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Juicy Garlic Herb Butter Roast Turkey

Close-up of a perfectly roasted turkey breast, sliced to show juicy white meat coated in garlic herb butter.
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Follow this recipe to roast a whole turkey that stays moist and develops crispy, flavorful skin using a simple herb butter rub. This is the perfect centerpiece for your holiday meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole turkey (12–14 lbs), thawed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the neck and giblets. Pat the entire turkey skin dry with paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix until you have a uniform herb butter.
  3. Gently loosen the skin over the turkey breast and thighs. Rub about half of the herb butter directly onto the meat under the skin. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey skin.
  4. Place the quartered onion and chopped carrots inside the turkey cavity. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of a large roasting pan.
  5. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack inside the roasting pan.
  6. Roast the turkey for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Baste the turkey with pan drippings every 45 minutes.
  7. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the turkey with aluminum foil.
  8. Once the turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the oven. Tent 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 15 minutes of cooking, watching carefully to prevent burning.
  • If you prefer a maple glaze, mix 1/4 cup of maple syrup with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and brush it on during the last 30 minutes of roasting.
  • Use the pan drippings to make gravy for serving.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/juicy-garlic-herb-butter-roast-turkey/