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Dinner Β· Turkey

Herb-Butter Roast Turkey

Butter mixed with sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic and lemon zest, spread under the skin so it bastes the breast meat as it roasts.

⏱ 3 hr 55 min (35 min prep, 3 hr cooking, 20 min waiting) 🍽 Serves 10 · about 1 lb of turkey as bought, with some leftovers leftoversfreezer friendly gluten free

Part of our Thanksgiving dinner: menu, timeline and shopping list β†’

πŸ“… Add to my plan

ContainsMilk. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 10 servings
  • 11 lb Whole turkey, thawed, neck and giblets removed

  • Herb butter

  • Β½ cup Butter, unsalted, softened (1 stick)
  • 2 tbsp Ground sage, chopped
  • 1 tbsp Fresh thyme, leaves
  • 1 tbsp Fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
  • 3 clove Garlic, grated
  • 1 Lemon, zest only; the halves go in the cavity
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp Ground black pepper

  • For the pan

  • 1 Yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 cup Turkey broth or stock, or water

Make it yourself

Make the butter yourself β†’ Make the turkey stock yourself β†’

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: large roasting pan with a rack, food thermometer, small bowl, foil, carving board.

  1. Thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator (about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb) or in cold water (about 30 minutes per lb, changing the water every 30 minutes, then cook it right away). See the thawing planner on the Thanksgiving page.
  2. Take the neck and the bag of giblets out of both ends of the bird; save them for stock. Don’t rinse the turkey: washing raw poultry spreads germs around the sink (USDA). Pat it dry with paper towels and wash your hands.
  3. Mash the butter with the herbs, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
  4. Heat the oven to 325Β°F with a rack in the lower third. Starting at the neck end, slide your fingers under the skin of the breast to loosen it, working gently so it doesn’t tear. Loosen the skin over the thighs too.
  5. Push about two-thirds of the herb butter under the skin and spread it out by pressing on the outside of the skin. Rub the rest over the outside. Put the lemon halves and onion in the cavity, set the turkey breast side up on the rack, and pour the broth into the pan.
  6. Roast 2ΒΎ to 3 hours for an 8- to 12-lb turkey (USDA’s time for an unstuffed bird at 325Β°F; bigger birds take longer, see the classic roast turkey). The butter browns quickly, so cover the breast loosely with foil once it’s deep golden.
  7. Check the temperature with a food thermometer in three places, not touching bone: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing. Every spot must read at least 165Β°F (USDA).
  8. Let the turkey rest 20 minutes before carving, so the juices settle (USDA). Tent it loosely with foil; it stays hot for 40 minutes or more. The pan juices are full of herbs and make a fine gravy.

🌑 Safe temperaturesTurkey 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadMake the herb butter up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate; let it soften before spreading. You can butter the bird the night before and refrigerate it on a tray.
❄️ FreezerHerb butter freezes up to 3 months. Freeze carved leftover turkey 2 to 6 months for best quality (USDA).
β†Ί LeftoversCarve the meat off the bones and refrigerate it within 2 hours; use it within 3 to 4 days or freeze it (USDA). Reheat to 165Β°F. Make stock from the carcass.
πŸ§’ With kidsKids can strip herb leaves from the stems and mash the herb butter.
Dairy-free swapMix the herbs with β…“ cup olive oil and rub it under and over the skin.
Dried herbs swapUse 2 teaspoons dried sage, 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled.

Goes well with

πŸ₯£ Turkey Gravy from the Drippings🍎 Sausage and Apple StuffingπŸ₯” Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Good to know

Cooking Fats Compared Salted vs. unsalted butter Fresh vs. dried herbs Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Stock vs. broth Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe, written for our Thanksgiving dinner; safety steps follow USDA. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.