Description
This Garlic Herb Butter Thanksgiving Turkey recipe offers a flavorful and juicy turkey perfect for your holiday feast. Infused with a fragrant blend of fresh herbs, garlic, citrus, and butter, the turkey is roasted to golden perfection, ensuring tender, succulent meat and crispy skin that will impress your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Aromatics
- 14-16 pound turkey (thawed)
- 1 head garlic (sliced in half)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced into paste)
- 1 medium onion (cut into wedges)
- 1 lemon (cut into wedges)
- 1 orange (cut into wedges)
- Fresh sage (about 5-6 stems)
- Fresh rosemary (about 5-6 stems)
- Fresh thyme (about 5-6 stems)
- Fresh parsley (about 5-6 stems)
Butter Mixture and Seasoning
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick, softened, divided)
- Kosher salt (to taste, about 2 teaspoons for cavity and seasoning)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste, about 1 teaspoon for cavity and seasoning)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and turkey: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove the turkey neck and giblets from the cavity, then pat the entire turkey dry, both inside and out, using paper towels. Season the inside of the cavity liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Stuff the turkey cavity: Place the onion wedges, garlic halves, lemon wedges, orange wedges, and 2-3 stems each of fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley into the turkey cavity to impart deep, aromatic flavors during roasting.
- Make garlic herb butter: In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of softened butter with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, minced garlic paste (from 2 cloves), 1 tablespoon minced sage, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon minced rosemary, and 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
- Apply herb butter under the skin: Gently loosen the skin from the turkey breast and legs without tearing it. Spread the prepared garlic herb butter evenly under the skin to ensure the meat absorbs all the flavors and remains moist.
- Prepare turkey for roasting: Tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent burning. Use the extra skin at the base of the backbone or cooking twine to tuck the turkey legs together securely. Spread the remaining 4 tablespoons of softened butter all over the outside of the turkey. Then, season the outside liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the turkey: Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan. Roast at 325°F (163°C) for two hours. After two hours, increase the temperature to 425°F (218°C) and continue roasting for an additional 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the size of your turkey. Begin checking for doneness at the 2-hour mark. The turkey is done when the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), and the thigh meat registers between 170-175°F (77-79°C).
- Rest the turkey: Once cooked through, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 45 minutes to one hour before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and ensures moist, tender slices.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to accurately check the turkey’s internal temperature for perfect doneness.
- Allow the turkey to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before roasting for even cooking.
- Loosening the skin gently is key to avoid tearing and losing the herb butter under the skin.
- If your turkey is larger than 16 pounds, adjust the roasting time accordingly, generally adding 15 minutes per extra pound.
- Resting the turkey after roasting is essential to keep the meat juicy and tender.
- Leftover garlic herb butter can be saved and used for mashed potatoes or vegetables for a flavor boost.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 6 oz) roasted turkey with skin
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
