My Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

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Basting your turkey every hour is key to keeping it perfectly moist.

 

Did you know that about 50% of all Thanksgiving turkeys end up being dry? I usually talk about real estate topics but with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought now was the perfect time to share my secret for making the best turkey. I’m proud to say mine has never been dry, not once. Cooking an amazing turkey is something I absolutely love to do. Here’s my tried-and-true recipe for the best Thanksgiving turkey.

My trick to cooking a consistently amazing turkey uses these 6 ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Fresh Garlic 
  • Fresh squeezed orange juice
  • Onion
  • Fresh Rosemary, and 
  • Paprika

Clean and stuffing. After cleaning your turkey, stuff it with your favorite stuffing. If you’re a traditionalist like me, go for Pepperidge Farm classic or seasoned stuffing. I like to add onion and celery, a bunch of poultry seasoning, and sometimes roasted chestnuts.

“Make sure to keep an eye on the orange juice level—if it gets low, add more.”

Butter it and soak. Once your turkey is prepped, cut slits all over the bird and insert with real butter and loads of chopped garlic. Then, pour freshly squeezed orange juice all over it. Don’t use that store-bought orange juice because it just won’t taste the same. I buy two large bottles, because you’ll need a lot for basting, and it also makes the best gravy.

Time to roast. Next, I toss some chopped yellow onion in the bottom of the roasting pan with the orange juice. Sprinkle fresh rosemary and Hungarian paprika all over the bird. Now, cover your turkey and roast it according to the weight. This part is crucial, so make sure you nail the cooking time.

Baste it right. Baste the turkey every hour with the juice from the pan. This is the secret to keeping it moist. The orange juice at the bottom of the pan will act as a gravy. Make sure to keep an eye on the orange juice level—if it gets low, add more.

I really hope you give my turkey recipe a try this Thanksgiving. If you do, I’d love to hear what you think. Call me at (919) 759-6359 or send me an email at [email protected] if you have any questions about this recipe or if you’re thinking about buying, selling, or investing in real estate. Happy Thanksgiving and happy cooking.