Easy Herb-Roasted Turkey

This makes the yummiest, really moist and tender (as in falling off the bone, literally; if you need your turkey to be pretty, keep a sharp eye out) Thanksgiving bird. Definitely make gravy from the herb-y, flavorful drippings - it completely kicks you-know-what, too. Can't say enough good things about this one. I used softened butter, which is tasty and easier to handle, and put most of the mixture under the skin. My roaster doesn't have a lid, so I tightly covered with foil; it worked just fine. In other words, you can't go wrong! **Added later: well, I've made this several more times in different ways - In the oven with a turkey bag, in a countertop roaster, all olive oil instead of butter, sprinkling generously with paprika after pouring on the herbs (to enhance browning - but don't baste or the "fake tan" will wash off!)... turns out great every time. Made Thanksgiving lunch this year ('07) for 50+ people at work, including this turkey, and it was rave reviews all around! ** Added '08: I've made this about six times now, so I've decided that this is the magic combo: use olive oil as written; use most of the mixture under the skin with just enough outside for pretty; don't use an oven bag; after the herbs are poured on, add a generous coating of Paprika and skip the basting (don't need it anyway!). Cooked again for work - well before noon at least 10 people had walked up to me with shiny fingers and half-full mouths, saying "that turkey is so GOOOD!". 'Nuf said.

I've used this recipe for two years now - it is fabulous! The only things I changed were cooking it in a turkey bag and preparing the spices a little differently. I mix them in a softened whole stick of butter, smear it all in a small plastic bag, roll it up, then refrigerate (a la Sandra Lee). Once firm, I slice it and put the pats under the skin and in the cavity of the bird. My turkeys were always, always dry before I found this recipe; now they get rave reviews. It's a keeper!

Okay, listen good and hard. This turkey recipe is the *BEST* turkey recipe on the planet. EVERYONE loved it including the kids! Just as others mentioned, you do need to take the solution and put under the skin of the turkey between the skin and the meat - right on top of the meat and the outside of the skin as well. I also doubled the solution as to have more rub for my large turkey. P.S. I added about 3 tbs of butter and mixed into the mixture to give an additional buttery flavor. If you think I'm wrong about this -- let me tell you what a 10 year old told me after eating my turkey *LEFTOVERS* -- "This turkey is better than my momma's... her's is dry." Isn't that sweet? This is the juciest turkey recipe you will ever try, I promise. And the flavor is out of this world. Thank you whoever invented it! It will be my turkey recipe for every Thanksgiving and Christmas from now until eternity! Brandy

This was so easy, no basting! And it was very moist. However, the skin did not brown under the tin foil, so next time, I wil take the tin foil off about an hour before it is done.

My first time making turkey and everyone at the dinner party was amazed. Things like "the moistest turkey ever" "delicious" "oh my god, are you sure you made this yourself?"... I had a 12lb turkey, lightly stuffed w/ italian sausage stuffing, coated in the herb ingredients.. cooked breast side up for 2 hours (covered), then breast down (uncovered) for another 2 hours. Oh - I used 1/2c olive oil, 1/4c melted butter. I didn't even baste it once! Crispy, browned, juicy. I can't say enough good things!!! Update: cooked it again for a "Trial Run" dinner.. fantastic. Followed exactly as I did it last time - just be careful flipping the bird, its hot and if your hands slip, you lose some of the golden skin. Happy Thanksgiving!

Loved this! Silly me, I thought I needed to double the recipe because I was using a bigger turkey big mistake! In the end I wasted a lot of olive oil and spices. My advice is to use the measurements as directed no matter what the size of your turkey is.

My first turkey and it came out wonderfully. Used 1/2 oil and butter, and used a can of chicken stock with garlic (14 oz) instead of the water. Injected the turkey with the garlic chicken stock as well, and added a whole onion and a whole garlic bulb to the cavity. For my 13 lb turkey, cooked at 325 with a foil tent for 2.5 hours, then removed the foil and upped to 350 for 1.25 hours. PERFECTION! My family raved.

