Table of Contents
If you’ve ever worried about serving a dry holiday turkey, this simple recipe will ease your mind. By coating the turkey with a blend of mayonnaise and fresh herbs, the meat stays moist while the skin turns a beautiful golden brown. And, as a bonus, you don’t need to do any basting because this foolproof cooking method guarantees a tender, juicy turkey with minimal fuss.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Roasting a turkey coated with mayonnaise is the simplest way we’ve found to ensure that our bird turns out tender, juicy, and flavorful. By spreading a little of the herbed mayonnaise under the skin and the rest all over the outside, you create a self-basting bird that, once you pop it in the oven, requires minimal attention. And, for those of you who aren’t fans of mayonnaise, rest assured, the turkey does not taste like mayo once it’s roasted.
Key Ingredients
This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.
- WHOLE TURKEY: This recipe is written for a 10 to 13-pound turkey. We recommend buying an all-natural, fresh turkey with as few added ingredients as possible.
- MAYONNAISE: Use regular mayonnaise only for this recipe. Avoid reduced-fat, alternate oil, plant-based, cholesterol-free, and anything labeled as “mayo-like dressing.”
- FRESH HERBS: We call for a combination of fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary in the mayonnaise coating and inside the turkey’s cavity for extra flavor. Around the holidays, grocery stores sell packaged poultry blends that include those three herbs. Depending on how they look, you may need more than one.
- AROMATIC VEGETABLES: To add extra flavor to the turkey and the pan drippings, we stuff the cavity with onion, celery, and carrot.
How to Make Herb Roasted Turkey
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
PREPARE THE TURKEY: Coat a roasting pan and rack with nonstick spray. Drain any liquid that may have accumulated in the turkey’s cavity and thoroughly pat the bird dry with paper towels inside and out. Season the inside of the turkey’s cavity with salt and pepper, then add the rosemary, thyme, sage, onion, celery, and carrot. Tuck the wings behind and under the back of the bird and tie the drumstick ends together with kitchen twine. Place the turkey, breast side up, on the roasting rack and set aside, uncovered, for 1 hour to take the chill off.
PREHEAT THE OVEN: Position a rack in the lower portion of the oven and preheat to 425°F. If you have a convection oven and can shut off the fan, we recommend doing that. If not, lower the starting temperature to 400°F.
COAT THE TURKEY WITH HERBED MAYONNAISE: Combine the mayonnaise, sage, thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Starting at the tail end of the turkey, gently work your fingers under the skin of the breast to loosen it from the meat. Be careful not to tear it or detach it completely.
Using a spoon, place a small dollop of the herbed mayo under the skin on either side of the breast. Remove the spoon and use your fingers to distribute the mayo as evenly as possible from the outside of the skin. Using a spatula, coat the turkey completely with half of the remaining mayonnaise-herb mixture, being careful to get the mixture into the crevices where the legs and wings meet the body. Season the turkey as evenly as possible with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
START ROASTING THE TURKEY: Position a rack in the lower portion of the oven and preheat it to 425°F. Pour 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 425°F, then rotate the roasting pan in the oven to ensure even browning and reduce the temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting for 45 minutes longer, then remove the turkey from the oven, and coat it with the remaining half of the herbed mayonnaise. Add another 3/4 to 1 cup of chicken broth to the roasting pan. Return the turkey to the oven, rotating the pan again.
CONTINUE ROASTING THE TURKEY: Roasting time for a whole, unstuffed turkey is approximately 13 minutes per pound, so at this point, depending on size, you can expect to cook the bird for an additional 1 to 1-3/4 hours. This time can vary, so begin to check the internal temperature 45 minutes after returning the turkey to the oven and every 15 to 20 minutes thereafter. Tip: To properly check the temperature, insert an instant-read thermometer into the meatiest part of the thigh. Be careful not to touch the bone with the thermometer, or you won’t get an accurate reading. Turkey is done when the internal temperature of the thigh registers 165°F. Remove the turkey from the oven, reserve the pan juices for gravy, and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
MAKE THE PAN GRAVY: While the turkey rests, skim any excess fat from the pan juices and transfer to a 4-cup measure. If you are short on juices, add extra chicken broth to equal 3 cups of liquid total. Pour the broth into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add to the simmering broth and continue whisking until thickened and smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a bowl or gravy boat for serving.
Notes
If at any time during the roasting, you feel the turkey is browning too quickly, tent some aluminum foil over the top.
Our Herb Roasted Turkey Dinner Menu
In keeping with the no-fuss theme for this turkey recipe, we’ve chosen easy-to-make accompaniments:
- CRANBERRY CHEESE BALL: A delicious starter – easy-to-make cheese ball rolled in toasted pecans.
