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Best Roasted Turkey We’ve Ever Made Recipe

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4.3 from 6 reviews

This recipe delivers the best roasted turkey with incredible flavor, tender and juicy meat, and irresistibly crispy skin. Featuring a brined and air-dried turkey rubbed with a flavorful herb butter and slow roasted to perfection, this turkey is ideal for Thanksgiving or any special occasion. Accompanied by aromatic vegetables and chicken stock in the roasting pan, it also lends itself to making a rich and delicious gravy.

Ingredients

Turkey

  • 1 (12 to 20 pound) turkey, thawed, brined (recommended), and trussed
  • 1 large onion, cut into eight wedges
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 8 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 4 sage leaves
  • 2 quarts chicken stock (8 cups or 1.8L)

Herb Turkey Butter

  • 1 pound salted butter, softened (460g)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper (5g)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or Pickapeppa sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • ½ cup parsley leaves (14g)
  • ¼ cup sage leaves (7g)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (5g)

Instructions

  1. Prep the oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and adjust the racks to ensure your turkey will fit comfortably.
  2. Make the butter: Combine all herb butter ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Scrape down the sides and bottom, then pulse a few more times until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Prep the roasting pan: In the bottom of a large roasting pan, spread the onion wedges, chopped carrots, celery, smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, sage leaves, and chicken stock. Place a roasting rack above the ingredients to hold the turkey.
  4. Melt some of the butter: Take one-quarter of the prepared turkey butter and melt it gently over low heat in a small saucepan. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside.
  5. Prep the turkey: Place the turkey on the roasting rack. Carefully create pockets between the skin and breast meat using your hands. At the joint where the drumsticks meet the thighs, make a small hole with a knife or scissors.
  6. Add the butter: Rub the remaining unmelted herb butter generously into the created pockets under the skin and into the holes near the thighs. Massage the butter evenly beneath the skin for maximum flavor—this process is messy but essential. Alternatively, use a disposable piping bag to inject the butter under the skin and into leg holes, then massage.
  7. Brush with melted butter: Turn the turkey breast-side down and brush the melted butter all over the back. Flip it back breast-side up and brush with the remaining melted butter on top. Lightly season the turkey with salt and pepper.
  8. Roast the turkey: Roast uncovered for about 14 minutes per pound, basting every 30 minutes with the fat and broth in the pan. Add water if the liquid gets too low. Rotate the pan every hour to promote even browning. For a 15-pound turkey, this takes approximately 3 ½ hours.
  9. Tent and finish roasting: When the skin is about two shades lighter than your desired color, tent the turkey loosely with foil. Continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) reads 160°F (71°C) and the juices run clear.
  10. Rest the turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour before carving. Keep it warm in a 200°F (90°C) oven, loosely covered with foil to prevent drying.

Notes

  • If using unsalted butter for the herb butter, add an extra teaspoon of fine sea salt to compensate.
  • Helpful equipment includes a brine bag or large bucket for brining, a large roasting pan with rack, disposable piping bag for butter injection, food-grade nitrile gloves for massaging the butter, basting or pastry brush, and a turkey baster.
  • Make sure to air-dry the turkey in the fridge overnight after brining to achieve the crispiest skin.
  • The pan drippings can be used to make an excellent gravy to accompany the turkey.
  • Use a meat thermometer to ensure the safe internal temperature is reached without overcooking.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/best-roasted-turkey-weve-ever-made-recipe/