Description
A perfectly golden, juicy Thanksgiving turkey made simple — infused with fresh herbs, garlic butter, and citrus for a flavorful, no-fail holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 to 18 lb whole turkey (fully thawed)
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1–2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1–2 sprigs fresh sage
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Remove the turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting to reach room temperature. Take out the giblets.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Season the cavity with salt and pepper, then fill with onion, lemon, and fresh herbs. Don’t overfill for smaller birds.
- In a bowl, combine softened butter, garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme.
- Gently loosen the turkey skin and spread one-third of the herb butter beneath the skin over the breasts.
- Rub the remaining herb butter all over the outside of the turkey.
- Place the turkey on a rack or on top of the chopped vegetables. Tuck in wing tips to prevent burning.
- Roast for about 15 minutes per pound, until internal temperature reaches 158°–160°F. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
- Let rest for 30 minutes before carving. The temperature will rise to 165°F as it rests.
- Carve and serve with pan drippings or gravy.
Notes
Allow proper resting for juicy meat. Use a thermometer for accuracy. Adjust roasting time for turkey size — about 15 minutes per pound.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 6 oz cooked turkey with butter)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 68g
- Cholesterol: 185mg
