Description
A simple and foolproof recipe for roasting a whole turkey with a flavorful herb butter. This method ensures a tender, juicy bird with perfectly browned skin and aromatic herbs infused throughout.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 1 (14-16 pound) whole turkey
- Salt & pepper to taste
Herb Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
Inside the Turkey
- 1 lemon, halved
- A few sprigs each of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary
- 1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
Instructions
- Prepare the turkey and butter: Take the turkey out of the fridge to let it warm up for an hour prior to roasting. Also, let the butter soften at room temperature. Set the turkey on a baking sheet to catch any liquid when unwrapping.
- Make the herb butter: In a bowl, combine softened butter with chopped sage, thyme, rosemary, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mash together using a fork until well blended.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 450°F (232°C) and move a rack to the bottom third of the oven, removing other racks to allow ample space.
- Prepare the turkey cavity: Remove the turkey from packaging, discard giblets and neck if included, draining excess liquid from the cavity. Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels.
- Season and stuff the turkey: Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, fresh herb sprigs, and garlic cloves. Rub the herb butter all over the turkey, avoiding the very bottom. Tuck the wings underneath and tie the legs with kitchen twine if desired for a neat appearance.
- Roast the turkey: Place the turkey breast side up on a rack inside a roasting pan. Put the pan in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 350°F (177°C). Roast for about 3 hours (for a 14-pound bird), or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C). Begin checking temperature 30 minutes before time’s up to avoid overcooking.
- Manage browning: Since the skin may brown before the turkey is fully cooked, loosely cover the bird with non-stick foil for the remainder of cooking time to prevent breast meat from burning.
- Rest the turkey: When cooked, remove the roasting pan, carefully tilt the rack to drain juices into the pan for gravy, and transfer the turkey with the rack to a cutting board. Let rest for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
- Adjust butter and stuffing quantities if using a turkey smaller or larger than 14-16 pounds.
- The roasting guideline is 13 minutes per pound at 350°F; always verify doneness with an instant-read thermometer.
- Use sea salt or kosher salt for best flavor.
- If using a brined turkey, reduce or omit the salt in the herb butter and avoid seasoning the turkey further.
- Do not baste the turkey during roasting as this can affect skin crispness.
- Resting the turkey for 20 minutes is crucial to keep meat juicy.
- Save pan drippings to prepare flavorful gravy while the turkey rests.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