This was my first turkey and it was so easy. The meat was moist and tender. The meat was falling off the bone. I have never had moist white meat at anyone else's house, so this recipe must be good. I did a 14 pound turkey stuffed with cranberry, sausage, and apple stuffing from this site. It took only 3 1/2 hours to cook. The only thing I changed was instead of olive oil, I melted 1/2 cup of unsalted butter and added all the spices. I used a brush to apply everything as stated. I poured 2 cups of chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. I left the turkey UNCOVERED and basted it every 1/2 hour which gave it a rich brown color. This recipe is a definite keeper. No more dry meat!

Wow! What a great turkey we had at my house today for Thanksgiving. This turkey (10lbs) was just perfect!! Nice and moist and flavorful. I cooked it for 21/2 hours. I covered it during cooking with foil,then removed it for the last 45 minutes for browning. I also put two bay leaves under the skin. This is a keeper for sure.

Made this for our own Thanksgiving dinner...and it was amazing. I did have to roast it a little bit longer than the recipe called for (but I think that it was because of my oven, not the recipe). It was so moist and the seasonings were just perfect. I will definately be making this one again. Thanks for the post.

Never have I made such an easy, mouthwatering turkey! Smelled awesome while it was baking. I followed other reviewer's suggestions, and used canned chicken broth in the bottom of the roaster. Stuffed cavity with onions quartered, garlic cloves, and 2 fresh limes I had to use up. Made the best gravy, as well as browned but not dried out skin! A definite keeper!

Having never made a turkey before this past thanksgiving, I took it upon myself to find the best recipe and seasonings I could find. Everyone was SO impressed with my turkey! I cooked mine upside down (to keep the breast from drying out) and it was amazing. Thanks to you, my family thinks I'm a pro! :)

This turkey came out moist, savory, juicy and tender. The meat was falling off the bone! I added lots of minced garlic, fresh sliced lemons, Hawaiian sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, marjarom, basil, etc.) to real butter and olive oil and rubbed it all over the turkey and under the skin, cavity, etc. I also cut one lemon in half and squeezed it all over the turkey and placed the lemons inside the cavity along with half onions, more garlic and basil. I basted it every 30 minutes for 4 1/2 hours and took off the foil the last 30 minutes of the cooking process to make a nice brown color. I used a gravy/fat separator for the juice in the pan and added one package of turkey gravy mixture. I would definitely used this recipe again. It was easy, delicious and so satisfying! I served this with," Bread and Celery Stuffing," also from this website.

This was my first turkey ever and it turned out great. (I will say as a vegetarian, it tested my stomach when I was cleaning it!) As suggested by many, I made a few changes. I used two cups of chicken broth and one cup of water instead of just water. I cut back on the garlic powder by about half a tablespoon and added a tablespoon of fresh garlic. I did not have sage, so I omitted the salt and added poultry seasoning. I pulled up the skin on the breasts and placed about half of the seasoning/oil mix under there. I put the rest of the mix on the outside of the turkey. I cut up an apple and a small onion, rubbed them on the bowl that had the seasoning mix in it to scrap up the last of the spices and placed them in the cavity of the bird. They add flavor and moisture while cooking. I cooked it breast down covered for most of the time (so the juices from the dark meat ran into the breast) then uncovered it and flipped it over for the last 45mins-hour of cooking (basting every 10 mins) to let it brown nicely. I made a 20lb turkey, so I multipled the recipe by 1.5. It took about 5 and half hours for it to cook to 175 (I then took it out and covered it till it reached 180). It was litterally falling off the bones when we cut it up the next day. My husband, who is not a huge turkey fan loved it. He also thought the "easy turkey gravy" from this site was my best gravy ever!! Thanks for the amazing recipe!!!!

We love roasted turkey in this family. I have been using the same method for all my turkeys for years, however, and we decided to try something new this past Thanksgiving. I found this recipe and decided to give it a try. I followed the directions to the letter...no deviation whatsoever (except that I did like most others recommended and put the herb mix under the skin as well as over it). Having always been a cheesecloth over the breast and baste religiously gal, I was skeptical. It had so many lovely reviews, though, I took the risk. I cannot even begin to tell you how ridiculously awesome this turkey was. I have never in my life had a turkey with so much flavor and this much moisture...and that's really saying something. We eat a lot of turkey in this family. I will never go back to my old recipe. This method is less work, less mess, and a superior turkey in both flavor and texture. You simply MUST give this a try.

