Roasting Turkey with Mayonnaise: A Surprisingly Delicious Trick

Though the recipe for Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey might sound a little unusual, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how delicious the end product is. This turkey recipe and technique has consistently shown to be a real winner, making it the simplest part of a meal to prepare during the holiday season.

We’ve cooked turkey in a variety of ways over the years, including fried (because we’re Southerners, of course), roasted and basted, and basted with all kinds of combinations of ingredients. We’ve also brined and not brined. Honestly, I think less is best in my book. Less messing. Less stuff. Less fretting. Less time waiting.

When it comes to cooking turkey, this recipe for a Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey definitely calls for less. Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey is pretty straightforward. And no, it doesn’t taste like mayonnaise. I promise. This is just one of the ways we cook turkey, but after consistently getting delicious, moist turkey, this is by far our favorite method to date.

How to Cook Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey

Okay, now for the Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey. I know, it sounds weird, but like I said before, it does deliver a moist and tasty bird. And, it’s simple. Let me show you. Mix herbs (fresh or dried) with mayonnaise. We used herbs we had on hand from the garden. Feel free to experiment with different herb and seasoning combinations. And of course, dried herbs may be substituted. Use the 1/3 dried versus fresh rule. Dried herbs are more potent.

A stick of butter, chopped onion, celery, and salt and pepper complete the ingredients, aside from the bird.

Prep the turkey in a roasting pan. Make sure it’s thawed y’all, I’ve made that mistake before. Rub the mayo/herb mixture all over and inside of the turkey. Add the onion and celery, both inside and out, and tuck the butter into the cavity after seasoning with salt and pepper.

Roast in a 450-degree F oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven’s temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then place the meat thermometer in the thickest area of the thigh at this point. Be careful to not touch bone. Some say to insert it into the thickest part of the breast, and we have as well, but we now measure it using the thigh and make sure the breast registers at the correct temperature before taking it out of the oven.

Continue roasting, uncovered, until internal thermometer reaches 165-degrees F. If you’re concerned with the legs getting dried out, cover them partway through cooking with foil. Sometimes I do, this time I didn’t. Keep an eye on it during cooking to see if it’s needed.

Let it rest and carve.

Now enjoy with your favorite side dishes and of course gravy!

Speaking of gravy, save those drippings in the roasting pan. You’ll need those for the gravy. Turkey needs a friend. This Turkey Gravy Recipe will show you how easy it is to make your own gravy.

Tips for Cooking Turkey:

• Bigger isn’t always better. A large turkey doesn’t equal large taste. Therefore, if you need to feed a large crowd, I suggest purchasing two smaller turkeys. Smaller turkeys—roughly 12 to 13 pounds—are more difficult to find, but keep an eye out for them. Hunt them down.
• No additional “stuff. Finding a turkey free of junk food may require some calling around, but the effort will be well worth it. Even though the price per pound is higher, you won’t have to pay for all that additional plumping or anything else. I once heard that it’s a good idea to have no more than four ingredients listed on the packaging. Remember, less is best.
• Use a meat thermometer and cook for proper time. Turkey doesn’t need to take 4 hours to cook. I promise. Make sure you have a high-quality meat thermometer that you can watch from outside the oven and that stays inside the turkey. An externally monitored internal meat thermometer is useful because you’ll want to check the thickest part of the breast before removing it from the oven. We like to insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) for monitoring during cooking. Whichever meat thermometer(s) you choose, just make sure to test them for accuracy before the big day.
• Roasting a turkey requires a basic understanding of cooking temperature and timing. After briefly roasting on high, lower the heat until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. See recipe below for temperatures, etcetera. You’ll be shocked at how fast it reaches the right internal temperature—two hours or less, depending on size!
• Let it rest. That turkey has been working and it’s hot, man. Before carving, let it rest, covered, for at least 20 to 30 minutes, depending on its size. It will help retain the juices and all the goodness. When it rests, the internal temperature will also keep rising.
• Is it better to brine or not? If you enjoy brining and have the time, go ahead and brine until dinner, outside in the sun. We’ve brined and we’ve gone brine-less. Since I’m not very good at planning, I usually forget until it’s too late to brine In addition, I believe that if you purchase a high-quality turkey—one that is, as previously indicated, free of additives or overstuffed with meat—and roast it properly, brining might not be entirely essential.
• And finally, practice. Cook turkey more than just during the holidays. Try out different techniques. Brine, don’t brine. Test different basting combos. It will be easier for you to enjoy the day of celebration if you feel comfortable cooking your turkey. And tasty too!.

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