Looking to impress your guests with the perfect Thanksgiving turkey recipe? Over the years we’ve come across a lot of Thanksgiving turkey ideas but we love recipes that don’t require a 5 hour food preparation! 🙂 This holiday season try this dry brine recipe that will leave your turkey moist, delicious and perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers.

How to Make a Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe Ingredients:

1 fresh turkey (frozen will do too)

2 sticks of unsalted butter that has been softened

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine

1 tbsp dried sage

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Freshly ground pepper

Salt

Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe Directions:

1. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and rinse it under cold water. Pat dry.
2. In a bowl mix 1/3 cup salt, sugar and pepper.
3. Rub the mixture all over the turkey and in the cavity.
4. Place the turkey overnight in a refrigerator on a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Rinse well and pat dry.
6. Mix butter, paprika, sage, thyme, parsley, ground cloves and a little pepper.
7. Keep aside a little of this butter mix for later.
8. Rub in the mixture under the turkey skin, breast and legs. Let it stand for about 30 mins at room temperature.
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the turkey, breast side up on the lowest rack in a large frying pan. Tie the drumsticks together.
10. Roast until the skin is golden brown and the thermometer reading is 165°F in the turkey thigh.
11. Transfer onto a cutting board and let it rest for about 30 more minutes.
12. Carve it the way you want to serve and top it with the reserved butter mix.

Want more Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes?

Try these delicious twists on your traditional turkey recipe.

We love The Pioneer Woman’s Simple Turkey recipe here.

Country Living’s 25 Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes are a must try.

Plan on Thanksgiving Turkey Leftovers!

Try making this Turkey Cobb Sandwich – the perfect way to enjoy leftovers.

This Dry Brined Turkey With Butter & Herbs Recipe can be served with your favorite accompaniments, be it mint chutney or a hung curd and mayonnaise dip or anything else you like. The idea is to relish the subtly infused flavor of herbs with turkey. Do let us know if you have some suggestions to make this recipe more than a meal.

For more Thanksgiving recipes on Stagetecture, click here.