I have been using this receipe for the past 3 years. I addition to this receipe I inject the turkey the night before with Chicken broth,salt and powdered garlic with a flavor injector.I fill the cavity with peppers, onions and garlic cloves. I also cook the turkey breast down turning for even color. excellent results every time!

This was such a huge hit! The turkey was so moist you could cut it with a plastic for - just be sure to baste it every 30 minutes. And if you uncover it for the last half hour to 45 minutes, it browns beautifully. Also, instead of two cups of water I did 1.5 cups of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of water.

The turkey looked fabulous, smelled like heaven but it just didn't do it for me. My family and I are such 'skin' people... not that great, sorry.

This was soooo delicious! I followed the recipe exactly except I left out the water since I used an oven bag. My turkey was 14 lbs. and was done in 3 1/2 hours. It browned beautifully in the bag so I didn't even need to baste it, and it was so moist. I boiled the neck and giblets in water with a few carrots on the stove while the turkey was roasting and then used the reduced broth as an addition to the turkey drippings (put thru a gravy separator) to make gravy. This was the best turkey I have ever made. Thanks so much, I am stuffed! :)

This was fantastic! I had a 21 lb turkey so I doubled the recipe, half butter like some suggested, poultry seasoning instead of sage because I had it, made sure to get it all under the skin, and used chicken stock instead of water in the bottom of my pan. I used a different baking structions since my bird was quite larger and baked it in the oven at 350 until the skin started to turn a golden brown, covered it with a foil tent, and then took it off the last hour of baking to get the skin nice and crispy, about 5.5 hours total. It turned out great and the wonderful gravy from the drippings was a bonus! My guest said it tasted like rotisserie style and loved it! They even asked to take some left overs with them!

Very flavorful! I combined the oil and herbs the night before. Also I used my hands to rub the herb mix under the skin and on top of the skin. I also used some bay leaves and garlic. I filled the cavity with lemons, whole garlic cloves, celery, onion and carrots. Instead of water, I used white wine in a roasting bag w/ a little bit of flour. The flavor and color was AMAZING! I've been using the leftovers in casseroles and it is quite tasty. Very easy for my 1st turkey! I got RAVE reviews! I'll make every turkey like this one!

I made this turkey recipe for my first Thanksgiving dinner...it turned out fabulous! Everyone including 3 really finickey kids loved it. I did make some changes. I halved the oil and added the rest as butter. I put a pack of fresh carrots and celery on the bottom of the pan with about a quater inch of water to keep the turkey moist. Also, I put two apples cut in half and one spanish onion halved in the cavity for moistness. Roast uncovered at 500 degrees for 20 minutes for color; cover and reduce heat to 325 to roast till the end. The juices were marvelous. I purchased gravy which was used only on the mashed potatoes. Everyone loved the carrots and celery from the bottom of the pan which I included as a side dish and they prefered the pan juices on the turkey. I fear Thanksgiving dinner at my house no more!!!

Very, VERY moist turkey!!!! It was my first turkey attempt and my husband could not believe how moist it was! And the flavor was amazing! I used chicken broth instead of water in the roasting pan, added garlic cloves in the cavity, added 3 tbls of butter into the oil mixture and kept out the sage (because I didn't have any on hand). I rubbed the mixture on the skin. Next time I will try under the skin to see the difference. 10 lb turkey cooked in 3 hrs. I started it off covered with foil then uncovered for the last hour. I didn't bast the turkey once and it was great. It's a keeper!

I couldn't believe how good this was! Used an oven bag, mixed half butter and half olive oil with spices and spread under the skin and over the outside, and poured chicken broth into the bag instead of water. I had to cook it early so when it was done, we sliced it and put it in an electric skillet on low with the juices. I've never been a turkey fan, but I'll definitely make this again!!!

