Description
This easy roast turkey recipe delivers a perfectly golden, tender, and juicy bird ideal for holiday feasts or special family dinners. A flavorful herb butter rub infused with fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, and garlic enhances the turkey’s natural flavors. Roasted at a high temperature initially, then slowly cooked to a safe internal temperature, this foolproof method ensures a deliciously moist turkey with crispy skin and minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 1 (14-16 pound) whole turkey
- Salt & pepper to taste
Herb Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
Inside the Turkey
- 1 lemon, halved
- A few sprigs each fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary
- 1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
Instructions
- Prepare the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up for one hour. Place it on a baking sheet to catch any liquids when unwrapped later. Also, take the butter out to soften.
- Make the Herb Butter: In a bowl, combine the softened butter with chopped sage, thyme, rosemary, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mash together thoroughly with a fork until well blended.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 450°F and adjust the oven rack to the bottom third, removing other racks for ample space.
- Prepare the Turkey for Roasting: Remove the turkey from packaging, discard giblets and neck from the cavity. If frozen, do this near the sink to manage excess liquid. Pat dry with paper towels and season inside the cavity and exterior with salt and pepper (about one teaspoon salt total). Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, fresh herbs, and garlic cloves. Rub the herb butter all over the turkey skin, avoiding the very bottom. Tuck wings under the bird and tie legs together with kitchen twine for a neat presentation.
- Arrange for Roasting: Place the turkey breast-side up on the roasting pan rack.
- Start Roasting at High Heat: Put the pan in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 350°F to begin slow roasting.
- Roast Until Done: Roast for approximately 3 hours for a 14-pound turkey. Use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest thigh area; the turkey is done when it reaches 165°F internally. Begin testing the temperature about 30 minutes before expected finish time to avoid overcooking. When the skin browns significantly (up to an hour before done), loosely cover the turkey with non-stick foil to protect the breast meat from burning. The thigh temperature will rise to about 170°F as it rests, ensuring tenderness.
- Rest the Turkey: Once cooked, lift the roasting rack and tilt it to pour accumulated juices from the turkey into the pan—these can be used for gravy. Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board or plate, and let it rest for 20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute for moist slices.
Notes
- You may adjust the amount of herb butter and cavity fillings for different turkey sizes beyond 14-16 pounds.
- The cooking time estimator is about 13 minutes per pound at 350°F.
- Use sea salt or kosher salt preferentially; if using a pre-brined turkey, avoid extra salting and reduce or omit salt in the herb butter.
- An instant-read thermometer is strongly recommended to guarantee safe and perfect doneness.
- Refer to the blog post for additional tips and answers to frequently asked questions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 160g)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