- ROASTED GREEN BEANS WITH TOASTED WALNUTS: A fresh alternative to the mushroom soup casserole – easy to make ahead of time.
- OLD-FASHIONED BREAD STUFFING: Light, moist, and filled with flavor – a family recipe for generations.
- CREAMY MASHED POTATOES: Easy instructions for stovetop and Instant Pot along with make-ahead tips.
- FRESH CRANBERRY ORANGE RELISH: Tangy and fresh, this this no-cook recipe has just 3 ingredients.
- APPLE BROWN BETTY: An old-time favorite that’s easy to make. Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Other Ways to Use Mayonnaise Coating
It’s easy to add a variety of seasonings to a mayonnaise coating, and it’s a great technique to use for roasted chicken (whole, parts, and boneless), pork tenderloin, and sheet pan fish fillets, too.
Tip: Try spreading a thin coating of mayonnaise on your bread for grilled cheese sandwiches. It doesn’t need to be a total replacement for butter, but it’s perfect for spreading to the very edges of the bread and browns up beautifully.
Herb Roasted Turkey With Mayonnaise Coating
Ingredients
- 10 to 13 lb turkey (fresh or frozen and fully defrosted), neck and giblets removed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small bunch fresh sage
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1 stalk celery, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 carrot, cut into 4 pieces
- 3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more for gravy
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
For the herb coating:
- 1-1/3 cups mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from the stems
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Prepare the turkey:
- Coat a roasting pan and rack with nonstick spray. Drain any liquid that may have accumulated in the turkey's cavity and thoroughly pat the bird dry with paper towels inside and out.
- Season the inside of the turkey's cavity with salt and pepper, then add the rosemary, thyme, sage, onion, celery, and carrot.
- Tuck the wings behind and under the back of the bird and tie the drumstick ends together with kitchen twine. Place the turkey, breast side up, on the roasting rack and set aside, uncovered, for 1 hour to take the chill off.
Preheat the oven:
- Position a rack in the lower portion of the oven and preheat to 425°F. If you have a convection oven and can shut off the fan, we recommend doing that. If not, lower the starting temperature to 400°F.
Coat the turkey with herbed mayonnaise:
- Combine the mayonnaise, sage, thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl.
- Starting at the tail end of the turkey, gently work your fingers under the skin of the breast to loosen it from the meat. Be careful not to tear it or detach it completely.
- Using a spoon, place a small dollop of the herbed mayo under the skin on either side of the breast. Remove the spoon and use your fingers to distribute the mayo as evenly as possible from the outside of the skin.
- Using a spatula, coat the turkey completely with half of the remaining mayonnaise-herb mixture, being careful to get the mixture into the crevices where the legs and wings meet the body.
- Season the turkey as evenly as possible with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Start roasting the turkey:
- Position a rack in the lower portion of the oven and preheat it to 425°F.
- Pour 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes at 425°F, then rotate the roasting pan in the oven to ensure even browning and reduce the temperature to 325°F.
- Continue roasting for 45 minutes longer, then remove the turkey from the oven, and coat it with the remaining half of the herbed mayonnaise. Add another 3/4 to 1 cup of chicken broth to the roasting pan. Return the turkey to the oven, rotating the pan again.
Continue roasting the turkey:
- Roasting time for a whole, unstuffed turkey is approximately 13 minutes per pound, so at this point, depending on size, you can expect to cook the bird for an additional 1 to 1-3/4 hours. This time can vary, so begin to check the internal temperature 45 minutes after returning the turkey to the oven and every 15 to 20 minutes thereafter.
- Tip: To properly check the temperature, insert an instant-read thermometer into the meatiest part of the thigh. Be careful not to touch the bone with the thermometer, or you won't get an accurate reading.
- Turkey is done when the internal temperature of the thigh registers 165°F. Remove the turkey from the oven, reserve the pan juices for gravy, and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Make the pan gravy:
- While the turkey rests, skim any excess fat from the pan juices and transfer to a 4-cup measure. If you are short on juices, add extra chicken broth to equal 3 cups of liquid total. Pour the broth into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add to the simmering broth and continue whisking until thickened and smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a bowl or gravy boat for serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What do you fo with the celery and carrot mixtures inside the turkey after it’s cooked?
I made this recipe last year for Christmas dinner and it turned out great. It was easy to do and the turkey was pretty evenly browned, which is not something I can usually say about my turkeys, lol. I used dried thyme though because I forgot to pick up fresh at the store. I don’t think it made much difference, although I did use less than the amount called for.
Hi Jerilyn,
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed our mayonnaise coated turkey recipe. It’s good to know that the dried thyme worked out okay. You were right to use less because dried herbs are usually a bit more potent. As a general rule of thumb, if a recipe calls for fresh herbs and we use dried, we cut back the quantity by about two-thirds.