This was the first turkey I ever made. My husband said it was the juciest turkey he had ever eaten. It was GREAT!!!!!! Try this recipe.

I used this recipe to cook my first Thanksgiving turkey ever. It was easy and my boyfriend loved it! Helpful hint: When using the juices to make gravy, add salt and gravy master, since there isn't much salt in the recipe.

This will be my 3rd Christmas (plus 1 Thanksgiving) that I have used this recipe and gotten rave reviews! I used others suggestions, adding pats od margarine under the skin and injecting oil mixture under skin and into the breast. Yummy!! You do not need to baste this turkey, Just put it in and forget about it until it's done! I used this on a 20 lb turkey and still not dry!!

This was the best turkey I've ever served, and I've served many. Believe me, getting under the skin of a turkey at 8:00 a.m. on a holiday morning after his bath was not my idea of fun, but I did it - for the first time. I couldn't believe how tough the skin is as I stretched it "out of my way" with a handful of herbs, spices and butter, but it never tore. I always thought the sides were this meal's crowning glory and turkey was just, well, turkey, but this turkey turned out way too well to throw into a soup. It was the most flavorful, juciest Tom I ever served, and I will never do it differently again. Many thanks.

WARNING: Do not make this turkey unless you intend to be the "official" turkey maker for all events for the rest of your life. Once others have eaten this turkey, they will not accept anything else. A huge success!!

Yep, all the reviewers are correct - this is THE BEST turkey recipe ever! So glad I chose this recipe for our thanksgiving this year. Was a bit worried about all the herbs that covered the turkey, but didn't matter in the end! The meat literally fell off the bone before it was done! And the white meat which we don't usually like because it is dry - so moist - just like the dark meat. And the gravy - no seasoning at all required!!! Just add some cornstarch and it was done! I did brine my turkey overnight which may have added to the yumminess (was my first time doing that). I also added a sliced apple to the inside cavity to add more moisture. I injected some of olive oil/herb mixture under the skin. I also used a reynolds turkey bag. This will be our turkey recipe from now on!

I was told by some very discriminating eaters that this was the best turkey they had ever had - and it was my very first! I had a 23lb bird and this did the trick. Some ingredients were increased to account for the size of the turkey. Inserting the mixture below the skin was the key! Thanks Lisa for such a great recipe.

Moist, and tasty! A Thanksgiving Feast to REMEMBER!! I substituted 1/2 cup melted butter for 1/2 cup of the olive oil. I put quartered onions in the cavity of the bird. Because I used a stoneware roaster, I also decreased the amount of water called for. THIS WAS A HIT. My mother always did the turkey, and I had never done one before. She passed away right after Valentine's day this year. My family tasted the turkey, and told me "You mother would be proud! THis is great!" Thanks for such a wonderful recipe!

Take out at 165-170 degrees and let stand. It will continue to cook and not be dry - especially the breast meat. Check to make sure it is cooked through.

Used this recipe for our Thanksgiving turkey this year and it was the best turkey I've made to date. Absolutely delicious and tender. I took the advice of others and used half softened butter and olive oil. Lifted the breast skin and spread some of the mixture underneath as well as over the entire outside of the turkey. Used chicken broth instead of water in the roasting pan and addded additional broth throughout the cooking time for basting. I will use this recipe for all my holiday turkeys. Thanks Lisa!

I have to say I'm slightly disappointed. After reading the reviews I was expecting tons of compliments--but no one said anything. I followed the directions (but used a turkey cooking bag) and it came out dry. I kept checking the pop-up thermometer in the turkey and thought I took it out shortly after it popped...but still dry. I used 2 cups chicken broth in the bottom of the pan instead of water and used 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 melted butter instead of all olive oil. I'm going to keep this recipe though since the reviews were so great. Next time I'm going to check the turkey with my own thermomter when I think it should be done. I think it was something I did. I'll try again.

this turkey has been a hit for the past two thanksgivings. i definitely recommend this recipe for first time thanksgiving cooks. it is a simple and easy recipe for college students. to keep the turkey moist, i cooked the bird upside down for juicy turkey breasts.

