Description
This Perfect Roast Turkey recipe is your ultimate guide to a moist, flavorful holiday bird with golden crispy skin. Made with herb butter and simple aromatics, this easy roast turkey feeds a crowd and delivers unforgettable flavor. Ideal for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas, or any festive gathering.
Ingredients
12–14 pounds whole turkey
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, quartered
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Pat the turkey dry thoroughly and remove any giblets or neck from the cavity.
2. Loosen the skin over the breast gently with your fingers to prepare for herb butter.
3. In a bowl, combine softened butter, chopped herbs, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
4. Rub the herb butter mixture under the skin and all over the turkey’s surface.
5. Stuff the cavity with onion wedges, garlic cloves, and a few herb sprigs.
6. Place chopped carrots and celery in a large roasting pan and pour in the chicken broth.
7. Set the turkey on top of the vegetables, breast side up.
8. Roast at 450°F for 30 minutes to brown the skin, then reduce the oven to 325°F.
9. Continue roasting until a meat thermometer reads 165°F in the thigh (about 2.5 to 3 hours).
10. Baste with pan juices every 30–45 minutes for extra moisture and flavor.
11. Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest, loosely tented with foil, for 30 minutes before carving.
Notes
Let the turkey sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before roasting for even cooking.
Always use a meat thermometer for doneness—don’t rely on time alone.
If the skin browns too fast, loosely tent the turkey with foil during roasting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 turkey
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 165mg