A simple and delicious recipe for a moist and flavorful turkey! Since all turkeys vary in size, I find that using a digital thermometer with an alarm really takes the guesswork out of cooking time; leading to a perfectly cooked and moist turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!
Herb Butter Roasted Turkey
Simple way to roast a delicious, flavorful and moist turkey.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Calories: 240kcal
Ingredients
- 1 12-15 lbs whole turkey fully defrosted, washed, giblets and neck removed
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 container fresh rosemary with 1 tbsp chopped and reserved
- 1 container fresh thyme with 1 tbsp chopped and reserved
- 1 container fresh sage with 1 tbsp chopped and reserved
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt plus more for cavity of turkey
- 1 tsp ground black pepper plus more for cavity of turkey
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon cut into quarters
- 1 yellow onion cut into quarters
Instructions
- Thaw turkey per package instructions (this could take up to 2 days).
- Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting, to let it come to room temperature.
- Adjust your oven rack so the turkey will have enough room to sit in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Pat both the inside cavity and the body of the turkey very dry with paper towels.
- Make the herb butter by combining room temperature butter, one tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, one tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, one tablespoon of fresh chopped sage, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (You’ll use the remaining fresh herbs for stuffing inside the cavity of the turkey).
- Generously season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the prepared lemon, onion, garlic cloves and leftover herbs.
- Using your hands, rub herb butter all over the outside of the turkey as well as underneath the skin on the breast of the turkey.
- Tuck the wings underneath the turkey and set the prepared turkey on a roasting rack inside of a roasting pan.
- Roast the turkey for 1.5-2 hours or until the skin is evenly brown and crisp. Baste the turkey with the pan drippings and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 300 and cook for an additional 1.5-2.5 hours (depending on the size of the turkey), until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (the turkey will continue to cook when taken out of the oven to reach 165 degrees, taking it out 5 degrees early ensures that the turkey breast will not get dry and overcook).
- Allow turkey to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 240kcal | Total Carbs: 1g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 11g | Net Carbs: 1g
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