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Oven Roasted Herb Butter Turkey: The Secret to a Juicy Holiday Centerpiece

A perfectly roasted turkey with deeply browned, herb-crusted skin resting on a white platter.
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You can make a truly moist and flavorful whole turkey for your holiday feast using this simple herb butter method. This recipe focuses on achieving crispy skin and perfectly cooked, juicy meat every time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole turkey (12–14 lbs), thawed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup chicken or turkey broth

Instructions

  1. Remove the turkey from its packaging and take out the neck and giblets. Pat the entire turkey dry, inside and out, using paper towels. This step is key for crispy skin.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, chopped rosemary, thyme, sage, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until you have a uniform herb butter.
  3. Gently separate the skin from the breast meat, being careful not to tear the skin. Rub about half of the herb butter directly onto the breast meat under the skin.
  4. Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey skin.
  5. Place the quartered onion, carrots, and celery inside the turkey cavity.
  6. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan.
  7. Pour the broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.
  8. Roast the turkey for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Baste the turkey with pan juices every 45 minutes.
  9. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil.
  10. Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving. This resting period locks in the juices.

Notes

  • For extra crispy skin, you can place the turkey in the refrigerator uncovered for several hours or overnight after applying the herb butter.
  • If you prefer a glaze, apply a cranberry or maple glaze during the last hour of cooking, increasing the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for the final 15 minutes.
  • Use the pan drippings to make a simple gravy for serving alongside your moist thanksgiving turkey.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://devourdish.com/juicy-herb-butter-turkey-recipe/