Garlic Herb Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey has a crispy skin, super moist and flavorful turkey meat, and the best gravy you’ve ever had!

Last, but certainly not least, for Thanksgiving week, is the TURKEY!!  I’m not sure why people get so worked up about cooking turkeys.  Maybe it’s luck or that I’m just particularly good at following directions, but I’ve always had really good luck with the turkeys I’ve made.  And after hosting a handful of Thanksgivings and even more Friendsgivings, I’ve made my share.

Here’s another thing I don’t get.  Why have I heard of moms and grandmas getting up in the middle of the night to put the turkey in the oven? Are people eating Thanksgiving dinner at 8 a.m.?  And yeah, while cooking time can vary a little bit depending on the size of the bird, don’t we all own meat thermometers by now?  I mean, it is the 21st century.

So today, I’m making the turkey making process EASY.  Simple.  No-fuss.  We can get behind that, right?

Turkey Facts

But first, we have some important business to talk about.  The Minnesota Turkey Growers Association is actually sponsoring this post and since working with them I’ve learned some really fun facts about turkeys. Such as, did you know that Minnesota is the #1 turkey farming state in the country?  There are 450 family turkey farms in Minnesota that raise 46 MILLION turkeys each year.  That’s just crazy to me. P.s. you can learn about some of the farmers here.

Another thing, Minnesota turkey farmers all have barns for their turkeys and they are free-roaming and never in cages.  Hooray for that!

Now some tips for having the perfect Thanksgiving turkey from your Minnesota turkey farmers!

• When deciding how large of a turkey to cook, allow 1 pound of turkey for each person.
• Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds when de-thawing a turkey in the refrigerator.
• When planning cooking time, allow 20 minutes per pound in a 350 degree F oven.
• Cook your turkey until your meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F in the breast and 165 at the thigh.
• Lastly, let your turkey stand got 20 minutes after you remove it from the oven prior to carving.  This allows the juices to set.

Helpful tips, right?!  Okay, now onto this absolutely delicious turkey recipe.  I’ve made this turkey recipe in some shape four times and every time I swear it gets better.  I mean, how could a turkey that is lathered in mayonnaise, herbs, and garlic ever be bad?  Oh and there’s a stick of butter that gets stuck inside.  It’s Thanksgiving so, why not?

Crispy and Juicy

The first time we made this, I followed this recipe from She Wears Many Hats exactly.  This Garlic Herb Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey recipe is similar, but I’ve changed a few things up.  I modified the herbs, added garlic (never a bad idea!), added some lemon zest, and added an apple in the cavity of the turkey along with the onion.

So what makes this turkey so amazing?  The skin is incredible.  Crispy and juicy.  The meat is SUPER tender and flavorful.  And the gravy?  Holy moly it’s the best gravy ever.

AND this Garlic Herb Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey recipe is really very simple!  There’s no brining or basting.  Just lather the turkey in mayo, and follow the baking directions.  You’ll be well on your way to your best Thanksgiving turkey ever!

This post was sponsored by the Minnesota Turkey Association but all opinions are my own!

P.S. I ‘ve got another great turkey recipe if you are interested – Sage Butter Roasted Turkey.

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