If your traditional Christmas turkey has your family yawning, make our mayonnaise roasted turkey recipe, inspired by She Wears Many Hats, and watch them run — not walk, run — to the holiday table.
With forks drawn and mouths watering, your hungry holiday guests will be fighting over who gets the first juicy slice of this impressively moist and tasty bird. But…mayonnaise? Yes! An herb-laden blanket of mayo will transform your turkey into the most irresistibly glistening and succulent dish on the menu.
ALSO TRY: Rosemary turkey breast roasted in an oven bag
This scrumptious turkey saves you time! Another bonus to our mayonnaise roasted turkey is that it is one of the most fuss-free roasted turkey recipes on the planet. Simply whisk together mayonnaise and fresh herbs, slather it all over the turkey skin, stuff the turkey with aromatics and a stick of butter, add some broth to the pan and put your bird in the oven. Boom! You’re done. No basting or turkey babysitting required.
Bring your gorgeous mayonnaise roasted turkey to the table and get ready to see your hungry family cheer. After they dig in and tell you it’s the best Christmas turkey you’ve ever made, you can tell them this year’s secret ingredient was a sandwich condiment.
Ready to roast?
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Place the turkey in a roasting pan
Set the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roasting the turkey on a rack ensures that the skin on the underside of the turkey gets deliciously crisp. Using twine, tie the turkey legs together and tuck the wings underneath.
Mix the mayonnaise and herbs together
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and the fresh herbs: sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano add the perfect blend of flavor to the turkey.
Rub the turkey with the mayonnaise mixture
Liberally rub the mayonnaise and herb mixture all over the outside of the turkey. Covering the turkey with the mayonnaise mixture results in a crisp, gloriously glistening skin that seals in the juices of the turkey. Season the turkey with salt and pepper.
Stuff the turkey with celery and onion
Insert celery and onion pieces into the cavity of the turkey to flavor the bird from the inside out. Let some of the vegetables fall into the bottom of the roasting pan.
Insert butter and herbs into the turkey
A cubed stick of butter and whole fresh herbs give the turkey even more flavor and delicious moistness. Put pieces of butter and whole herbs inside the turkey cavity with the celery and onion.
Add chicken broth to the roasting pan
Pour chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the celery and onion pieces from burning and to create a steamy environment that to keep the breast moist without prematurely browning the turkey skin.
Roast the turkey
Place the turkey in the oven and roast at 450F. for one hour then reduce the heat to 350F until the internal temperature reaches 165F. The initial high heat drives flavor into the skin and meat while crisping the skin, which helps retain the juices in the meat.
Let the turkey rest before serving
Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for 20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute through the meat to ensure every slice is moist and juicy.
Beautifully crisp, golden brown turkey skin
Bring your gorgeous gobbler to the table, carve and serve.
Juicy and tender on the inside!
Mayonnaise roasted turkey
Yield 10-12 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (12- to 14-pound) whole turkey, thawed, neck and giblets removed
- 1-1/2 cups of mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves, plus extra whole leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves, plus extra whole stems of leaves
- 2 tablespoons minced rosemary, plus extra whole sprigs
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, plus extra whole sprigs
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 stalks celery, rough chopped
- 1 large onion, rough chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cubed
- 2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Place turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
- Tie the turkey legs together with twine and tuck the wings underneath.
- In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, minced sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano.
- Rub mayonnaise and herb mixture all over the outside of the turkey.
- Season the turkey with salt and pepper.
- Place celery and onion inside the turkey cavity and drop extra pieces in the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Place the cubed butter inside of the turkey cavity. Insert the additional whole herbs into the turkey cavity.
- Pour two cups of chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan. Continue to add broth or water as the turkey is roasting if pan becomes dry.
- Roast the turkey for one hour. Reduce the oven heat to 350F and continue roasting, uncovered, until internal thermometer reaches 165F. Cover legs and breasts with foil halfway through the cooking process if the turkey begins getting too brown.
- Remove the turkey from the oven. Cover loosely with foil and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
- Carve and serve.
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