Description
A classic roast turkey recipe with herb butter for a flavorful and moist holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole turkey (12-15 lbs)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat it dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast and thighs. Spread about half of the herb butter under the skin.
- Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey.
- Place the onion, carrots, and celery inside the turkey cavity.
- Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen twine.
- Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan.
- Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Roast the turkey for 13-15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C). Baste the turkey with pan juices every 30-45 minutes.
- If the skin starts to brown too quickly, loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil.
- Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
- For extra crispy skin, you can increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) for the last 15-20 minutes of roasting.
- You can add other herbs like parsley or marjoram to the butter.
- Allowing the turkey to rest is crucial for juicy meat.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 ounces
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 50g
- Cholesterol: 150mg