This Cheesecloth Turkey recipe is our tried-and-true secret for a golden, juicy turkey with the most flavorful herb butter crust. This method makes a beautifully golden skin and turns out the juiciest roasted turkey recipe you’ve ever had!

If roasting a whole turkey makes you nervous, the cheesecloth method is one of the easiest ways to get a juicy, flavorful bird with beautifully browned skin and no expert skills. The turkey is wrapped in butter-soaked cheesecloth as it roasts, which helps baste the meat and protect the skin while it cooks.

Here’s What I’ll Teach You for the Perfectly Golden Thanksgiving Turkey

I’ll show you exactly how to use cheesecloth, when to remove it, how to know when the turkey is done, and how to get that golden skin without drying out the meat.

The Best Oven Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Ever [+Video]

A classic turkey recipe for making the best oven roasted Thanksgiving turkey ever! It starts with a brine, gets smothered in lemon herb butter, and ends with a perfectly roasted whole turkey to feed your Thanksgiving crowd!

I’ve done it all. Over cooked, undercooked, bland, you name it. Thanksgiving has always been a stitch lame to me because the turkey was absolutely never exciting, hence why I loved the leftover sandwiches the best!

Mmmmm, potato rolls, mayo, turkey and a little cheese! Or, lately I’ve been doing a little cream cheese, poppyseed dressing, cheese and turkey on a roll and oh my goodness it’s life-changing.

But back to the turkey, you guys I’m serious I have spent every year for the past 15 years trying to figure out the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe and this is it. The secrets are for sure brining and proper herbs and rest time three things to make the perfect combo.

Turkey Basics

Before we jump in to making this roasted whole turkey, I want to cover a few of the basics:

• A frozen turkey will need thaw 24 hours per every 5 pounds.
• Turkey will need to cook for 13-15 minutes per pound.
• Safe internal temperature for a turkey is 175 degrees F the thigh and 165 degrees F in the breast.

So let’s assume you are going to roast a 12 pound turkey that is frozen when you purchase it and you want to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Here is your brief timeline:

• Remove turkey from freezer to thaw in the fridge: 4 1/2 days ahead of time (Sunday morning – Tuesday afternoon)
• Brine: 24 hours (Tuesday afternoon – Wednesday afternoon)
• Turkey rests in fridge: 4-12 hours (overnight Wednesday to Thursday morning)
• Turkey rests at room temperature: 1 hour
• Turkey roasts in the oven: 3 hours
• Turkey rests: 30 minutes

Now the turkey is ready to carve and eat Thursday afternoon! Now here are those same steps in a little more detail…

How to Roast a Whole Turkey

Roasting a whole turkey starts with a 24 hour brine. Head to our favorite turkey brine recipe for all the details of why to brine, how to brine and what goes into the brine.

Turkey Prep

After the turkey brines, remove the turkey from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels and put it on a baking sheet uncovered. St