Great. So moist but I added a whole quarter of butter slices (from the freezer) under the skin too. Man, this tastes so good!

Took this to a buffet tonight and even though it finished roasting an hour after everyone had finished, it vanished! It's a definite keeper. PS We'd run out of rubbed sage so used poultry seasoning as advised by others, and used a roasting bag, so didn't add extra fluid. Had I wanted to make gravy, there were plenty of drippings.

There are so many recipes that have alot more ratings than this one...But this one is the BEST. I tried this last year and it was fantastic! I then tried a different one this year that had 200+ ratings thinking it would be better...it wasn't! Will continue to make this recipe for years to come.

This was a big hit with my familys early thanksgiving dinner. My son who is a very picky eater raved about how good andJuicy the meat was. He went on about how turkey is usually Dry But this was the best ever. Thanks for making my dinner A hit. Thanks

I used this baste for my Thanksgiving turkey. The aroma was incredible and the meat was moist and full of flavour. My turkey was wonderfully browned and my guests were full of complements. Thanx Lisa!

Perfect! I had a really small butterball that I wanted to do in my slow cooker. I don't care about brown skin, as I don't eat it anyway and was only serving for my husband and me. The only things I did different was first soaking in a brine with a lime and o.j., kosher salt and water for about 2 hours. I used a smaller portion of EVO and made more of a paste that I tucked under the skin and some into the cavity. Put it on low and forgot about it. The aroma is wonderful and the broth is superb! I've made tons of turkeys but this is the best tasting flavor thus far. This recipe would be a no-fail for a first time cook. I bet this would be wonderful done in the oven with a beautiful skin. This is how I will do mine from now on.

can't go wrong with this one! thanks lisa =)

This was a really wonderful recipe, from now on I will always cook my turkey this way. It smelled incredible while it was cooking and it came out so juicy and tender. Thanks.

I used this recipe on my turkey breast as never bake a whole turkey--we prefer the white meat. I basted the breast with the herbs and then placed it on a rack--I used a cookie rack and placed it in a jelly roll pan. (it's a good idea to spray the rack and the jelly roll pan so that the broth and tasty dark bits release easily). I then added chicken stock to the pan--2 cans (do not dilute). This does a great job of keeping the turkey moist and also adds to the flavor of the gravy. When the turkey breast was done, I combined 1 C of water with 1/2 c of all-purpose flour and whirled it in a blender. I strained the broth from the jelly roll pan into a skillet and then added some more canned chicken broth to the mixture. I do this by taste. You don't want to add too much and dilute the meat flavor of the mixture. Then I added a little poultry seasoning and brought it to a simmer. As it simmers add the flour mixture a little at a time to get the right consistency (you may not have to use all of it). After you get the proper thickness you want, then add a pinch of bakikng soda. I have been doing this for years--it actually adds flavor to the gravy and seems to disolve the grease on top. The turkey was delicious, looked great, and smelled wonderful while baking. I will do this again. I used only 1/2 of the recipe for the 12 lb breast.

Roasted a 9lb turkey for 3 hours at the given temp (325F). Used butter instead of oil and substituted oregano since I had no sage, used seasoning salt instead of salt and pepper. Brushed with butter and uncovered the turkey for the last hour. Golden brown, crispy skin and moist inside!

The herb baste is perfect. I also added lemon, orange and onion wedges inside the turkey to add more moisture and flavor (we don't make the stuffing inside the turkey). Best Thanksgiving turkey I have ever had!

Made a beautiful turkey! Put mixture on night before I cooked turkey. Used an 18 lb turkey, and it was done in 4 hours- covered witih foil for the 3rd hour only (thought it might be browning too quick). Loved how easy this was- no injecting, basting, stuffing, or fussing... put turkey on a v-rack in a roasting pan, which worked well.

I forgot to cover the turkey, And it cooked too quickly on the outside. The meat underneath however, was the most flavorful, and moistest that I've ever tasted! I gave it 5 stars because I know if I had followed the instructions it would have turned out perfectly!

