Description
This classic Thanksgiving turkey recipe guides you through roasting a juicy, flavorful turkey infused with fresh herbs and garlic butter. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this method ensures tender meat with crispy skin using a low and slow oven roasting technique.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 20 pound turkey
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 apple, quartered
- 0.75 ounce container fresh rosemary
- 0.75 ounce container fresh thyme
- 0.75 ounce container fresh sage
Herb Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage)
Instructions
- Thaw Turkey: If the turkey is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator allowing 24 hours for every 5 pounds plus an extra day for safety.
- Bring to Room Temperature: Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting to let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Rack: Adjust the oven rack to the center and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make Herb Butter: Combine softened butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, and 0.5 tablespoon fresh chopped sage to create the herb butter. Reserve remaining herbs for stuffing.
- Prepare Turkey: Remove turkey from packaging, take out neck and giblets from cavities (reserve if desired), and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season and Stuff Cavity: Season the cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion, apple, and leftover fresh herbs.
- Apply Herb Butter Under Skin: Gently loosen the skin over the breasts and spread a few tablespoons of herb butter underneath with your fingers.
- Tuck Wings and Position Turkey: Tuck the wings underneath the turkey and place it on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
- Brush Remaining Butter: Microwave the remaining herb butter for 30 seconds until softened, then brush it all over the outside of the turkey, including legs and wings.
- Roast Turkey: Roast at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes per pound (approximately 5 hours for 20 pounds), or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thigh and breast.
- Protect Breast Meat: About halfway through cooking, once the skin is golden brown, tent the turkey with foil to prevent overcooking the breast.
- Rest and Carve: After roasting, tent the turkey with foil and let it rest on the counter. Then move to a cutting board inside a sheet pan to carve and catch juices.
Notes
- Turkey Size: For smaller groups or preference for white meat, try a Turkey Breast recipe instead.
- Herb Substitution: Use 1 teaspoon dried herbs to replace 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs.
- Tinfoil Covering: Start roasting uncovered and cover with foil once skin is golden to protect breast meat.
- Disposable Roasting Pan: Place chopped celery and carrots on the bottom to elevate turkey and add flavor for gravy, though vegetables are not recommended to be eaten or used in gravy.
- Electric Roasting Oven: Follow the same directions as conventional oven.
- Convection Oven: Begin checking temperature after 2 hours as turkey cooks faster.
- Additional Tutorials: Refer to separate guides for How to Carve and How to Spatchcock a Turkey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 576 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
