Description
This Easy Roast Turkey recipe guides you to perfect a juicy, flavorful turkey with a buttery herb rub and simple aromatics. Ideal for holiday dinners, it features a no-baste method and clear roasting instructions ensuring tender meat with crisp skin.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 (14-16 pound) whole turkey
- Salt & pepper to taste
Herb Butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
Stuffing for Turkey Cavity
- 1 lemon halved
- A few sprigs each fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary
- 1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
Instructions
- Prepare Turkey and Butter: Remove the turkey from the fridge and let it warm up for 1 hour. Set it on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Simultaneously, take the butter out of the fridge to soften.
- Make Herb Butter: In a bowl, combine the softened butter with chopped fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mash together thoroughly with a fork.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third, removing any additional racks to create ample space.
- Prepare Turkey for Roasting: Remove the turkey from its packaging and take out giblets and neck from the cavity. If frozen, do this near a sink to manage excess liquid. Drain as much liquid as possible and place the turkey back on the baking sheet.
- Season and Stuff Turkey: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper, including inside the cavity (about 1 teaspoon of salt total). Stuff the cavity with lemon halves, fresh herbs, and garlic cloves. Rub the entire turkey (except for the very bottom) with the prepared herb butter. Tuck wings under the bird and tie legs with kitchen twine for a neat appearance if desired.
- Place Turkey in Roasting Pan: Position the turkey breast side up on a rack inside a roasting pan.
- Roast Turkey: Place the roasting pan in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast the turkey for about 3 hours for a 14-pound bird. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh; turkey should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature. Begin checking the temperature 30 minutes before the total cook time to avoid overcooking. When the skin browns early, cover loosely with non-stick foil to prevent breast meat from burning. Remember, the meat temperature will rise after resting.
- Rest and Serve: After removing the turkey from the oven, tilt the roasting rack to pour juices into the bottom of the pan for gravy. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board or large plate and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
- Adjust butter and cavity stuffing amounts if your turkey weighs much more or less than 14-16 pounds.
- The general roasting time rule is 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for turkey.
- Using an instant-read thermometer is critical for best results and food safety.
- Use sea salt or kosher salt—if using a pre-brined turkey, reduce or omit the salt in the butter to avoid oversalting.
- No basting is necessary with this recipe; the herb butter keeps the bird moist.
- Removing racks and positioning the oven rack correctly ensures sufficient space for roasting a large bird.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 330 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