Used this recipe for my very first turkay it was a hit iwth my friends! Thanks a lot!!!!

This is the one I will use from this day forward! AWESOME. Had a 12.8 lb bird. Used a roasting bag this year and it made the turkey so juicy and moist! I substituted the water in the mixture with chicken broth. I also pulled the skin up & applied some butter with the mixture under the skin. Also inside the turkey (before adding my stuffing) and some on top of the skin. Rest of mixture went into the roasting bag with a lemon and some extra chicken broth for steam effect. Next year in the roasting bag I might add a garlic clove or an apple. For the last 45 minutes I took turkey out of the bag so the top could brown. Everyone raved. see my pic. yum!

I prepared this as described and cooked in a Reynolds turkey bag. Multiple family members said it was the best turkey they have ever tasted!

This was incredibly easy and very flavorful. I only made an 8 lb. turkey breast instead of a whole turkey, and it still worked out great. Nice and brown on the outside, plenty moist on the inside, and lots of drippings for a yummy gravy. I used poultry seasoning instead of sage simply because that was what I already had on hand, and I used chicken stock instead of water. Delicious and the house smelled wondeful. I will definitely be making this again.

My very first Thanksgiving and I was so stressed until I found your recipe! It was simple and came out GREAT!! Took others' advice and used half butter and half olive oil, rubbing the mixture under the skin, too. My family raved about it...thanks!

I have used this turkey rub for the last four years and I will probibley use it for every thanksgiving for the rest of my life!

Gives good flavor without overshadowing the taste of the turkey. Easy as all get out.

Very good flavor. Next time I will reduce the water to 1 cup. There was so much water, that when I went to make my gravy, the juices were so clear that my gravy was too light. other than that, I got compliments on this recipe.

Easy and tasty! I prepared as is and had enough to baste a 22 pound Turkey. First time using this recipe so just to play it safe I injected the breast meat with butter. Our Turkey was delicious not too dry not too moist and flavorful. Thanks for sharing :-)

My turkey was still bland, but it was probably because it was my first turkey and I soaked it in cold water for a long time to thaw it.

This was the first turkey i've ever attempted. I read the reviews and decided on this recipe. I'm so glad I did. The turkey was delicious and absolutely one of the best turkeys i've ever had if not the best! My husband was very impressed with it and said he can honestly say that this was the best turkey he's ever tasted. The turkey was very tender and seasoned perfectly. It really did just fall off the bone after attempting to carve. It was juicy and perfect. I used my hands to rub the turkey down instead of brushing it. I also rubbed all under the skin as much as possible and then drizzled extra olive oil all over the top before baking.(I seasoned the night before and then just added water and put in the oven the next morning) I actually cooked mine @275 degrees for about 5 hrs. I also had to turn the broil on for a few minutes at the end to achieve a nice brown skinned turkey. Will definitely use this recipe over and over again. Can't wait to roast a chicken with the same recipe.

My husband AND kids raved about how tender and tasty this turkey was. I put 2 pats of butter under the skin of each breast and added several cloves of garlic a small quartered onion to the cavity before I roasted it. I will definatley be making this every year!

I have been making this turkey for years and I will never try another recipe. It has never turned out dry and the drippings make spectacular gravy! I double the recipe for a larger turkey as well.

After using the 24 hour citrus brine on this site, I used these spices mixed with butter and applied under the skin. 17 lb turkey cooked in 3 hours, I removed the foil and let it brown for 15 minutes. My FIL-who doesn't eat turkey-can't stop raving about this years Thanksgiving turkey...Super recipe!!!

This turkey wasn't anything great. I followed the recipe exactly, except for adding some butter. Not sure what i did wrong, but it came out dry.

The mest most moist and delicious turkey I have EVER had! Will def make this my permanent turkey recipe!

This was the first turkey that I ever made. I made for a Christmas dinner. Everyone loved it it was so moist and tasty. While trying to carve it it was difficult to not want to stop eating. I used a rotisserie instead of an oven it was perfect. The skin crisped up sealing in the juices and was done a little quicker than in the oven. I will definitely be making this again.

