Description
This recipe delivers the best roasted turkey with incredible flavor, tender and juicy meat, and irresistibly crispy skin. Featuring a herb-infused butter and a careful roasting technique, it’s perfect for holidays or any special occasion. The process includes brining, air-drying, and roasting to perfection, resulting in a golden brown, flavorful centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Aromatics
- 1 (12 to 20 pound) turkey, thawed, brined (recommended), and trussed
- 1 large onion, cut into eight wedges
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 sage leaves
- 2 quarts chicken stock (8 cups or 1.8L)
Turkey Butter
- 1 pound salted butter, softened (460g)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper (5g)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or Pickapepper sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ cup parsley leaves (14g)
- ¼ cup sage leaves (7g)
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (5g)
Instructions
- Prepare the Turkey: Ensure your turkey is fully thawed, brined for optimal juiciness, and trussed to maintain its shape during roasting. Allow the turkey to air-dry in the fridge overnight for crispier skin.
- Make the Turkey Butter: In a bowl, combine the softened salted butter with sea salt, cracked pepper, Worcestershire (or Pickapepper) sauce, smashed garlic, lemon zest and juice, chopped parsley, sage, and thyme leaves. Mix thoroughly to create a fragrant herb butter.
- Apply the Butter: Gently loosen the skin of the turkey and spread the prepared herb butter generously under the skin as well as on top of the skin to infuse flavor and promote browning.
- Arrange the Roasting Pan: Place the onion wedges, chopped carrots, celery stalks, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, and sage leaves at the bottom of a large roasting pan. Pour in the chicken stock to create a flavorful base for the roasting turkey and help keep it moist.
- Roast the Turkey: Place the prepared turkey on top of the vegetable and herb bed in the roasting pan. Roast in a preheated oven at 325°F (163°C) for approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh. Baste occasionally with pan juices for extra moisture and flavor.
- Rest the Turkey: Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and tent with foil. Let rest for 20-30 minutes to redistribute juices before carving.
- Optional Gravy: Use the pan drippings to make a rich turkey gravy by skimming fat, adding flour or cornstarch, and whisking in stock as needed over medium heat until thickened.
Notes
- Brining and air-drying the turkey the night before roasting greatly improves the flavor and skin crispiness.
- Trussing helps the bird cook evenly and maintain a beautiful shape.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey is perfectly cooked and safe.
- Pan drippings can be used to make an excellent homemade gravy.
- If your turkey is larger than 20 pounds, cooking time will increase; plan accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/14 of turkey
- Calories: 539
- Sugar: 0.8g
- Sodium: 710mg
- Fat: 21.7g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 2.9g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 81.3g
- Cholesterol: 278.3mg
