Easy Roast Turkey
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
10
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Calories
537 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Easy Roast Turkey
Description
Easy Roast Turkey features a 14-16 pound whole bird that gets a flavorful herb butter rubbed all over. The butter combines softened unsalted butter with finely chopped fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, and minced garlic, along with seasoning salt and pepper. These ingredients meld during roasting to infuse the turkey skin with savory herbal notes.
The turkey cavity is filled with halved lemon and sprigs of fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, and whole garlic cloves to release aromatic steam into the meat. Before roasting, the turkey is brought to room temperature and patted dry to promote even browning. It is roasted at a high initial temperature to develop a golden crust.
This approach yields tender, juicy meat beneath a savory, fragrant crust, making it well-suited for holiday meals or special occasions. The recipe advises seasoning inside and outside the cavity and provides guidance on weight-based cooking time. Use of an instant-read thermometer is recommended to ensure doneness.
Adjust the quantity of herb butter and aromatics proportionally if roasting turkeys outside the 14-16 pound range, and be cautious with salt levels if using pre-brined birds. Overall, this method creates a flavorful roast turkey with balanced seasoning and moisture retention.
Ingredients
- 1 (14-16 pound) whole turkey see note
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Herb butter:
- 1 cup butter softened, unsalted, 2 sticks
- 1 tablespoon sage chopped finely, fresh
- 1 tablespoon thyme chopped finely, fresh
- 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped finely, fresh
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Inside the turkey:
- 1 lemon halved
- sage fresh, a few sprigs each
- thyme
- rosemary
- 1 head garlic break into cloves and peel them
Instructions
- Take the turkey out of the fridge to let it warm up for an hour prior to roasting it. Set it on a baking sheet (this will help collect spills etc. once you open the packaging later on). Also take the butter out of the fridge to let it soften up.
- Add the butter to a bowl, along with the other herb butter ingredients. Mash together with a fork.
- Preheat oven to 450F and move a rack to the bottom third of the oven (remove the rest of the racks so there's plenty of room).
- Take the turkey out of its packaging and remove the giblets and neck if they were included (found inside the cavity). If your turkey was frozen, you'll want to do this near the sink since there will be lots of excess liquid. Be sure to drain as much liquid from the cavity as possible, then put it back on the baking sheet.
- To prep the turkey: Pat it dry with paper towel. Season with salt & pepper (add some inside the cavity too... about a teaspoon of salt in total since the herb butter contains salt too). Stuff the cavity with the lemon, herbs, and garlic. Rub the turkey all over with the herb butter (I don't do the very bottom of the bird). Tuck the wings under the turkey and tie the legs together with kitchen twine (optional, but it makes for a neater appearance).
- Place the turkey on the rack of the roasting pan (breast side up).
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 350F.
- Roast the turkey for about 3 hours (for a 14 pound turkey), until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F. When the turkey rests, the temperature will continue to rise, and the thigh meat should end up in the 170s, which will be perfectly tender. Begin testing for doneness 30 minutes before total roasting time is reached to avoid surprises. There is no basting in this recipe. Important: the skin will brown before the turkey is done (up to an hour or so before). At this point, loosely cover the turkey with non-stick foil for the remainder of cooking time so the breast meat doesn't burn.The timing rule for turkey is 13 minutes per pound at 350F, so adjust accordingly based on the size of your bird. Also remember that each time you open the oven, it'll lose some heat and cooking time will increase a bit.
- Once the turkey is cooked and out of the oven, carefully tilt the roasting rack so the juices inside the turkey spill out to the bottom of the pan (these can be made into gravy!). Lift the rack (with the turkey on it) and transfer the turkey to a large cutting board or plate. Let it rest for 20 minutes prior to carving. This is important! The juices need time to redistribute or else you'll end up with a dry turkey. You can use the drippings to make gravy while the turkey rests.
Notes
- For turkeys outside 14-16 pounds, adjust butter and cavity fillings accordingly.
- Roast at 350°F for about 13 minutes per pound; use an instant-read thermometer to confirm doneness.
- Use sea salt or kosher salt, but omit or reduce salt if using a brined turkey to avoid oversalting.
- Drain excess liquid from the cavity before roasting to prevent sogginess.
- Let the turkey sit at room temperature for an hour before roasting for even cooking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 537 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 537kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 56g | 112% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 234mg | 78% |
| Sodium | 684mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 623mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 754IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 8mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 52mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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