This was so delicious. I used the same amount of flavorings for my 14 pound bird and it worked fine. I did and some finely chopped roasted garlic under and on top of the skin. I also stuffed the bird with a lemon sliced in half, an onion, some fresh rosemary and some roasted garlic cloves. I cooked it breast down and the meat was very juicy.

Absolute success! Thank you for this recipe it was my very first turkey ever. I followed the recipe to a T. Except I buttered the turkey up with the herbs the night before. Turkey was so moist and tender!

Wow... that's all I have to say. I've never had to cook a whole anything in my life, so was nervous about the Turkey. I'm living in the Netherlands, and didn't have access to a lot of the things I needed (ie. a roasting pan) so I made a LOT of improvisations. I didn't have a brush, so just used my hands to spread the oil mixture on the outside and inside of the skin (messy, but it worked!). I used a 4 Kilo (about 8.5 lb) Turkey and used all of the oil mixture. I set in a pan, on top of cookie cutters and rolled up balls of foil, and poured chicken broth instead of water on the bottom of the pan. I covered loosely with foil and baked in a gas oven for 3 hours 15 min, then removed the foil for another 10 min. I stuffed the turkey with "Ibby's Pumpkin Mushroom Stuffing" from this site before putting it in the oven, and everything came out PERFECT! The turkey was moist and wonderfully seasoned. I will keep this recipe forever!

awesome!!!! The turkey turned out moist and tender. I roasted the turkey breast side down and that really helped!!! Also the dripings make a really good gravy because of the seasonings.

Fantastic!! used this recipe to make my first turkey, simple to follow,my bird turned out picture perfect and was so tender and delicious, i'll be using this recipe again this year.

This was perfect. It was my first time cooking a turkey, and everyone agreed it was the best they ever had.

Can't believe I've never reviewed. I've been using this recipe for 4 years now! Makes the best turkey ever! Perfectly moist and succulent!

Very tasty. I didn't have any sage so made due without it. Very moist and nice flavor.

I used this recipe for the first turkey I ever made and it turned out delicious!! I stuffed the inside of the turkey with 1/2 an onion, about 5 cloves of garlic, and some fresh basil and sage as well and it was even more flavorful. And it turned out exceptionally juicy as well. I will use this recipe each time I make a turkey from now on!!!

I cut the olive oil to 1/3 cup and added 1/3 cup butter to the mix, loosened the skin and rubbed the mix under the skin. I also baked the turkey upside down to help the breast meat stay moist. It tasted really good, but it was almost greasy. The drippings did make nice gravy, but again that was oilier than normal, as well. If I decide to use this again, I will reduce the oil and butter even more.

***TURKEY TIP!!!!! for the MOISTEST TURKEY BREASTS YOU'VE EVER HAD IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFETIME!!! Stuff the cavity and TURN THE TURKEY UPSIDE DOWN! Yes I said UPSIDE DOWN! The juices flow down to the breast meat while cooking and make for just the most moist delicious breasts ever. TRY IT!

Made this for Christmas and everyone loved it. I substituted 1 can chicken broth for the water and put pats of butter under the skin. Cooked at 325 for 2 1/2 hours and then at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Thanks for a great recipe!

The only thing we did different was add chicken stock to the bottom instead of just water, made the gravy amazing. This recipe is simple and delicious ... thanks!

This was so easy and so good! This was my first year to do Thanksgiving and this recipe made the turkey a breeze. Per another review I made a batch of the herb mixture the night before and injected between the skin and the turkey and also put some on the outside of the turkey. Instead of water I used chicken broth when I cooked it. The turkey came out moist, juicy, and great!

This is my turkey recipe from here on out! So simple, and it turned out beautifully, wouldn't change a thing.

Using the olive oil is not the best thing to do I believe. It falls off the turkey into the bottom of the pan and tends to burn. ALso I found that the temp given in the recipe was too low. I had to turn my turkey up to 375.

Turns out incredibly moist and nice flavour. I've made this for company without hesitation.

