Description
A simple and flavorful recipe for a classic herb-butter roasted turkey, perfect for any holiday gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (12-15 lbs)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 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).
- Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with chopped rosemary, thyme, sage, 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.
- Stuff the turkey cavity with the quartered onion, chopped carrots, and celery.
- Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
- Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil.
- Roast for 3-4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 165°F (74°C). Baste the turkey with pan juices every hour.
- Remove the foil during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking to allow the skin to brown.
- Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving.
Notes
- For crispier skin, you can increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) for the last 30 minutes of roasting, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- You can add other aromatics to the cavity like garlic cloves or lemon halves.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American