Description
A classic Thanksgiving turkey recipe featuring a flavorful herb butter and aromatic stuffing of lemon, onion, and apple. This method ensures a juicy, tender turkey with perfectly browned skin, roasted slowly at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey and Aromatics
- 1 20 pound turkey
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 apple, quartered
- 0.75 ounce fresh rosemary
- 0.75 ounce fresh thyme
- 0.75 ounce fresh sage
Herb Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
- 0.5 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
Instructions
- Thaw the Turkey: If frozen, thaw the turkey in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for every 5 pounds plus an extra day for safety.
- Prepare Turkey: Remove the turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting to reach room temperature. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and adjust oven rack to center.
- Make Herb Butter: Combine softened butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and thyme, and 0.5 tablespoon sage in a bowl. Reserve remaining herbs for stuffing.
- Prepare Turkey Cavity: Remove neck and giblets from the turkey. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and stuff it with quartered lemon, onion, apple, and leftover herbs.
- Apply Herb Butter Under Skin: Gently loosen the skin over the breasts and smooth several tablespoons of herb butter underneath the skin.
- Position Turkey: Tuck wings underneath the bird. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan.
- Baste Turkey: Microwave remaining herb butter until softened (about 30 seconds). Brush the butter all over the outside of the turkey, including legs and wings.
- Roast Turkey: Roast at 325 degrees F for about 15 minutes per pound (around 5 hours for 20 pounds) or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F in the thigh and breast. Halfway through cooking, cover the turkey with foil once skin is golden brown to prevent overcooking the breast.
- Rest Turkey: Tent the turkey with foil and let it rest on the counter before transferring it to a cutting board on a sheet pan to catch juices for carving.
Notes
- If cooking for fewer people or preferring white meat, consider a turkey breast recipe.
- To substitute dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon dried herbs per 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs.
- To protect breast meat, start roasting uncovered and tent with foil once skin is golden brown. Use roasting pan lid if available.
- For disposable roasting pans, place chopped celery and carrots on the bottom to elevate the turkey and add flavor to drippings.
- Electric roasting ovens follow the same directions as conventional ovens.
- In a convection oven, start checking temperature after 2 hours as it cooks faster.
- Refer to tutorials for carving and spatchcocking a turkey for faster cooking options.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 576 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