I have used this recipe 2 years in a row. Like one reviewer said, it is FALL OFF THE BONE tender. This year I kept it under cover for an additonal hour because it took FOREVER to brown last year, and it literally fell off the bone. I don't really care because the turkey gets carved before my guests arrive, and I'd rather have a moist bird than a pretty one. Also, I'm not a fan of olive oil, so this year I used butter. I also stuffed my bird with celery, onion, and apple. Depending on how my family feels about it this year, this may be my go to Turkey recipe for life.

This was my first turkey ever and it came out perfectly brown. Everyone loved the way it stayed so moist in the pan.

This was a great recipe. I made some changes and placed chunks of butter under the skin along with some on the seasoning. It was so moist and tender. The cooking time seemed off but that could have just been my oven. Thanks for the recipe!

I used melted butter instead of EVOO and chicken broth instead of water. I also added onion powder. Because I do not have a roasting pan with a lid, I used a roasting pan and foil. This made for a moist bird and a flavorful gravy. We would use this again but I don't think we would use basil again and maybe use poultry seasoning instead of plain sage. THAT IS NOT A REFLECTION ON THE RECIPE, just personal preference. As is, this would be excellent for roast chicken, IMO.

This was the best turkey I have ever had. Luckily, I had a person to help me spoon the mixture between the skin and the meat. He held the turkey on it's end and I did the spooning. Separating the skin from the meat was an easy job (started it with the fingers, and finished it by carefully shoving a spatula as far back as possible.

Followed the recipe exactly as stated as it was my FIRST turkey ever. I received rave reviews and actually made two turkeys over the holidays using this recipe. Thank you for sharing it! It made me look like a domestic queen!

This really is a great recipe. My husband and kids raved how good the turkey tasted when I made it for them this past summer. I am excited about making it for Thanksgiving this year so that the ENTIRE family will have tasty meat.

I followed the recipe accept for: no sage (none on hand), didn't cover the turkey at all, and I basted the turkey every 30 minutes throughout cooking. This was my VERY FIRST turkey I had made in my life...for my parents and inlaws on christmas, and it was amazing, I got compliments all around! Very juicy and the herbs gave it just enough something extra. THANKS SO MUCH for helping me make a wonderful christmas meal!!

Was a bit leary about using basil on a turkey but it turned out fine. Added butter, poultry seasoning and more sage.

This turkey was so tender and juicy and looked very professional as well! I roasted my 14.5 lb turkey for about 4 hours. I stuffed some garlic, celery, and a small apple in the carcass just for fun.

I'm 37 and made my first Thanksgiving turkey ever today. I always dreaded the day that I would be asked to host Thanksgiving because I feared making a dry, dull turkey that everyone ate out of sheer politeness. Well, I made this today and I feel like a turkey-cooking pro! Moist, flavorful, and DELICIOUS -- that is what this turkey was. I will make it again and again. THANK YOU!

My husband just loved this!! He said this was the BEST turkey he has ever eaten. I loosened up the skin & put the olive oil mixture between the skin & the breast. I brushed melted butter on top of the turkey & then rubbed in salt & pepper. I roasted it covered for 3 hrs & then took the foil off & put it in the oven for another 30 min to crisp up the skin. Came out perfect!!

MY FAMILY LOVED OUR THANKSGIVING DINNER THIS YEAR THE TURKEY WAS WONDERFUL TASTING, BUT THE NEAT THING WAS THAT IT MADE THE GRAVY TASTE EVEN BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE. MY MOM SAID IT WAS BETTER THAN HERS AND HERS IS ALWAYS GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MY FIRST TURKEY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.

I loved this, however I will rub butter under the skin next time. I used an oven bag and will again.

Absolutely awesome, the gravy from the juices was so good! This was my first turkey and I impressed everyone, thank you!!!!!!

I've been having Thanksgiving for the last 8 years and this by far was the best turkey yet. I will be using only this recipe from now on. Very juicy and tender, and everyone asked for the recipe. I also used some butter as was recommended by others and put the mixture under the skin of the turkey. Excellent!!