggle to pull that thing out. It’s not easy and requires a bit of muscle, but once out, we can move on. 

Rinse the cavity of the turkey well. Then, lift the entire bird and tilt it over the sink, letting any remaining water run out. Next, lay the turkey breast side up in a large roasting pan. See, this is going well. Dry your hands and gather the spices: paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and poultry seasoning. It’s important to purchase fresh poultry seasoning only as old seasoning (6 months, 6 months, 6 months old) can start to lose its potency. 

Next, you will gently sprinkle the whole exterior of the bird with the spices while it’s in the roaster. Be extra light when sprinkling the black pepper, as it can be overpowering. You can never use too much red paprika, as it’s not overly strong in flavor. That’s all there is to it unless you are stuffing the bird’s cavity. We love our old family recipe for bread stuffing with ketchup. It’s economical and not complicated to make a batch and stuff the interior of the bird. 

The last step is to cover the entire roasting pan with the lid or aluminum foil. NOTE: If covering with foil, test it so it’s not touching the bird’s skin, as the skin will stick and then rip when the foil is removed. Place turkey in the roasting pan just below the center of the oven to cook in the preheated oven, 350F. It will need 15 minutes per lb for a stuffed turkey and 13 minutes per lb for an unstuffed turkey. Pull it out to baste once or twice, depending on the size of the turkey. Be sure to baste the stuffing crust covering the bird’s cavity. It will soak up all that delicious flavor from the meat juices. 

This roasting method results in a flavorful, crispy skin on the turkey while keeping the roast turkey delightfully juicy. Of course, some of your results will depend on the brand of the turkey purchased as well. This works best for turkeys that still need to be butterball-basted. 

Remove the turkey from the oven once the internal temperature of the largest portion of the bird’s breast has reached 165F. If this is your first time roasting a whole turkey, you can also purchase a specialty turkey thermometer that pops up when the turkey is done. Cooking a turkey is simple once you get the knack for it. 

Let the whole turkey rest for ten minutes before carving if you want neatly cut breast meat. The dark meat is so juicy it practically falls off the bone, making it the perfect Thanksgiving turkey to celebrate your family feast this year. 

Ingredients:

Whole Turkey: This recipe is for frozen whole turkey, but it can also be used for fresh turkey. 

Paprika: The spice initially adds a vibrant red hue to the turkey, but as the turkey roasts, the oils and moisture in the skin mix with the paprika, causing it to darken and deepen in color. The oven’s heat helps the paprika-infused fat render, resulting in a beautiful, browned, and crispy skin.

Garlic Powder: This spice coats the turkey and infuses a balanced garlic flavor throughout the roast. It complements the turkey’s natural richness without overpowering it.

​Pepper: It cuts through the meat’s richness and complements the other seasonings without overpowering the dish.

​Poultry Seasoning: These herbs make the turkey taste more savory, giving it that classic roast turkey flavor. If your spice blend is older than six months, I recommend replacing it, as it will lose its potency over time.

whole roast turkey with stuff

Substitutions And Add-Ins For The Golden Brown Holiday Turkey

Whole Turkey: Well, we may be talking turkey. This method also works for roasting whole chickens. 

The other ingredients should stay the same for best results.

Expert Tips, Serving Suggestions, And Storing Recommendations

Tip #1: Plan Ahead for Thawing: Allow the turkey time to thaw in the fridge before roasting. Large birds over 14kg (20 lbs) need up to three days to fully thaw, while smaller birds can take about two days. Rushing this step or working with a partially frozen turkey can lead to uneven cooking or a messy process.

Tip #2: Clean and Prep with Care: When prepping your turkey, clean your kitchen sink thoroughly and remove the packaging to contain the mess. Washing the turkey’s cavity with cold water helps remove any remaining blood or ice. This step is crucial to eliminate blood residue and excess water, which could potentially ruin the flavor and texture of your stuffing. Always handle the bird carefully and keep your hands warm to avoid discomfort while rinsing.

​Tip #3: Tent Your Turkey for Best Results: If covering the turkey with aluminum foil, tent it so the foil doesn’t touch the skin. This prevents the skin from sticking to the foil, ensuring it stays intact and crispy when you remove the cover. Keeping the skin intact helps with both presentation and flavor.

For a perfect family feast this Thanksgiving, serve your moist turkey with chunky mashed potatoes and parsnip or honey ginger carrots. They go great alongside homemade gravy and popovers. Follow the star of the show up with a fresh pumpkin pie to complete your holiday feast. 

Storing leftover turkey can be a hassle, but I’ve found that if you remove the meat from the carcass, you can store it separately for use later, which is more accessible than removing the meat later. The whole carcass can make a delicious turkey and rice soup later. The meat can be frozen and kept for up to three months. Use it later in a turkey pot pie or as part of another turkey recipe. Let the frozen meat thaw in the fridge overnight before using. 

I would love to hear your thoughts if you’ve used this easy-spiced method for cooking turkey. Be sure to rate and comment, as your input helps others learn more about the recipe. As always, happy cooking!

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Sprinkled With Spice Whole Roast Turkey: Perfect For Holiday Dinners

This simple spiced whole roast turkey is easy and delicious. The method used here results in succulent roast meat every time with crispy spiced skin. Serve with your favorite holiday side dishes for a family feast everyone loves year after year.
Prep Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Keyword: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, turkey
Author: Amber Bondar

Equipment

  • Large Roasting Pan
  • Turkey Baster

Materials

  • 1 Whole Turkey Thawed
  • Paprika
  • Black Pepper
  • Garlic Powder
  • Poultry Seasoning

Instructions

  • Clean sink thoroughly and open the turkey package in the sink to allow blood to drain.
  • Remove giblets if provided from turkey cavity. Be sure to look at back where neck was removed they can be there too.
  • Rinse turkey to remove any remaining ice and blood from interior cavity.
  • Place whole turkey breast side up in the roasting pan.
  • Sprinkle lightly with spices. More poultry seasoning then the others but not too much.
  • Cover turkey and put in preheated 350℉ oven below center for an hour.
  • Remove from oven and using turkey baster baste the bird. Remove excess juices from the roasting pan and reserve for gravy.
  • Cover the bird and return to the oven to cook further. Baste again if it's a large bird.
  • Test turkey for done with a meat thermometer in the largest portion of the breast away from the bone.
  • It should be 165℉ when done. Remove from oven and let rest for ten minutes before carving.
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