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.

Garlic Herb Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey

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

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: holidays, thanksgiving, turkey

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 1098kcal

Author: Taylor Ellingson

Ingredients

• 12-14 lb. whole turkey thawed completely
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
• 2 tablespoons rosemary chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1½ cups of mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 tablespoons pepper
• 1 apple peeled, core removed, and diced
• 1 large onion rough chopped
• ½ cup 1 stick butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, combine herbs, garlic, lemon zest, and mayonnaise. Stir well to combine.
• Lather turkey completely in mayonnaise mixture, completely covering the outside and inside.
• Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Don't be shy with this.
• Place apple, onion, and stick of butter in the turkey and tie up the legs.
• Place in a roasting pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook another 1 1/2-2 hours, or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F in the breast and 175 degrees F in the thigh. Cook time will depend on how large your bird is.
• Cover with foil and let rest for 20 minutes.
• Reserve juices for gravy!
• *To make the gravy:
• Combine 1/4 cup of flour and 1 cup of waterin a mason jar and shake until well combined.
• Add turkey drippings to a medium pan over medium heat.
• Add flour/water mixture, stirring well until combined.
• Cook until slightly thickened.
• Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.
• Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 1098kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 119g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 430mg | Sodium: 2293mg | Potassium: 1291mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 669IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 5mg

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