How to Season a Turkey for the Most Flavorful and Juicy Bird Ever
From spice rubs to dry brines, here are the best tips!
When it comes to Thanksgiving, the undisputed star of the show is that big bird — unless it's bland. No fear! With our best turkey seasoning tips, you can be sure that no one will have to hide their piece under a pile of mashed potatoes or drown it in gravy. The first step to perfect roast turkey recipe? Let’s say it together: seasoning. Once you learn how to season a turkey the right way, you’ll be as golden as that gobbler.
There are some basic guidelines for seasoning a turkey — salt and pepper are musts — but then you can choose your own adventure, amping it up with the flavors that speak to you. Keen to kick it up with spices? We’ll tell you how. Want to wrap the entire turkey in bacon? We got you! To set you up for seasoning success, the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen rounded up our tried-and-true — and triple-tested — methods for leveling up your T-Day bird so that it’s juicy and oh-so tasty.
How do you season turkey breast?
If you’re hosting a small gathering or know that most of your guests prefer white meat, you could roast a turkey breast instead of (or in addition to) a whole bird. The guidelines for seasoning are pretty much the same: You can dry brine the breast, use a turkey seasoning rub or slather butter under the skin — yes, skin-on, bone-in turkey breast will have more flavor and juiciness than one that’s skinless and boneless. You can also stuff the turkey breast cavity with fresh herbs, such as sprigs of sage, rosemary or thyme. To add even more delicious aromas, stuff it with citrus halves, shallots and smashed garlic cloves.
Once you’re done with that initial step, check out our foolproof turkey cooking tips to help guide you along your Thanksgiving journey. Then be sure to consult our timings if you’re wondering how long to cook your turkey. If you need even more inspiration for the big day, peep through our Thanksgiving side dish recipes. We can already hear the oohs and ahs at your table this year!
Dry brine your bird — it’s simple!
Our #1 pro-tip for a well-seasoned turkey? The all-important (and super easy!) dry brine. This tested and perfected method delivers maximum flavor, juicier meat and the crispiest skin. It's just three simple steps:
- Rub herbs and 2 Tbsp kosher salt all over the turkey
- Pop it in a plastic bag
- Refrigerate
You can dry brine your turkey the night before or as far in advance as two days.
Switch up the spices
Take your bird from blah to "bam!" with spices. Try a Cajun-style turkey rub inspired by bold NOLA flavors or look to the south of France with a fragrant herbes de Provence turkey rub.
Slather seasoning everywhere with butter
In addition to sprinkling salt on the surface of the turkey, give your bird a big flavor boost by seasoning under the turkey's skin, too. Stir your favorite spices and herbs into softened butter, then rub it all over the turkey and under the skin.
Try a combo of lime zest with cumin and coriander, or something more traditional like fresh parsley, sage and rosemary folded into the butter. Not only does this help season the bird, but it also makes the meat extra juicy.
Layer on big flavor with a glaze and bacon
Glazes are a great way to add a subtle sweetness to your turkey and make it shine like a baby grand piano. Stir together maple syrup, orange juice and fresh sage, brushing most of the glaze on before roasting and saving some to lacquer the bird once it’s out of the oven.
Or for a serious showstopper, consider a bacon-wrapped turkey. Lay slices of bacon over the turkey breast before roasting, securing the ends with toothpicks so they don’t curl. Brush the bacon with glaze before roasting, and once more after it's done. Trust — no one can resist a bacon-wrapped bird.
Skip the stuffing and go for fresh herbs
A more flavorful alt to stuffing: Fill up the turkey cavity with herbs and aromatics. The conventional method of packing your bird with bread cubes inevitably turns them soggy (we prefer a crispy-topped stuffing baked on the side). Stuffing the turkey with fresh herb sprigs, lemon halves, shallots and smashed garlic cloves will lend tons of flavor with zero mush.
Go for the garnish
Not just for creating a pretty platter, garnishes can offer complementary or contrasting flavors to accompany your well-seasoned bird. Try roasted pears for extra juiciness or caramelized winter vegetables for earthy sweetness. Small, sweet champagne grapes are also fun to munch on in between bites of savory turkey.
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