Simple Roasted Turkey With Herb Butter Recipe
This roasted herb butter turkey is always tender, moist, and flavorful. It’s the one Thanksgiving recipe we return to year after year.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Thanksgiving
Ingredients
Scale
- Turkey (we used a 16 pound turkey)
- 4 ounces butter room temperature (1 stick)
- 3 tablespoons dried herbs (we use Herbs de Provence but feel free to make your own mixture using sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and basil)
- 1 small or medium-sized onion (for stuffing inside the cavity of the turkey for added flavor)
- Salt
- Ground pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, using a silicone spatula, stir the butter and herbs until smooth. Add a little bit of salt and pepper to taste.
- Rinse the turkey, inside and out, in cold water. Remove the neck, giblets, and innards and discard unless using. Trim off any excess fat.
- Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Peel and quarter the onion and place it into the cavity of the turkey (you can also quarter a lemon and place that in the cavity as well to add a little citrus flavor). Some people like to stuff the cavity with celery, carrots, and garlic as well. We’ve found that it really doesn’t change or add to the flavor so we just stick with the onion inside the cavity.
- Gently slide your fingers under the breast to loosen the skin and work your way down to the thighs. Be careful not to tear the skin. Spread about two-thirds of the butter/herb mixture evenly under the skin. Then, spread the remaining butter mixture on top of the skin making sure to coat the breasts, thighs, legs and wings.
- Using kitchen twine, truss the turkey as desired. Tuck wing tips under the turkey to avoid burning them.
- Put the turkey in the oven with the rack set to the lowest position and roast until done (check regularly and if skin begins to burn, cover with foil and continue cooking).
- Using the pan drippings and pan juices, begin basting the turkey every 30 minutes.
- Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for approximately 20 minutes before carving.
Notes
If desired, you can roast a medley of your favorite fall root vegetables along with your turkey. After the turkey has cooked for approximately 2 1/2 hours, arrange an assortment of onions, carrots, squash, or parsnips on the roasting rack and cook until the turkey is done. Baste the vegetables with the pan drippings when you are basting the turkey. While the turkey is resting, arrange the vegetables on a separate serving platter.
Find it online: https://mostlovelythings.com/turkey-with-herb-butter-recipe/