The Ultimate Guide to Making a Delicious and Juicy Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey

Even though the Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey recipe may seem a little strange at first, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how good the finished dish tastes. It’s the easiest part of a meal to prepare during the holidays thanks to this tried-and-true turkey recipe and technique.

Over the years, we have cooked turkey in a number of ways, including fried (because we are Southerners, of course), roasted and basted, and basted with a variety of ingredient combinations. 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 it’s our absolute favorite since we consistently get delicious, moist turkey using it.

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. Season with salt and pepper, then add the onion and celery, inside and out, and tuck the butter into the cavity.

Roast in a 450-degree F oven for 30 minutes. Set the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh at this point and lower the oven’s temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful to not touch bone. While we have followed the advice of some to place it in the thickest area of the breast, we now measure it using the thigh and check that the breast reaches the proper temperature before removing it from 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, I advise getting two smaller turkeys if you need to feed a big crowd. Though they are harder to locate, smaller turkeys weighing about 12 to 13 pounds should be on your radar. Hunt them down.
• No additional “stuff. It might take some calling around to find a turkey free of junk food, but the effort will be well worth it. The cost per pound is higher, but you won’t have to pay for any additional plumping or other expenses. I once read that it’s best if the packaging lists no more than four ingredients. 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 good quality meat thermometer that stays inside the turkey and that you can see from outside the oven. Before taking the breast out of the oven, you should check the thickest part of it, so an externally monitored internal meat thermometer comes in handy. For monitoring during cooking, we like to place the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone. Ensure that the meat thermometer(s) you select are accurate by testing them before the big day.
• A basic understanding of cooking temperature and timing is necessary when roasting a turkey. Reduce the heat and continue roasting for a short while on high until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. See recipe below for temperatures, etcetera. The speed at which it reaches the proper internal temperature—two hours or less, depending on size—will astound you!
• Let it rest. That turkey has been working and it’s hot, man. Let it rest, covered, for at least 20 to 30 minutes (depending on size) before carving. It will help retain the juices and all the goodness. When it rests, the internal temperature will also keep rising.
• Is brining a good idea or not? If you like brining and have the time, brine outside in the sun until suppertime. We’ve brined and we’ve gone brine-less. I’m not very good at planning, so I usually forget until it’s too late to brine. In addition, I think brining might not be completely necessary if you buy a high-quality turkey that is properly roasted and free of additives or overstuffed with meat.
• And finally, practice. Cook turkey more than just during the holidays. Try out different techniques. Brine, don’t brine. Test different basting combos. If you feel comfortable cooking the turkey, it will be easier for you to enjoy the celebration day. And tasty too!.

How to roast a turkey with mayonnaise / Super MOIST/DELICIOUS mayonnaise roasted turkey