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Oven Roasted Herb Butter Turkey

Close-up of juicy, sliced turkey breast coated in browned herb butter crust.
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A recipe for a whole turkey roasted in the oven using an herb butter rub to achieve moist meat and crispy skin, suitable for a holiday centerpiece.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole turkey (12-14 lbs), thawed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 medium onions, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the neck and giblets. Pat the entire turkey dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the parsley, rosemary, thyme, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. This is your herb butter.
  3. Gently separate the skin from the breast meat using your fingers, being careful not to tear the skin.
  4. Rub about two-thirds of the herb butter directly onto the breast meat under the skin. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey skin.
  5. Place the quartered onions, carrots, and celery inside the turkey cavity. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of a large roasting pan.
  6. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius). Place the turkey on a roasting rack set inside the pan.
  7. Roast the turkey for approximately 13-15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Baste the turkey with pan drippings every 45 minutes.
  8. If the skin browns too quickly, loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil.
  9. Once the internal temperature is reached, remove the turkey from the oven. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.

Notes

  • For extra crispy skin, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for the last 20 minutes of cooking, watching carefully to prevent burning.
  • To ensure juiciness, start with a fully thawed turkey; thawing takes about one day for every 4-5 pounds in the refrigerator.
  • If you prefer stuffing inside the bird, ensure the stuffing reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally when the turkey is done.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/juicy-herb-butter-turkey-recipe/